Civil War Defenses of Washington Historic Resource Study

Engineers

When the Civil War began, two engineer corps existed in the army–the Corps of Engineers and the Corps of Topographical Engineers. Among other duties, the Corps of Engineers planned, designed and oversaw the construction and maintenance of fortifications while the Corps of Topographical Engineers was the Army's surveyors and cartographers, often surveying and mapping fortifications. The two corps combined in 1863 because there weren't enough Army engineers for two to serve on the staff of all the commands within the Union Army. Following the merger, Army Engineers were responsible for surveying and mapping fortifications as well as planning, designing and overseeing their construction and maintenance. [35]

The Army Engineers planned, designed and erected numerous fortifications throughout the country during the Civil War but the Defense of Washington, D.C. was the most ambitious undertaking. Winfield Scott assigned Major John G. Barnard, Corps of Engineers, to the Department of Washington; on April 28, 1861, Colonel J.F.K. Mansfield, the department commander, a former engineer officer, attached Barnard to his headquarters as chief engineer. [36]

When the army moved into Northern Virginia on May 24, 1861, Barnard oversaw the erection of fortifications there. He also accompanied the Army to Manassas in July 1861. McClellan assumed command of the troops around Washington, D.C. at the end of that month. On August 17, all the troops in the vicinity of Washington became part of the Army of the Potomac and, three days later, General Orders No. 1, Army of the Potomac, stipulated that Barnard was attached to the staff as chief engineer. As McClellan formulated his thoughts for fortifications around Washington, D.C., Barnard planned, designed and oversaw their construction. At first, there were many other Army Engineers to assist Barnard including G.W. Snyder, Henry Robert, D.P. Woodbury, Frederick E. Prime, G.W.C. Lee, Miles D. McAllester, C.E. Cross, O.E. Babcock, Horatio G. Wright, Barton S. Alexander, and C.E. Blunt but, before long, all of these officers were off to other assignments except Barton S. Alexander who, except for a few temporary assignments, stayed with the defenses of Washington throughout the war. Army Engineer Lt. James W. Cuyler, for sometime in 1864-65, oversaw the work on outer defenses at Vienna. [37]

Early in the war, the Regular Army Engineer troops assisted in the construction of the Defenses of Washington and in training others to do the same, "Here the men were put immediately to work, superintending the construction of the fortifications of the Capital, being first employed on the rifle battery at Chain Bridge, and afterwards at Fort Pennsylvania (later Fort Reno), and on other works in the vicinity of Upton, Munson, and Mason hills." Even the volunteer Engineer units participated. Volunteer Army Enginner Wesley Brainerd wrote "We constructed a fort. The work was done by the Companies, relieving each other by day and night as in case of actual hostilities with an enemy in front" and "We occasionally took trips across the river for practice in the art of making Fascines [and] Gabions." Captain Henry E. Wrigley, commander of the Independent Company, Pennsylvania Volunteer Engineers, requested that his unit be detailed for service upon the entrenchments, endorsed by Barnard, and, among other accomplishments, they erected a small battery and infantry parapet to connect Fortt Cass with Fort Tillinghast and supervised a party of 600 men constructing fortifications between forts Richardson and Cass. Unfortunately, both the Regular Army Engineer Battalion and the volunteer engineer units left the Washington, D.C. area for the field. [38]

Civilian Employees

Barnard and Alexander, therefore, hired numerous civilian employees to replace the unavailable military engineers. Barnard wrote:

"The civil engineers, William C. Gunnell on the north [side of the Potomac River], and Edward Frost (subsequently A. Grant Childs) on the south [side of the Potomac River], had been prior to the war engaged on the Washington Aqueduct. They exhibited great zeal and intelligence, and soon mastered all those branches of military engineering which concerned their duties of construction. They were required to execute plans prepared in the office of the chief engineer, to exercise close supervision over their respective divisions and generally to act as administrative officers in the details of the work." [39]

The subordinate organizations of each of the civil engineers in charge of divisions consisted as follows:

A draughtsman to prepare plans, maps, &c.

