Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23
BY CORTNNE FRAZIER.

at the army ReHeI CaIIllNal, WHICH WI
take place at Washington Barracks il
October, their camping ground, For
Washington, cited by George Washing
ton as the most strategic point 70
Notifications protecting the Capita
City. is undergoing a major operation
This mars the passing of an era
Uncle Sam has ordered the removal o
the big disappearing" guns which 81
long have trained their sights down TIT
river, covering every possible channe
of naval advance upon the city Of
Washington and its environs.
Lining the little wharf. waiting thell
final discharge" from the post they
have served so faithfully these man!
years, the big sentinels whose deer
tones have saluted Presidents and po'
tentates bear witness to the close o.
another chapter in military history:
Their last memorable salute was flrec
10 honor Americas Lone Eagle" Col
Charles A. Lindbergh, returning from
his amazi"S triumph over the elements
in the :IesS.t Of st. Louis.
AS adequate weapons of coast de-
tense their day has passed. Ever
though they could protect from the
tlong-range guns of our present-day
cruisers, the air still remains open-a
dangerous area out of reach of theil
FIRE. Since their placement behind the
breastworkS at Fort Washington that
chapter has been written into military
and naval history which sounds the cal
for their retirement.
Fort Washington's duty as the sentl-
mel outpost of Washington's coast de-
tense will not end with their removal
hut the character of that duty will be
changed, the nature of the change being
o matter necessarily conf1dential-of
concern only to Uncle Sam and his
military advisers.
It is hoped and believed that the
process of modernization. whatever 1t
may be. will not materially affect the
scenic features of the post or in any
way disturb the legend-hung walls OF
1.'Enfant's magnif1cently built fortifl-
cations.
Known in the early nineteenth CEN
tllry as Fort Warburton, prior to that
IS the estate of the Digges family, and
even farther back in history as the
Indian village Piscataway, Fort Wash
ington lays claim not only to being
early recognized as the most strategic
point of coast defense along the Poto-
mac and as one of the first military
posts of the colonists, but also as being
one of the oldest Anglo-SaXon settle
ments in the Western Hemisphere.
It was mentioned for the first time
in history by Capt John Smith, who
reported discovering an Indian village
there, from which he obtained the most
excellent beer. Leonard Calvert in 1924
next focused attention upon the Indian
settlement by bringing his Dove and
Ark to anchor at Piscataway, this be-
ing the first point in America touched
by him. He probably was received none
too cordially by the redskins, for his
tory relates that he went on almost
Immediately to st. MaryS, Md.
Following the grant OF some 1900
acres of land by King Charles of Eng
land in 1841 to William Digges, which
included the present fort site, the first
garrison was established there in &C.
cordance with defense act of the
Province of Maryland. With Capt.
Thomas Watson commanding, the free
men of Prince Georges County consti-
tuted the military force, each land
owner in the county pledging three SOL
diers to the garrison.
Inadequate breaStworks were built at
this time, affording little real protec-
ton, except against vessels approach
ing from the bay region.
X X X
INDIANS, who had been the first to
recognize the value of the site for
defense purposes, struggled against the
settlers vainly, and in 1895
made their last stand against the lat
ter, when a force of $500 redmen was
routed by the superior generalship of
Col. John Washington grandfather OF
thu first PresidenD and his force O.
$500 Maryland and Virginia colonists.
Previously, in 1858, the Indians had
scored a victory over the whites in the
vicinity of Piscataway, and in 1875
white force, under Col. George Mason
and Capt. Giles Brent, had wiped out
the village of the Dogue Indians at
the mouth OF Little Hunting Greek.
near Fort Washington, as a result of
the murder by the Indians of one
Robert HEM, a colonlst.
The Indians who escaped this battle
field crossed over and joined the Pisca-
taways. other tribes also joined this
group before the final battle of 1895,
which proved conclusively the supe-
riority of the white settlers and gave
them permanent possession of the ter
ritory about Fort Washington. Col.
Washington and his troops. 1t is said
drove the Indians as far as the Shenan-
Cioah Valley on this occasion, and they
did not return.
Despite its warlike beginnings, Fort
Washington has only once been at
tackled by an enemy since it became a
fertilization of the white man, and 1t
Is said that never has a gun been fired
in battle from the old fortress, not ex-
cepting the one time when it was cap
tured by the British.
Following the occupation of the fort
by colonists, there was an era of peace
around this part of the country, and in
174l Thomas Digges built his manor
house known as Warburton Manor,
on the property which had been granted
his family by Charles II. Fire de-
stroyed the manor in 1875. and all that
remains of its glorieS today is a mass
of box cedar hedge which once guarded
the approach to the mansion, but leads
now only to a mound of earth marking
the spot where the foundations of the
old house stood. This hedge is still in
full foliage, and is considered to be a
very fine specimen, enjoying perfect
health, despite its 150-odd years.
At the time of the burning Of War
burton Manor, the fire originating in
a storm, supposedly started by a bolt
of lightning which is thought to have
cupied. The Government had pur-
chased the entire acreage on which
Fort Washington now stands from the
Digges family. augmenting the original
3 acres by IS additional. 1t is not
known exactly when the original own
ers left their estate, but 1t is said that
the manor house was occupied by them
for several generations.
The family of the Digges and tlc
Washingtons became close friends dur
ing the early eighteenth century, ano
MANY a trip was made between the two
estates. Warburton Manor became
center of social activities for this sec
ton of Maryland and Virginia in the
latter part of the century. Perhaps the
most brilliant and historic event cele-
brated at the manor house was party
attendant upon the marriage OF Johr
Park Gusts, adopted son OF George
Washington. to Eleanora COR Eleanor
Calvert. granddaughter of the sixth
ord RaIfin,ore P1In,Or has had II