Civil War in District of Columbia

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I was just looking at a National Geographic Society map from a year or two ago marking battle sites of the American Civil War. I noticed there were a couple of minor battle sites marked within the District of Columbia. I was surprised to see them, as I thought the Confederate Army never got that close to Washington. And yes, this is the modern District of Columbia borders, all north of the Potomac.

Can someone enlighten me as to these small battles within the D of C?

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Setanta probably can.

I recommend Reveille in Washington 1860-1865 by Margaret Leech [1941], a day-by-day account of life in the city during the war.

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In August 1864 the Confederate Army of the Shenandoah under General Early got within several miles of downtown Washington before it was repulsed. That was the last major offensive of the Confederate army in the east and nearly the last major offensive of any Confederate Army.

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Wasn't here a battle near Washington for which the citizens of the capital went out to watch, complete with picnic lunches?

Both the Union Army and the spectators were routed.

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Noddy24 wrote:

Wasn't here a battle near Washington for which the citizens of the capital went out to watch, complete with picnic lunches?

Both the Union Army and the spectators were routed.

That was the first Bull Run, July 1861, by late 1864 the war had become very mundane and was no longer a spectator sport.

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Acquiunk wrote:

Noddy24 wrote:
Wasn't here a battle near Washington for which the citizens of the capital went out to watch, complete with picnic lunches?

Both the Union Army and the spectators were routed.

That was the first Bull Run, July 1861, by late 1864 the war had become very mundane and was no longer a spectator sport.

Or first Manassas to the Confederacy. The picnickers expected to see the rebels quickly routed, and instead had to flee the Confederate advance.

I am told that this incident provided the springboard to success for George Custer. A lesser officer at the time, his cavalry unit helped protect fleeing civilians. Eventually he became General.

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Acquiunk wrote:

In August 1864 the Confederate Army of the Shenandoah under General Early got within several miles of downtown Washington before it was repulsed. That was the last major offensive of the Confederate army in the east and nearly the last major offensive of any Confederate Army.

Thanks.

I found this web site: http://www.americancivilwar.com/statepic/dc/dc001.html

I had heard trivia long ago that President Lincoln was the only sitting US President to be exposed to wartime enemy gunfire. This was the battle! I never realized the rebels had come so close! How might history have been changed if Early had been victorious?

More trivia: General Lew Wallace, mentioned in this battle, was later the author of the novel "Ben Hur."

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The First Battle of Bull Run could be a terrific setting for A What If/Time Travel Potboiler.

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Civil War in District of Columbia

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