An assistant engineer to assist in laying out the work from plans to make the necessary field surveying for maps.

A clerk to consolidate the daily reports of working force; to make out the monthly pay-rolls, keep accounts of purchases, and to prepare vouchers for payment; and to keep account of property drawn on requisition upon the quartermaster's and other departments.

Two or more superintendents were employed on each division, to whom were apportioned subdivisions of the line. Their duties were to control and direct, through their foreman, the laboring force; to keep the time-books, make daily reports of the occupation of every person employed under them, as well as of the military details; to supervise the camps and depots of material; to make requisition on the engineers in charge (who were the purchasing agents) for materials; and, generally, to aid the civil engineers by giving a closer and more constant oversight to all the operations on each subdivision than they could themselves exercise." [40]

On March 12 and April 29, 1864, Barnard reported on the various types of employees working on the fortifications and their recompense:

"Your communication of yesterday requesting to be furnished with a list of the pay given to employees on these Defences is received and below I give the desired information:

Chief Engineer—In charge of line	$7.00 per day
Superintendent	$5.00 per day
Clerks	$3. And $4.50 per day
Draftsmen	$3. And $5. per day
Overseers	Nothing shown
Foreman of Laborers—same[as above]	$3.00 per day & 1 Ration
Master Carpenter	$3.50 per day & 1 Ration"

"In accordance with your request in endorsement on letter of Colonel Brewerton, I herewith annex a statement of the rates paid by me on the works for defences of Washington:

Carpenters	$2.00 to $2.50 per day & 1 Ration
Masons	$2.50 per day & 1 Ration
Blacksmiths	$2.00 to $2.50 per day & 1 Ration
Foreman laborers	$2.50 per day & 1 Ration
Laborers	$1.00 to $1.25 per day & 1 Ration" [41]

Barnard received a variety of applications for the more experienced jobs under his supervision. A.C. Entrikin, of Brooklyn, New York, with a recommendation from Army Engineer officer, Major C. E. Blunt, applied for appointment as superintendent of fortifications, on October 24, 1864; Leander A. Poor asked for a position as engineer on December 10, 1862; and G.W. Watson, who worked for the New York City Surveyor & Engineer Office, wanted a situation as a draughtsmen, on February 3, 1864. The Sanitary Commission inquiree, on January 1, 1865, if employment could be given to certain discharged soldiers as mechanics. Madam Pountalis requested of Barnard civilian employment for an Austrian officer, Mr. Holleys, who was in U.S. service but on account of wounds found field service too hard, on the works. [42]

On November 6, 1861, Barnard wrote an endorsement, exclaiming "We have now in service on field works around Washington as many laborers as can be usefully employed." But, due to the many men who voluntarily joined the service or were drafted, the Army Engineers generally experienced great difficulty in finding good employees and keeping them. Advertisements appeared in various newspapers around Washington, D. C. and in other cities, including New York, such as this one in the Washington Star, July 1864:

Wanted immediately, 200 laborers, 50 choppers, carpenters, etc., to work on Eastern Branch line of fortifications.

Apply to John Collins, superintendent at Camp Haskins, near insane assylum, or at headquarters chief engineer defences of Washington, Pennsylvania avenue and 19th street.

William Gunnell
Engineer Defences North Potomac [43]

Even the Secretary of War realized how difficult it was to find and keep laborers on the fortifications. In 1863, he asked for a report "as to the just and reasonable rate of advanced wages" for laborers on the fortifications. The two Civil Engineers, Gunnell and Childs, recommended to Barnard "we think the following increase would be proper":

25 per cent on all rates not exceeding $3.00 per day.

15 per cent on all rates exceeding $3.00 and not exceeding $5.00 per day.

