Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-03

ONCE, with it's myriad drawings and
models illustrative Of the inventive
American mind, and a hundred-and-one
other equally attractive points of in
terest.
It Is the intention Of the reunion
committee to arrange for the veterans
to shake hands with the President Of
the United States. provided his i'm
portant and trying duties will permit.
Col. John McElroy. past senior vice
chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic. in discussing the re-
union of the United Confederate Vet
Grams. remarked that six times in the
fngton into turmoil Of apprehension
over the threatened capture of the
city.
The first occasion was upon the ap-
proach Of President Lfncoln's first In
auguration, when many members of the
District of Columbia militia and large
number of Federal officials were sympa-
thizers with the southern cause. It
take possession Of the city and make
it the capital of the Confederacy.
The second time was Immediately
after the battle of Bull Run, when Con-
hill, in full sight of the Capitol and
White House, at distance Of about
three miles, and one of the rified guns
of that period could have sent shell
into either structure. The city was IN
a hurly-burly of excitement at that
time.
The third occasion of fear for the
safety of the capital was when Stone
wall Jackson drove Gen. Banks down
the Shenandoah valley and back to the
Potomac river at Harpers Ferry.
The fourth time was when Gen. Lee
defeated Gen. iPope's army in the early
part of September. 1852.
For the fifth time excitement re1gned
in Washington when Lee destroyed
Milroy's forces at Winchester in 1858.
and crossed the Potomac above Har-
pers Ferry on his way to Gettysburg.
The sixth and last time that Washing
ton was thrown into a ferment of excite
ment and fear was when Gen. Early sue
ceeded in driving Gen. Hunter out OF the
valley and, coming down by way OF Rock
vile, Md, reached the Notifications Of
Washington, July II, 1864, and fought the
battle of Fort Stevens. the only conflict
of the civil war In the District of Column
bia The danger of the capture OF the
capital was then regarded as SO imminent
that greenbacks, described as the ''ba-
rometer of American hope" fell to the
lowest point. IS cents on the dollar. Fol-
lowing Early's retreat greenbacks rose
quickly to IS cents.
.'Fort Stevens was therefore the moral
and financial as well as the physical
turning point of the war;" Col. McElroy
said.
X X
It was at Fort Stevens that President
Lincoln mounted one of the parapets and
was actually under fire for the first time.
Cen Horatio G. Wright compelled the
President to descend from his dangerous
perch after surgeon who was standing
close to him had been wounded by Con-
federate sharpshooter.
The battlefield Of Fort Stevens is one
Of, the interesting places in the suburbs
of Washington. The Lincoln parapet re-
mains and is suitably marked by a
placard. Another placard on the Bright
wood road nearby marks the nearest ap-
proach Of the Confederates to the capt.
tal In the immediate vicinity Of the Bat
tie Ground cemetery. where are buried the
remains of some Of the defenders of Fort
Stevens. These historic places may be
reached by trolley line or automobile.
The splendid monument to the Con-
federate dead at Arlington national ceme-
terry may also be reached by trolley line
which crosses the Potomac at George
town. 1t is in the Confederate section
where the remains of the sculptor, Sir
Moses Ezekiel. will be inferred upon their
arrival from Rome, Italy, where he died