Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 206, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1913 — WAR REMINISCENCES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR REMINISCENCES

6TH CORPS AT FORT STEVENS Member of 3rd Vermont Relates Some Personal Experiences—Notables Witnessed Fighting. The article published recently lit regard to placing a large stone at Fort Stevens as a memorial to the battle of July 12, 1864, calls to mind some personal experiences there. As a member of the old Vermont brigade 1 had been all through the strenuous campaign from the. - Wilderness to Petersburg, and was several weeks on that line, when on July# we had orders to move to City Point. This we found to include the whole Sixth Corps, or at least what had not already gone. We marched in the night a distance of about fourteen miles, then took transportation to Washings ton, arriving on the 11th, writes George A. Farrington of Company A, 3rd Vermont, of Elgin, 111., in the- National Tribune. =- General Early had been sent into Maryland to create a spare, so as to compel General Grant to weaken his lliie in front of Petersburg, and this force hgd already arrived at the line of forts around Washington. As we marched through the city the citizens were much relieved. As we passed up Seventh street we were welcomed in a truly friendly manner, and the Greek cross never locked so good before to any people. General Gordon has said: “On July 11, 1864, the second day after the battle of Monocacy, we were at the defenses of Washington. We were to the national capital than any armed Confederates had ever been, and nearer to it than and federal army had been to Richmond. I myself rode to a point on those breastworks at which there was no force In Bight. The unprotected space was ,broad enough for the easy passage of Early’s army without Undoubtedly we could have marched Into Washington, but In the council of war called by General Early there was not a dissenting opinion as to the impolicy Of entering the city.” After the Sixth Corps had taken a position and had time to get ready a strong line was moved forward shortly, after 4 o’clock, July 12, and a sharp fight took place, In which the Union loss was 280 and the loss on the other side was about the same. It is said that this battle took place In the presence of a more distinguished group of spectators than witnessed any other action of the war. President and Mrs. Lincoln, Secretary Stanton and other members of the cabinet and several ladies came out to Fort Stevens during the afternoon to see some actual fighting, and Mr. Lincoln remained during the action. I chanced to be in the line a few rods to the left of Fort Stevens, and knew when Mr. Lincoln was there, but I did not see him. We were all busy watching the effects of the large shells from the fort and expecting to be ordered forward at any moment. This battle was the first of the campaign in the . Shenandoah valley, which culminated at Cedar Creek under (Jen. Sheridan. After tne work was dpne In the valley we .returned to the lines in front of Petersburg, .and well do I remember the trip from Harper’s Ferry to Washington on a cold winter night on a platform car. In the morning we were covered with about six inches of snow.