But in another point of view, if it is considered proper only to give such rates as we are compelled to give in order to command the labor we want, then we would say from $2.00 to $2.50 per day to Carpenters, $1.25 per day to laborers & $1.00 per day to Contrabands with rations to each of the above. All other rates to remain as at present. [44]

A Union draft or conscription threatened to further deplete the ranks of employees. Alexander on October 22, 1862, informed Barnard that "two of the best teamsters" employed on the defenses north of the Potomac River had been drafted by the state in Baltimore County, Maryland and asked for an exemption. In anticipation of a national conscription law, the Engineer bureau, on August 14, 1862, wrote the Secretary of War requesting relief:

"I have the honor to recommend that the following persons, or classes of persons, employed by the Engineer Department or its officers, be placed among those not subject for the present, to be drafted into the active military service of the United States:

1st Agent of the Department in charge of works or operations 2nd Civil Assistants to Officers or Agents 3rd Clerks 4th Overseers 5th Draughtsmen 6th Receivers of Materials 7th Foreman of Laborers 8th Master Mechanics or Workmen

If this proposition is approved, it will still leave the great body of persons employed in our operations, viz, mechanics and laborers. Available for the military service.

Those proposed to be excepted are persons having special acquired skill and generally holding positions of authority. The drafting of any of them might be rather prejudicial than advantageous to the military interests of the Country. Some of them it would be very difficult to replace." [45]

On March 3, 1863, the Union passed its first national conscription act. F.W. Balckford, Commissioner of Enrollment, on December 5, 1863, informed the Commanding Officer at Fort De Kalb that John Nighton, who had been drafted, declined to become a citizen and therefore was exempt from the draft but "In such times, such a man should not be employed by the Government" and recommended his dismissal from the work. Pat Casey, an employee on the fortifications was also exempted from the draft on the "grounds of alienage" in March 1865. In February 1865, W.C. Gunnell, a civil assistant on the defences was drafted but on March 1, the Adjutant General's Office informed the Engineer Department "I have the honor to inform you that, by direction of the Secretary of War, William C. Gunnell, drafted in this city on the 2d ultimo, will be allowed to absent himself from military service, upon his parole of honor to report for duty whenever called upon." James Burke, a master carpenter on the works south of the Potomac was drafted on February 28, 1865 and Alexander, on March 6, wrote the Secretary of War asking that he be excused from the operation of the draft to continue to serve in his present position for "The long experience of a good man on such a line of forts, as you know, cannot be easily replaced." The Army Engineers did not always succeed as in September 1864, superintendent John Collins was informed that his request to have F.P. Endicott excused from the draft could not be granted. [46]

Labor Relations

Labor relations between the employees and the Army Engineers were not always great. On January 5, 1863, Barnard informed Civil Engineer Edward Frost, who supervised construction and maintenance of Defenses of Washington, South and West of the Potomac, "Your services will be no longer required. Please turn over your work and accounts to Mr. Childs who will be directed to assume charge of them." No reason for this change was found. [47]

On December 28, 1862, Civil Engineer William C. Gunnell, who supervised construction and maintenance of Defenses of Washington North of the Potomac, submitted his resignation but did not state his reasons. Barnard instructed Superintendent John Collins, on December 30, to take over Gunnell's duties. Before Collins could do so, however, Gunnell withdrew his resignation and resumed his duties. [48]

In November 1864, Benjamin S. Bryant, a workman on the defences, required a pass to go into Virginia and bring his wife back. Draughtsman Bolton W. O'Grady disappeared on July 9, 1864, purportedly with a woman of "bad character" and left his wife and two children destitute but, hopefully, the $40.00 owed him could be given to them. On July 2, 1863, Barnard reported that his hired employees were deserting and refused to work so guards were sent him "to compel these people to work, and if necessary prevent their desertion." [49]

