One hundred and fifty years ago today, July 11, 1864, is generally considered to be the beginning of the Battle of Fort Stevens, which is located about four miles due north of the White House, on what was then 7th Street and is today Georgia Avenue. Around noon of that day, the first of Confederate General Jubal Early’s troops reached the vicinity of the fort, followed a short while later by the forefront of Union General Horatio Wright’s VI Corps troops on the other side. The morning was nerve-wracking for those in charge, with nobody being certain who would win the race. Lincoln himself is known to have gone to the docks to await the arrival of the Union troops at least twice before noon. (Catch up on the previous parts of this series here)
After the paucity of news on the previous day, it must have been a relief for the citizens of Washington to wake up on Monday morning to two newspapers with actual information. Unfortunately, the two newspapers almost completely contradicted each other. While the Chronicle announced “Washington said to be the Real Object of the Invasion,” the Intelligencer wrote of “certain undefined and desultory movements of the enemy in the neighborhood of Harper’s Ferry.” To be sure, they also had an article entitled “Demonstration Against Washington,” but this consisted of musings by the Baltimore correspondent of the New York World, who claimed that “this is only a reconnoitering party” and that there might later be an attack on Washington, which is why all possible assistance should be sent to Grant in Petersburg, in order to keep Lee from doing, well, exactly what he was currently doing.
Once again, the afternoon newspapers were more useful. The front page of the Star blared “The Invasion” and wrote that while Baltimore was clearly nervous, it seemed clear that Washington was the real target.
The news is now timed as well as dated. There are some reports from 1:00 PM on the 10th, but the really interesting stuff comes later: 7:00 PM has the train from Baltimore leaving “for Philadelphia and New York to-night at the usual hour. It is strongly guarded. All quiet now” At 8:00 PM on the 10th, lots of enemy cavalry in Baltimore County, but no threat to the city itself. There are rumors abounding, but the real news generally relates to the calling up of various militias.
Fort Stevens in 1864 (LOC)
Inside, the 2:00 PM edition reports “Fighting on the 7th Street Road. Messengers just in report lively skirmishing going on this morning in the vicinity of Fort Massachusetts, (near Clagett’s place,) some four miles out.” [Fort Massachusetts was the old name of Fort Stevens] This was the first indication for those following the invasion by the newspaper that it had, indeed, reached the capital.
The Star also noted that the telegraph wires between Baltimore and Washington had been cut, there was skirmishing near Rockville, and there were finally some details of the Battle of Monocacy, beyond the curt official announcement of the previous day.
The 5:00 PM edition notes that it is unclear how many troops Early has, or what they exactly want, in fact, much of the article is given over to speculation. There is one piece of hard news, however: “The President in the Field. The President rode to the front in the direction of Tenallytown at about 9 a.m. to-day accompanied by Assistant Adjutant General Hardie, and a mounted escort. Yesterday he paid a similar visit of observation and inspection. His presence among our gallant troops will doubtless do much to animate and encourage them in the discharge of their duties.”
Then, getting back to the speculation: “The Probable Time for a Fight. If the rebel force now in this vicinity design attacking Washington we shall doubtless hear the thunder of guns about 3 o’clock to-morrow morning; the hour of the twenty-four always selected at this season of the year for an attack upon fortifications by sudden assault, or to get in between fortifications by suddenly overpowering the defenders of works connecting fortifications.” There is also talk about how this was all a feint to collect booty, and to draw Grant away from Petersburg.
In spite of all this, numerous ‘amusements’ continued to be planned (However, some young men who tried to go to Prince Georges County for an expedition found themselves under military arrest.”Sunday visits beyond the District lines are not safe at present.”) and the ‘Distribution of Premiums’ at public schools continued unabated. There was some worry that people in a certain house were preparing to meet the rebels with a flag welcoming them. When Lieutenant Gemmill of the Veteran’s Reserve Corps went to the house, it turned out to be the flag was “intended for a division of the Sons or Cadets of Temperence” and not a welcoming flag at all.
Like the Star‘s, the Republican mixed real news with speculation. It lead with “Firing Heard at Rockville this Morning” however, it then went well beyond speculation and straight into wishful thinking: “Our troops have now got into such a position that there is not the slightest fear of danger to this city. The march of battalions was heard in our streets at intervals all night, and now we are guarded at all points from the attack of the invaders.” Since the VI Corps did not arrive until that day, it is unclear which battalions were marching during the night.
They are just as vague about what would happen: “It is thought by some of our best military authorities that Washington will be attacked, if at all, at the point between the Potomac river and the Soldiers’ home.” Note that that ‘point’ is over 5 miles wide, or a significant percentage of the circumference of DC – and, of course, no attempt is made to explain just who ‘our best military authorities’ are.
Inside, the 5:00 PM extra reports “Skirmishing all Day a mile and a Half Beyond Tennallytown” – or at least until 2:00 PM, when “your reporter left.” There is a list of injured, mostly from New York and Ohio but also Michigan and Connecticut.
The main piece of news missing from all this is the eleventh-hour arrival of the General Wright’s troops and their rapid deployment in the appropriate places north of the city. However, even if the citizens had known this fact, it was at this time uncertain whether the city was, indeed, thus saved. They would have to wait another day for confirmation.