The Washington herald., 1919-01-19


arms by Gen. NJ. C. Meigs. who had
his headquarters at Fort Slocum. the
first fort east of Fort Stevens. An
other call was made for the Veteran
Reserves and District of Columbia
volunteers. The few sailors at the
washington Navy Yard and the Ma
rines at the barracks on Eighth street
southeast. then known as Garrison
street" were rushed to the vicinity of
Fort Stevens, the naval contingent
being placed under command Of Ad-
miral Goldsborough. As many Of the
men as could be spared from the
forts south of the Potomac were also
marched to the point of threatened
invasion.
Gen. Early approached the city so
swiftly that there was but little
time for preparation. The alarming
news from the front Monday morn
ing caused Gen. McCook to move his
reserve force to the rifle trenches
on either side of Fort Stevens and
send out skirmish line. Speaking
of the defenders Of Washington at
that time. of peril. Gen. McCook
said: Il hazard, the remark that
there never was before a command
so heterogeneous, yet SO orderly.
The hale and hearty soldier, the in
valid. the convalescent. the wound
ed. the unframed citizen and quar-
'termaster's employees, side by side.
each working with a singleness Of
purpose and willing to discharge
any duty imposed upon him."
The situation in front of Wash
ington seemed SO grave that Gen.
Grant thought OF returning from
Petersburg to the Capital to take
command in person. On reflection.
however, he decided to send the
Sixth Corps, commanded by Gen.
Horatio Wright, The first REIN
forcements to reach Washington
were Gen. Grants headquarters
guard, the Twenty-fifth New York
| Cavalry. In the meantime the vete-
rams of the Sixth Corps, and part Of
the Nineteenth Corps were hasten
ing towards the beleagured Capital.
Historian Cox pays high tribute to
President Lincoln and his coolness
and energy in the trying emergency.
His chief anxiety was for the cap
ture of the daring Early. The
President was unusually calm and
seemed to think little of personal
danger. In a telegram to Governor
Swami. of Maryland, he said: lie,
us be vigilant. but keep cool" In
order to be near the battlefield, the
President left the White House July
10. against the protests of officials,
and rode to the Presidents cottage
at Soldiers Home.
On July IL, Charles A. Dana wired ::
Washington and Baltimore are in
a state of great excitement. Both
cities are filled with country people
fleeing from the enemy. The dam
age done to private property by the
invaders is almost beyond calcuIa-
tion. Mills; workshops and fac
tories of every sort have been
destroyed. From twenty-five to
fifty miles of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad have been torn up"
Gen. Early left his camp near
Rockville on the morning of July II.
his men approaching Washington on
the Georgetown and Seventh Street
pixies. At IL o'clock the enemy
commenced the attack on the Union
picket lines. The first man wound
ed in the defense of the city was
William L. Leach. Company X. 159th
Ohio. who died soon thereafter.
While Gen. Early was preparing for
an attack in force on Fort stevens,
then but feebly manned, with the
dome of the Capitol in full view. his
tory records show the sturdy Sixth
Corps arrived in the nick OF time and
saved Washington from capture and
probably destruction. The Union force
of citizens and what not had been
driven towards the fort when the
Sixth Corps arrived. At daylight.
July u, when Early saw the para
pets lined with troops and learned
that reInrorcemcnts had arrived. he
determined to abandon the idea of
capturing Washington. A consider
able battle was fought July 12 The
fight had lasted but few minutes
when a stream OF bleeding. mangled
men began to come to the rear.
When darkness came the forces OF
the Union were victorious and Gen.