---

* As Union troops moved south, some slaves escaped their masters and followed the blueclad soldiers, hoping to be set free. On May 24, Union General Benjamin F. Butler refused to return three fugitive slaves who came into his lines because the Confederacy had employed them in constructing fortifications and, therefore, he confiscated them as "contraband of war." Indeed, many slaves in the Confederacy raised food, hauled supplies, and were put to work on fortifications and in mines and munition plants which justified their confiscation as contaband of war. Lincoln's administration quickly approved Butler's actions. The term contraband, applied to fugitive slaves, quickly gained common usage. On July 9, 1861, Congress passed a resolution stipulating that the Union army was not responsible to capture and return fugitive slaves. Congress passed a Confiscation Act on August 6, 1861 providing that the Union Army could confiscate any slave employed directly by the Confederate armed forces. On March 13, 1862, Congress passed an act forbidding Union army officers from returning fugitive slaves to their masters. The Union often employed these contraband and later recruited them into the armed forces. See: Patricia L. Faust, "contrabands," Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia, 161-62; Free at Last: A Documentary History of Slavery, Freedom, and the Civil War. Edited by Ira Berlin , et al. (Edison, NJ: The Blue & Grey Press, 1997), xxviii (May 24), 8-11; Long, The Civil War, 77-78 (May 24); James M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), 354-56, 496-98.

---

On October 28, 1864, Alexander received an anonymous letter "relative to refusing a man work if he did not vote for" George B. McClellan for president. The overseers supervising the erection of the defenses in the Fairfax Court House area had trouble obtaining rations. Alexander, on one occasion, had to appeal to the superior officer (go over the head) of Colonel William Gamble, commander of the troops in that sector comprising the First Separate Brigade. In addition, many commanding officers of forts and batteries, against orders, often refused entrance to employees. For example, in April 1863, "Foreman Franklin Hoyt was refused permission to enter Fort Ward on pass of General Barnard." On August 26, 1864, Assessor P.M. Pearson, U.S. Internal Revunue, requested a list of all officers, subordinates and employees during the year 1863 with the amount paid them to determine income taxes owed. [50]

In spite of the scarcity of employees and the problems associated with them, the engineers used them as they could and when they had money to pay them. Generally, more hired employees were used on the fortifications south of the Potomac River than on those north of the Potomac River. The average number of hired employees in the months for which there are reports follow:

Unfortunately, little more is known about the ordinary laborers on the Defenses of Washington. No good collection of letters, or a diary or reminiscence has been found. Some additional information on the contrabands, who worked as laborers, is known and is provided below.

Contraband Workers

Former slaves or "contrabands,"* as some referred to them, flocked to Washington, D.C., the Union capital. In some instances, though, government agencies even impressed the former slaves and forcibly transported them from areas such as the peninsula, between the York and James rivers in Virginia, and North Carolina to the Washington, D.C. area to work. After arriving in the area, many found work as laborers. Due to the lack of other employees and the fact that contrabands worked for less money, numerous former slaves worked on the fortifications. [52]

In August 1862, contrabands, both men and women, received 40 cents plus rations, at the Quartermaster Departments' expense, a day for their work. By November 1863, Civil Engineers Gunnell and Childs recommended to Barnard that $1.00 per day to contrabands with rations was a fair wage. The Engineers also issued a variety of clothing to those contrabands and their families who worked on the fortifications. Some of the contrabands working on the fortifications lived in Freedmen's Village or other Government housing and sometimes even at the forts such as Fort Lyon, VA, or the shanty village at Fort Albany, VA. [53]

The Army didn't always treat the contrabands fairly. The Department informed Brigadier General Silas Casey, on April 6, 1862, that, in answer to his letter, "all negroes coming into the lines of any of the camps or Forts under his command are to be treated as persons and not as chattle." General A.W. Whipple's Division ADC, on August 25, 1862, called attention to the case of the contrabands employed on fortifications in the command declaring that Brigadier General Wadsworth, Military Governor of Washington, sent them over with instructions to pay them at the rate of 40 cents for each working day but many had been at work for more than two months and never received pay leaving them destitute of clothing and other necessaries. On July 11, 1862, the commander of the Miltary Defenses Southwest of the Potomac wrote that a great number of contrabands were employed on the fortifications in this command and, per orders from Whipple, they should be paid all that was due them." The aide-de-camp, Whipple's Division, informed commanders, on July 18, 1862, that regimental quartermasters "will make requisitions for funds sufficient to pay those laborers at the rate of forty cents for each days work" and "rations will be issued at the rate of one for each adult detached for service and where necessity required it food will be furnished for children." To make sure that the contrabands were taken care of, commanders received instructions to keep records of service each day and to make a full report on the subject at the end of each month. These reports resembled the following one, submitted on June 19, 1862:

