Battle of Fort Stevens Washington
DC Civil War History, General Early’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Shenandoah Valley Campaigns, General Jubal Early’s
Raid and Operations against the B&O Railroad
Battle of Fort Stevens
Washington D.C. - July 11-12, 1864
Fort Stevens Battle Pictures Maps History
Other Names: Washington Photos Photographs
Location: District of Columbia American Civil War History
Campaign: Early’s Raid and Operations against the B&O Railroad (1864)
Date(s): July 11-12, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright and Maj. Gen. Alexander
McD. McCook [US]; Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early [CS]
Forces Engaged: Divisions
Estimated Casualties: 874 total

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| Photograph is Courtesy of the Library of Congress |
Description: On July 11, Lt. Gen. Jubal
A. Early’s exhausted Confederates reached the outskirts of Washington near Silver Spring (Gen. Jubal Early's Route to Washington). Skirmishers advanced to test the fortifications which at the time were manned
only by Home Guards, clerks, and convalescent troops. During the night, veteran units from the Union VI Corps disembarked
from troop transports and marched north through the streets of Washington to bolster the defenses. On July 12, Early was finally
in position to make a strong demonstration, which was repulsed by the veteran Union troops. In the afternoon, VI Corps units
advanced against the Confederate skirmishers, driving them back from their advanced positions in front of Fort Stevens and DeRussy. President Lincoln watched the action from Fort Stevens and came under fire from Confederate sharpshooters. Recognizing that
the Union Capitol was now defended by veterans, Early abandoned any thought of taking the city. Early withdrew during the
night, marching toward White’s Ford on the Potomac, ending his invasion of Maryland. “We didn’t take Washington,”
Early told his staff officers, “but we scared Abe Lincoln like Hell!” Above photograph: Officers and men of Company F, 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery,
in Fort Stevens. District of Columbia Photos (
Result(s): Union victory
Sources: National Park Service; Library of Congress; Official Records of the Union and
Confederate Armies; Diary and Memoirs of Lt. Col. William Williams Stringfield
Advance to:
Recommended Reading: Forts
and Defenses of Washington: American Civil War; Shenandoah Valley Campaigns and Operations
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