The Washington times., 1929-08-31

cesses that the Confederate Army
had gained in lts campaign through
the Shenandoah Valley and across
the Potomac at Harper's Ferry.
The Capital was without adequate
defense, and as Early's army adj
Vanced toward It's OBtensible cap
ture Lincoln was forced to call upon
General Grant. then pursuing Gen.
oral Lee into Richmond. to dispatch
army corps to the defense Of the
Capital.
Lincoln went SO far as to urge
General Grant to return to Wash.
ington in person and take charge
of the defense Of the Capital City.
Reluctant to give up his then
maturing plans for running Lee
and his army to earth at Richmond,
Grant dispatched troops by boat
from the James River to aid the
hastily assembled army Of Govern
ment clerks and citizens defending
the Capital
Lincoln Looked On
As Early advanced upon the
Capitol from the north the earth
works which guarded the city at
that point were garrisOned largely
by volunteer forces. Early ap.
parently had no idea OF the
lnadaquacy Of the defending forces
or he would have pushed his cam
paign; foreWaFd moro steadily.
At Fort Stevens, the volunteer
army essayed to stop the COnfed-
crates and, while President Lincoln
looked on, did succeed In hating
the rush Of the then all conquering
army
Leaving behind the historic bat
tie ground the tourist drives on
across the District line and reaches
the little suburban community Of
Silver Spring.
Driving straight through Silver
Spring the tourist reaches cross
roads. He should turn to the right
onto the concrete surfaced high
way No. 81.
This highway should be followed
all the way to Ellicott City where
it converges with Highway No. 40
and leads to Baltimore.
For the first few miles after leav-
ing Silver Spring the motorist
passes numbers of pretty little
homes Of workers in washington.
Through Four Corners, Burnt Mills
and Whiteoak the broad highway
reaches the open country.
At Harvest Season
It is harvest time in Maryland
and the farmers are busy in the
fields gathering in their crops.
Whole families may be seen NOV
ing over the landscape gathering
tomatoes, beans and tobacco.
Fields Of corn, turning yellow In
the sunlight await the harvester.
Up hill and down dale the road
winds through the richest farming
section in Maryland. The farmers
have already harvested banner
crop Of wheat this year and now
are blowing the fields preparing to
plant the grain for next years
harvest.
Twelve ana a half miles from
Silver Spring, the highway passes
through the little town Of Ashton
and then turns to the right toward
Ellicott City and Baltimore.
Over the Patuxept River and
through Highland, Clarksville, and
Eltoak rides the tourist. The
countryside along this part Of the
tour is beautiful.
From the brow Of the slight
grades the mctorist can see for
miles where the farm lands melt
into lovely green forests. The
freshly plowed land makes little
yellow daubs on the landscape in
the distance.
Road Widened
Workmen are busy widening the
road at Ashton and for five miles
beyond. The heavy steam rollers
and other road making machines
block one side Of the highway, but
within q week the job will have
been completed.
AS the tourist sweeps around a
curve in the highway fifteen and
a half miles from Ashton. the spires
Of Ellicott City come into view.
The city IL built in hollow and
the hills framing it rise almost
straight up for an eighth Of a mile.
In 1572 three brothers, Joseph,
John and Andrew EIIicOtt, made
their way down the steep hills Ia
the rushing waters of the PatapscO
River and agreed that they had
found the ideal site for q mill.
The mill was erected on the banks
Of the stream and soon a commun-
tty began % grow W about Il.