"I have the honor to report the following as the number of Contraband in your command.

Where Employed	Employees	un Employees	Total	Rations Drawn for
Arlington Men	8	10	18
	Women	3	3	6
	Children	1	1	25
14th Mass V		53		53	53
2nd NY Art.		10		10	10
4th NY Arty	Men	13		13
	Women	2		2		15
1st Wis Co. Arty	Men	5		5
	Women	1		1	6
Hospital 4th NY Arty		12		12	12
Hospital Fairfax Sem.	Men	26		26
	Women	6		6
	Children	10	10	42
12th Batty Ft. Lyon	Men	41		41	41
11th NY Batty.	Men	14		14
Ft. Ellsworth	Women	1		1	15
	Total	195	24	219	219	[54]

Generally, the Army Engineers were glad to employ contrabands on the defenses. General Whipple, on May 14, 1862, was informed that "On your recommendation the General commanding has directed one Hundred "Contrabands" be detailed for duty as laborers on the Military defences S.W. of the Potomac." On June 1, 1862, Army Engineer William E. Merrill requested that General Wadsworth issue a detail of "contraband" to him for work on the defenses. B.S. Alexander proposed that about "1000 negroes" organized in three gangs under a general superintendent–one 400-man gang to work on the North side between the river and the Eastern Branch, one 400-man gang for the South side of the river, and a 200-man gang for the east side of the Eastern Branch–could put the roads in good order by Christmas. Further, Alexander wrote that by using the contrabands, which in sufficient numbers "will furnish the true solution of the subject, the estimate of costs to do the work may be reduced at least one-half and probably more." Civil Engineer Edward Frost wrote, on May 9, 1862, that 100 to 150 able-bodied contrabands "might meet the urgent need that exists for working parties in the several Forts . . ." [55]

But, not everyone was happy with the contrabands' work and appearance. Civilian Engineer Edward Frost, on November 10, 1862, wrote that "A portion of the Contrabands remaining in my charge" were "entirely unsuitable for the purpose . . ." Many of the local Northern Virginia citizens did not appreciate the contrabands who often camped on their property and sometimes took their belongings and caused destruction. Anne S. Frobel, one of those citizens, was distraught when "a whole gang of Contrabands had taken possession of Sharon," the chapel on her land. The contraband did not leave so she had to have the Army evict them. [56]

One author wrote that "In general, and in order to save the troops as much as possible, most of the labor was performed, not by troops, but by hired negroes working under charge of engineer officers." Actually, hired laborers, including contrabands, were in short supply and at times there wasn't any money to pay them. The greatest amount of the labor on the fortifications was performed by troops stationed in the defenses of Washington and the Department of Washington, including infantry, artillery and cavalry. [57]

Although most of the fortification work was not done by contrabands, they were used when available. The Military Defenses Southwest of the Potomac reported on July 11, 1862 that "there are a large number of Contraband employed as laborers on the forts and roads in this command." On August 1, 1862, Colonel Wagner, Second NewYork Artillery Regiment, learned that a party of contrabands would join him to "be employed in the new work in process of construction near Ft. Blenker." In November 1862, Barnard reported that he had 2 to 300 contrabands at work along the line from Fort DeKalb to Fort Worth. Alexander reported on July 31, 1864, that a gang of contrabands in the employment of the Quartermasters Department was removing the undergrowth of bushes springing up in front of the works. Thus, it was not strange for Alexander to state in his report of operations on the defenses during the month of July 1864, "This labor has been performed, under the direction of this office, partly by employees of the Q.M. Dept. and contrabands from Freedmen's Village, and partly by the garrisons of the different forts." [58]

