Evening star., 1923-07-08
Gen. Early's Attack on Washington Took
Place Fifty-Nine Years Ago From july II
A Short Story of the Stirring Battle.

fore. While marching the men were
enveloped in a suffocating cloud Of
dust and many Of them fell by the
way from exhaustion. The progress
was much impeded, but, undaunt ed :
Early pushed on as rapidly as pos
sible. hoping to get into the fortifi-
! cations around the city before they
could be manned. But when he ar
rived in sight of Fort Stevens he dis
covered that the works were feebly
garriSoned
He Immediately ordered one of his
| leaders to bring a division into line
as rapidly possible and to throw
out skirmishers and move into the
works if possible. But before this
could be done the Confederates saw
cloud of dust in the rear of the
works off toward Washington. Pres
emily a column of FederaIs filed into
! the works. They came in on both
sides. Skirmishers were thrown out
in front and a heavy artillery fire was
opened on Early from a number .of
batteries. This defeated the hopes of
the Confederacy of getting possession
of the works by surprise and it be-
n
| THE officials at Washington and
Gen. Grant had entertained in vain
the hope that Hunters force would
make it's appearance in time to divert
the Confederate force in its advance
on toward the city. But after cross
ing the mountains, the most expedi-
, tious route for that officer was to
strike the Ohio canal and, ascending
by water to Parkersburg. take the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Low
water in the Ohio and breaks in the
road delayed him and he was hors de
combat throughout all of the events
described. Hence 1t became necessary
to find other troops to oppose Early.
Maj. Gen. Alexander Med. McCook
of the United States volunteers, hay-
ing been assigned by Gen. Halleck to
| command reserve camp which was
located at or near Piney Branch creek
about midway between this city and
| Fort Stevens, proceeded with Col.
B. S. Alexander of the Corps of En-
gineers on Sunday afternoon to make
| hasty examination Of the ground
| for the camp and Of the fortification's
| in its immediate front. A small force
reported to him near Piney Branch
creek during the night. 1t consisted
of the I'd District of Columbia Vol
unteers. Sth Regiment of Veteran Re-
serve Corps and artillery. Learning
early Monday morning how weakly
| the lines in front were manned, he
moved the troops which had reported
| to him up to the rife trenches on
either side of Fort Stevens and sent
out a small skirmish line. During
the morning several additional regi-
! ments of veteran reserves and several
detachments Of dismounted cavaIrymen
reported to him and were posted in the
trenches.
When the first news Of the ap-
proach of the enemy toward the city.
| was received on Sunday morning.
July 10, Gen. Hardin, who then COM
| manded the defenses Of Washington
north of the Potomac, was directed to
proceed to Tenleytown to take spe-
cial charge of the position Of the
lines between Rock creek and the
Potomac and to make the headquar-
ters Of his division at that place.
Upon reaching Fort Reno, the head
quarters Of the 1st Brigade, near
Tenleytown. little before midnight.
he found that Col. ]. NJ. Warner Of
the LIST Vermont Artillery, who COM
manded the brigade, had made the
best possible disposition of the forces
at his command.
1t was about II o'clock of the morn
Ing of the 11th that the signal officer
at Fort Reno observed clouds of dust
and Army wagons moving from the
direction Of Rockvill toward Biair's
farm, on the tn street road. Notice