Evening star., 1936-07-19

Three Sisters. These were called |
Forts Bennett and r. G. Smith. To |
the left Of Fort Corcoran, higher and
back on the ridges where the court
house and Fort Myer are now located,
Fort Whipple and Fort Mcpherson
were erected.
But the most imminent threat to
WASHINGTON at the outbreak OF the
war was by way OF what was known
as the Long Bridge, the site now being |
occupied by the present railroad bridge.
The Long Bridge was nearly q mile
long and was a combination Of rail-
road and wagon bridge hung low over
the water.
At the outbreak of hostilties, the
Confederate forces occupying the Vir-
ginia end of this bridge came closer
to Washington than at any other time
during the war. Coincidentally, the
young Federal officer, but lately gradu-
ated from West Point, who COM
manded the Union patrol guarding the
District end Of the bridge. was first
cousin to the Confederate commander
at the Virginia end.
To remove this threat and also the
one on Arlington Heights that con-
tinually kept the people Of Washing
ton in hot water, and at the same time
safeguard the railroad that crossed the
bridge into the South. the Union forces
took possession Of the bridge, advanced
on the heights and forced the Con-
federates to retire inland. At the
same time an expedition under Col.
Ellsworth went down the Potomac,
captured Alexandria and erected fort
to the west on what Is known as
ShusterS Hill.
The Virginia end of Long Bridge was
fortified by a small defense. called Fort
Jackson, and a much larger and
stronger fort was built back on the
ridge at the junction Of the Alexandria
and Columbia turnpikes and was given
the name of Fort Runyon. Still farther
back, near the town of Arlington, Fort
Albany came into existence.
To stop the enemy from getting into
the city from the river, battery of
heavy artillery was set up at Jones
Point, near the mouth of Hunting
Greek. close by Alexandria. This de-
fense was balanced later on by a
battery Of artillery across the river IN
Maryland on what was known as
Ro1ers Bluff. Afterward 1t was
called Fort Foote.
IN THE meantime. the Confederates
had retired to Balls Cross Roads
(Ballston), where a skirmish took
place: Munsons Hill. Falls Church and
a high ridge in front Of and to the
left some distance known as Minors
Hill.
Lying directly under this hill were
two large farms, marked on the war
map as Van Denbergh and Wander
werken. These two farms were turned
into armed camps and Immediately
became bone of contention between
the two forces The farm owned by
Gilbert Vanderwerken was used by
him to pasture his many horses used
by his omnibus line between George
town and the Navy Yard. Immedi-
ately the Confederates made raid
on these two farms to secure these
much-needed horses and other sup
plies.
At the beginning of the attack on
the Van Denbergh farm a peculiar
thing happened about which the lady
Of the house long afterward loved to
talk. At that time she was in her
kitchen preparing bread for the oven.
Startled by the sound of musket shots,
she looked out Of the window and saw
a line Of soldiers in gray uniforms
approaching her house from across
the field. ..
Hastily placing the bread in the
heated oven, she fed with her hus-
band and family. into the nearby
woods, where they spent the night.
The next morning they returned to
the house and found it ransacked
from top to bottom and everything
Of value taken. She hurried to the
kitchen to learn the fate of her bread.
Opening the door of the oven, she not
only found the loaves unmolested, but
baked brown and done to turn.
Following fast on the completion of
these Virginia forts came the Bull Run
disaster and Washington's narrow es-
cape from capture. At once the de-
mand for the city's protection rose to
fever heat. Arlington Heights, the
scene Of the first scare, was covered
with a net Of field works, the forts
already built being enlarged and
strengthened and new forts were
erected along -Four Mile Run between
Washington and Alexandria.
THE enemy, although too late to cap
ture Washington, again drew close
to the city. Fearing that it would
skirt around the city and attack it
from the north, system of forts
was built around the city starting
from the river hills west of the city,
around the north and east, and ending
down the Potomac opposite Alexandria.
But public opinion concerning the
Notifications around Washington was
still sporadic, depending on the rise
and fall Of the Union arms. Even
after Washington had been encircled
with this great line of forts, the
military experts still believed that
Washington was inadequately de-
Tended.
To make the city secure from at
tack once and for all, Gen. j. G..
Barnard Of the Engineer Corps was
appointed in 1862 to take charge of
the defenses around Washington. In
addition the Secretary of War ap-
pointed board Of engineers to in
spect and study the fort system and
make q report. After two months
this board reported that the svstem