Evening star., 1932-07-31

this side OF the Atlantlc bullt
before 1920 as q defense for
the Capital City and Alexandria. old Fort
washington still rears its bulk high on a
prominence of land on the Maryland bank of
the Potomac, miles above Mount Vernon.
Its gray stone walls vine covered in the best
tradition, it remains a monument to designers
and engineers of the early nineteenth century,
whose conceptions of forts harked back to the
stone Notifications which for centuries had
defended European towns and rivers.
The particular site where the old fort stands
seems to have been recognized even In the
days of Indian wars as spot easily defended
for several skirmishes between the savages and
early residents of the colonies took place there
In 1884 Gov Leonard Calvert of Maryland and
his party, exploring the Potomac, came upon
500 or more Indian warriors drawn up in hos.
tile array and ready to prevent his passing
this point Of land. However, says the account
after many protestations of friendship the
white men were permitted to land. Twelve
years later an English garrison was established
on this spot.
The next event in the military history Of
the place occurred in 1895. At that time about
$500 Indians, mostly from the tribes of the
Piscataways, Yoamocoes and Susquehannocks
made their last stand against force Of $500
Maryland and Virginia militia, under the COM
mand of Col. John Washington, grandfather
of the first President The defeat of the In
dians was so decisive that they left that sec
tion Of the country.
When the land upon which Fort Washing
ton stands came into possession Of the Digges
family, from whom it bought by the
Government is not clear, but during the
eighteenth century the main house of Warbur-
ton Manor, home of the Digges family, was
built there. A portion of fine old box hedge,
which it is estimated was planted about 1700,
still exists. The hedge runs along the rear
of the house of one of the officers Of the mod
ern army post situated there, and tennis courts
cover the site of the old manor house.
Tradition says that George Washington was
a frequent visitor at this home, and that he
kept a coach in the Digges carriage house for
trips to Baltimore and the North BY
rowing across the river and starting by Land
from the Digges house he could save himself
the time it would take to travel up the river
by carriage to point where it could be crossed
That President Washington realized the mill
tary value of the site is revealed by a letter
written in 1874 by Henry Knox, then Secre-
tary of War under him. The letter directed
one John Vermonnet to assume charge over
the military works at Alexandria and Annapolis
and said:
"The President of the United States, who Is
well acquainted with the river Potomac, con-
ceives that a certain bluff Of land on the
Maryland side, near Mr.. Digges', point formed
by an eastern branch of the Potomac, would
be proper situation for the fortifcation about
to be erected"
The sum to be spent for the fortifcation,
however, only So, 900. The low estimate is
explained in some degree by the fact that the
parapetS OF the work were to be Of earth, or
where that cannot be obtained or adhesive
quality, the parapetS to be faced with strong
timber and filled with such earth as can be
had" Seeds of knot grass we're to be sown
on the parapets to bind the earth and sods
together, and Mr. Vermonnet was very dis
tinctly informed that his employment to over
see this work did not confer or involve any
military rank whatever.
! parently, in 1908, when three acres of land
were purchased from Thomas A. Digges. Evi-
dently the old idea Of simple earthwork was
not carried out. however, for on June 6, 1909,
President Jefferson transmitted to Congress q
report on the Notifications of the United States
in which he referred to Fort Warburton, as it
was then named, as "a new enclosed work on
the Potomac between Alexandria and Mount
Vernon, of stone and brick masonry, to which
Is attached strong battery Of like materials"
It was said to be nearly completed and ready
for the cannon and garrison. The erection of
an octagon stone tower had been commenced