At times, the Army Engineers experienced problems in the use of contraband labor on the fortifications. In one instance a commander had been informed that he would receive contrabands to work on the forts but later was told that the "General says he considers their service much more needed here at the Hospitals and in the QM Dept. And he can not spare any for the fortifications." Alexander reported:

"that Colored Laborers at work for Engineer Dept on South Side of Potomac, stationed at Contraband Camp, were by order of Gen Auger taken to the Agricultural Contraband Camp & were informed that all who wished to do so could remain & those who would not would be sent under guard to Washington. They were told that they would not be allowed to work for the Engineer Dept on the Forts or elsewhere, & that they would not be allowed to drive Government teams." [59]

The troops that worked on the fortifications were often glad to see the contraband workers. A member of the 50th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment reported that "Details of men were sent out every morning" to work on the fortifications but "At length a force of two hundred contrabands from North Carolina were sent to take our places in the ditches, and we willingly turned over to them our picks and shovels." Private Alfred Bellard wrote that "The government had sent a lot of contrabands with us to fell trees and cut them into cord wood, which were afterwards sent by rail to the city to furnish fuel for the army during the winter." [60]

Many of the officers felt that the best work was accomplished when a competent supervisor oversaw the contrabands' work. Upon receiving 100 contrabands to work on the fortifications, General Whipple was "authorized to employ suitable persons as "overseers" to take charge of these laborers not exceeding one overseer to thirty laborers." Whipple informed his subordinates that "you will direct a competent officer to take charge of the contrabands detailed as working parties in and about the forts occupied by your command . . ." Civil Engineer Frost suggested to Whipple "assigning to each regimental or other separate command a limited number of negroes, as a working party not less than ten nor more than thirty in each; placing the same number under the general supervision of a commissioned officer & in the immediate care of a sergeant . . ." Concluding, Frost remarked that "Such portions of the work prescribed as command skill & experience will be done by the usual Force employed by the Engineer Department." Regardless, the contraband were important to the construction and maintenance of the defenses of Washington. Without the contrabands' numbers and labor, the defenses would not have been as successful as they were. [61]

Military Workers

Much of the labor for constructing and maintaining the Defenses of Washington was provided by troops. The author of Alexandria in the Civil War wrote, "Generally, northerners spent their first days in the Old Dominion adjusting to the rigors of camp life. For most troops, this meant drill and digging earthworks to protect Washington." Margaret Leech, author of the beloved book on Washington during the Civil War expressed the same idea, "The soldiers in the vicinity of Washington had at once begun the arduous labor of building earthworks." [62]

Actually, the soldiers themselves explained it much better. A Seventy-Ninth New York "Highlander" exclaimed that work on the Defenses of Washington "was the hardest kind of manual labor; spades were trumps and every man held a full hand." Private Bellard wrote, "Entrenchments were being dug on all the hills round the city, while more forts were to be put up during the winter. At this time we were building a large fort near Fort Lyons." In his letter from Fort Albany, Virginia, of July 25, 1861, Robert McAllister wrote "The right wing of our Regiment have since been engaged in throwing up breastworks at the Arlington Mills some three miles out from the river at a road and railroad crossing, where we are planting a battery to sweep the road." Company D of the The Forty-Fifth U.S. Colored Troops reported in the Fall of 1864 that "At 7:30 each day the line was formed for fatigue duty and the men (all except the sick and a guard) are marched to Fort McPherson, where they work until 5 p.m." In November 1862, a member of the Fourteenth Vermont Regiment observed that "Fifteen hundred men are detailed from this brigade daily, to work on forts." The author of a history of the Tenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry remarked, "While regimental annals are not over full of dirt-throwing details, it is apparent from casual mention here and there, that all the men were getting their share of work entirely unthought of when they signed their enlistment papers." In the Fifteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, "This drill was soon interrupted by our being set to work upon the lines of fortification." In 1863, The First Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers "performed a vast amount of labor during the year, having erected fine winter quarters for officers and men; completed and occupied one forty-three gun fort, besides erecting three large bomb-proof barracks, capable of quartering the men." [63]

