The Aftermath of Destruction at a Town Near Washington, D.C., 1864
From The Valley Spirit (Chambersburg, Pa.), July 20, 1864.
THE REBEL INVASION
A Visit to the Front lines of Battlefield.
[From the Washington Chronicle, July 14]
I proceeded north of Fort Stevens on the seventh street road
half-a-mile, when I came to the ruins of the residence of Mr. Lay of the
city post office, which was destroyed day before yesterday by shell from
Fort Stevens to prevent the sharp shooters from occupying it. A little
north of this depleted stop are the ruins of the residence of Mr.
Carberry, which was also destroyed by our cannonball. Near this place I
came upon the new made grave of an unknown cavalry man. Still further
north and a mile from Fort Stevens, I came to a fence thrown across the
road, and occupied as a breastwork by the rebels the day previous. Here
were marks of hard fighting; Union and rebel muskets, broken and
unbroken, and thrown aside by their owners, hay piled in a heap by the
way; while hats, caps, haversacks, pouches, and thousands of
cartridge sand bullets were scattered here and there on both sides of the
rebel breastworks and among the rifle pits dug by the Union soldiers in
a field near by. Every rail on the fence and the tree show well the work
which has been done the last few hours in that vicinity. While I was
looking on the scene a squad of Union Calvary passed on the way from the
front, escorting [?] rebel captures, covered with dust and apparently
worn out with constant traveling and hard service. I proceeded on my
way, and visited the residences of Dr. S. Heath and Captain
Richardson-Here was a scary picture. Hearing of the approach of the
rebels on Monday morning, they removed the female members of their
families to the fort, and before they could return the rebels had
possession of the premises. Everything about the place is scattered in
great confusion. What clothing could be made use if the rebels exchanged
for their less attractive suits. The building is badly shattered by our
artillery fire. Eight common balls or shells had passed through one side
to the other and the doors, windows, and side boards are filled with
bullet marks. In the field south of this house are the graves of eleven
rebel dead, and in a corn field on the opposite side in [?] the way fifteen
other rebel soldiers rest from their destructive work. In a grove on the
opposite from Mr. Blair's residence, was found a book (the eighth volume
Byron's works) tacked by a rebels, which I have brought with me, and
transcribes the following inscription, while which is written on a fly-leaf:
NEAR WASHINGTON, JULY 12, 1864
Now, Uncle Abe, you had better be quiet the balance of your
administration. We only come near your town this time just to show what
we could do-but if you go on in your mad career we will come again soon,
and then you had better stand from under.
The Worst Reb you ever saw.
FIFTY-EIGHT VIRGINIA INFANTRY.