Evening star., 1938-10-30
By. John Clagett Proctor.

spanned the Eastern Branch or Ana
costa River-as some cali it-since
1890. OF course, the new bridge will
be great improvement over the pres
ent one, which is important. But when
the present one was erected, it also
was regarded as a very fine structure
and was said to be the finest bridge
leading out of Washington.
The site-or the approximate site, to
be more accurate-is very old one,
and was authorized as early as 1795,
when the Eastern Branch Bridge Co.
was incorporated by an act of the
Maryland Legislature, the span to be
a toll bridge, 20 feet in width, with a
draw, to extend from the foot of Ken
tucky avenue diagonally across the
river to the lands Of Matthew Wake
field.
1t was about nine years before the
bridge was built and opened, and six
years before all the stock was sub
scribed, as we find by the following
item appearing in an old newspaper
Of May 4, 1901, where it is said:
1T is with sincere pleasure that we
inform the public that on thee lst
instant all the shares of stock for the
erection of bridge over the Eastern
Branch of the Potomac were subscribed
for. The company are authorized, if
necessary, to call for $45,00O.
This sum will be fully adequate to
the erection of a permanent bridge
whereby constant intercourse will be
insured between the city and very
fertile and extensive district of coun-
try"
There is no account of any cele-
bration at the opening of this bridge,
which was toll one, and the chances
are that even the tollgate keeper
looked upon the occurrences as just
. matter Of course. However, it seems
to have been profitable overture,
at least until it was destroyed on
August "a, 1914 to prevent its use
by the British. who were expected to
enter Washington by way of this
bridge. but who decided to take an
another route.
Commodore Joshua Barney, the
real and only hero of the battle of
Bladensburg, was detailed to protect
the bridge, but asked to be relieved
OF this assignment when it was learned
the enemy was headed for Bladens-
burg. All armed protection having
been taken from the bridge, it was
ordered fired, and in this way it was
totally destroyed by Capt. Creighton
and force of men under his direc-
ton. But previous to setting it on
fire the fences from all the neigh
boring houses and farms were piled
upon the bridge and several barrels
OF gunpowder placed beneath it, and
soon its destruction was complete.
The following year Congress au-
thorized the Navy Department to pay
the claims of the Eastern Branch
Bridge Co. for the loss it had SUI
fered, and this being done, the bridge
was rebuilt and remained standing
until about 1845, when it took fire
from sparks from a small steamer
which was used to carry passengers
to Skagsbys campmeeting ground
and was partially destroyed, and was
never thereafter rebuilt. What was
left of it either rotted away or .was
taken away by nearby residents. For
many years many of the wooden piles
could be seen sticking out of the
water, at low tide, and these are
frequently referred to as being sup
ports for the origianl bridge of 1904,
which may or may not be so, since
they might have been the piles of the
bridge built in 1915.
We must not pass over the valiant
defense of the city offered by Com
modore Barney In his own report
referring to the Eastern Branch
Bridge and the battle of Bladensburg-
he says:
We took up the line of
march and in the night entered Wash
ington by the Eastern Branch Bridge
marched my men, etc, to the Marine
Barracks and took up quarters for the
night. About o'clock Gen. Winder
came to my quarters, and we made
some arrangements. In the morning
received note from Gen. Winder and
waited upon him. He requested me
to take command and place my artil-
lery to defend the passage of the
bridge on the Eastern Branch, as the
enemy was approaching the city in
that direction. I Immediately put
my guns in position, leaving the
marines and the rest of my men at
the barracks to wait further orders.
was in this situation when I had
the honor to meet you (William
Jones, Secretary of the Navy with the
President and heads of departments,
when 1t was determined I should draw
off my guns and fnen and proceed
toward Bladensburg, which was i'm
mediately put into execution.
Soon after this I was informed
that the conflagration of the Eastern
Branch Bridge had commenced, and
in a few minutes the explosion, the
blowing up of that part near the
draw as had been arranged in the
morning."
When Commodore Barney reached
the MarylandDistrict line we are
told he had scarcely time to form
his men and unlimber his guns, plac-
ing one 1s-pounder on the turn
pike and another OF the same bore
on the slope of the adjoining hill be-
fore he discovered the American Army
in full retreat Nevertheless, ac-
cording to the account of NJ I. Weller,
''he. held his ground, serving his guns
with great precision, and they wrought
havoc in the ranks of the advancing
enemy until assaulted also on the
flank. deserted by the supporting
Maryland regiment on the neighbor-
ing Veitchs Hill, commanded by Col.
William D. Beall, with ammunition
nearly exhausted. He ordered his ma
rines under Capt Miller and the sea-
men acting as infantry under the
botilla officers to make a counter
attack upon the enemy, who were
driven back, while his battery played
upon them with grape and canister,
1nf1icting severe losses
Meanwhile the rest Of the Ameri-
z;~y,