In December 1862, Charles H. Moulton of the Thirty-Fourth Massachusetts Volunteers provided a longer description of the unit's work on the fortifications:

"Today the whole regiment is at work on the new forts and rifle pits, busily engaged in throwing up the embankments, so as to hurry up their completion. There is about a month's work on them for the Regt., so people at home need not think that the 34th is out here doing nothing and laying idle. The Regt. Is saving the Government thousands of dollars by doing the work themselves, which otherwise would have to be entrusted to day laborers, who are paid a dollar a day and clothed and fully rationed, and then don't do one-half the work they are expected to accomplish. The Regt. Fell in line this morning at 8 o'clock in their working suit, blouses on etc., and are now actively engaged in shoveling, picking, wheeling, etc." [64]

The Fortieth Regiment New York Volunteers regimental history described what the unit did following First Manassas:

"But we had other duties than those of drilling. There were daily fatigue parties detailed for the construction of the fortifications which were erected to protect Washington from an invading army. These intrenchments were erected in the form of an arc of a circle reaching from Fort Lyon below Alexandria to Fort Corcoran above Chain Bridge. These forts generally crowned the summits of eminence, in front of which the forests were felled by experienced men from Maine. I remember to have watched from our encampment, the disappearance of these forests, and as giant after giant was seen to fall . . . the forests seemed to melt away and disappear as snow gradually dissolves from the hillside in the springtime." [65]

Some units worked on just one aspect of the fortifications or felt compelled to report about only one specific task. Many spent considerable time cutting down trees for the fortifications and a field of fire. The One Hundred Twenty-Seventh New York Volunteers' regimental history reports that "On September 24th [1862] two hundred men were detailed from the regiment to cut down trees in the front of Fort Ethan Allen to afford greater range for the guns of that fort, and many still remember the feelings of regret that the circumstances seemed to require the destruction of the pleasant grove." The Thirty-Third New York State Volunteer Regiment exclaimed "Other troops, to the number of ten thousand . . . and eighteen hundred axes were immediately set to work in felling the dense forest of half-grown pines, where Forts Marcy and Ethan Allen now stand." In the Seventeenth Maine "Details were furnished for the manufacture of gabions, and the boys became quite proficient in basket making." While in the Sixteenth Maine, in early September 1862, "Details were made daily to work on a line of breast-works connecting the forts." "The Second Pennsylvania Veteran Heavy Artillery "regiment commenced building a line of rifle pits near Veitch's House on September 11th [1862], and the following day it built a large masked battery in the copse west of Fort Lincoln, in addition to other smaller works along the line of fortifications, which, when completed, comprised a continuous and impregnable chain of earthworks." "On March 3d [1863] the 127th and 144th N.Y. were sent on fatigue duty, which consisted in digging rifle pits near Fort Ward." "Early the next morning [4 September] we [Seventy-Ninth Highlanders: New York Volunteers] began to build brush huts but were soon detailed to work on rifle pits and fortifications for the protection of our new line." The author of the Ninth New York Heavy Artillery remarked that "The forts, all made and armed, must now be decorated, and consequently by the early part of June they are completely sodded." [66]

Various units basically worked on one fortification and their reports of what they built are instructive. In August 1861, Elisha Hunt Rhodes worked on Fort Slocum:

"The month has been passed in hard work. We have built a large fort and named it Fort Slocum after our first colonel. The city of Washington is now surrounded by a chain of forts and is considered safe from attack. We have shoveled many weary hours but feel that our labor will do some good." . . . "camp life is dull, but I suppose it is part of a soldier's duty, and it will be lively enough before we reach home again. Well it is all for the Union." [67]

George Washington Beidelman, in September 1861, reported construction work at Fort Baker:

"At that time the section of Fort Baker,–which will be perhaps the strongest and most important in the chain of defences of the national capitol,–was just being commenced and we had to take our turn in the trenches. Thus we have been exchanging the musket for the pick and shovel about every other day since, and will continue to do so, no doubt, until the work is finished, which will be soon. It cost a vast amount of labor–the ditches being 14 feet wide and 10 deep–the embankment 10 feet high and very thick–and the whole enclosing a space area of about 4 acres. When completed it will mount 46 guns of large calibre–45 being 24 pounders, and one 64. Some of these are already pointing their "grim visages" in the face of the enemy, ready to give him a warm reception should he have the impudence to advance upon us. The defences on this side of the river will all be completed in a short time, and then we will undoubtedly have " work of another character" to perform." [68]

The Twelfth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserve Corps (41st Regiment of the Line) helped construct Fort Reno:

"Camp Life at Tennallytown and Camp Pierpont. "Details were made from the command to build Fort Pennsylvania, afterwards called Fort Reno, in honor of General Reno, killed at South Mountain, September 14, 1862, a fort which became well known at the time of Early's attack on Washington in June 1864. The formidable appearance of this large fort, which was situated on a commanding eminence, dominating the country for miles in front, had much to do with Early's failure to assault this fortified position. The Writer (who had the honor to command the defences of Washington north of the Potomac at this time) has no doubt that General Early's command could easily have carried these fortifications had it attacked before the arrival of the sixth corps, on account of the lack of defenders, the Union line being held by a small force of hundred-day-men, veteran reserves and convalescents, which force was posted on the picket line about a mile in front of the fort, there not being sufficient numbers to hold both the forts and the picket line. A small detail to fire the hundred-pounder Parrott rifle, located in an angle of the fort, and some citizens, constituted the only garrison of this formidable looking fortification for nearly two days, whilst Early's veterans maneuvered in front of it." [69]

A history of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps reported:

"The Reserves constructed a square redoubt at Tennallytown, mounting twelve guns, which was named Fort Pennsylvania; they also built two lunettes and named them Fort Gaines and Fort Cameron; these works formed part of the fortifications for the defense of Washington." [70]

Slocum's Brigade built Fort Lyon:

"The spot where the regiment encamped from Sept. 15th to Oct. 7th was designated "Camp Lyon," after the hero of Springfield, Mo., and Slocum's brigade built the fort known as "Fort Lyon." A thousand axes soon felled the dense forest of half-grown pines, and in six days heavy siege guns were mounted, to which were added many others as the work progressed. Here the entire camp was surrounded with breast-works, and daily rumors of "the enemy are advancing in large numbers," compelled them to go to their daily work, rifle in hand, and to sleep at night upon their arms, ready to repel an attack at a moment's notice." The long hours of work, the constant vigil, and the low grounds on Hunting creek, produced much sickness, and numerous fatal cases of typhoid fever and long suffering, occurred during the Fall and Winter." [71]

In the history of the Ninth New York Heavy Artillery Regiment is a general account of the construction of the fortifications:

"As fort-building was so prominent a part of the regiment's work, the following description, sent home by a participant, is not amiss: "The forts are simply earthworks enclosing from one or two acres of land. They are made by digging a ditch or moat, fifteen feet wide by from ten to twelve feet deep, throwing the earth up to to form an embankment inside the ditch. This bank is made hard by pounding it as it is thrown up; through the embrasures, guns are run out; on the outside are abatis which hinder the approach of man or horse; within are magazines and bombproofs, also barracks to be used in case of attack; it requires three reliefs to work the heavy guns; all the forts are connected by rifle-pits; entrance-gates are on the side towards Washington; the heavy stockades surrounding are pierced by loopholes." [72]