The cavalry, under command of Colonel Lowell, consisted of detachments of the Second Massachusetts, Eighth Illinois and 16th Penn sylvania, in all about 1,000 men, and was in advance of the works from the Potomac to Fort Stev.ens. When Early, who was within sight of the dome of the Capitol, had seen the works, thought to be feebly manned, he or dered Rodes' division into line, in front of Fort Stevens, and, about 1.30 P.M. when the slcirmishers were within range, the Union ar tillery in Fort Stevens, under Captain Dupont, opened a rapid fire, clouds of dust appeared ris ing behind the fort, and soon a Union column was seen—a body of quartermasters' em ployees and 600 dismounted cavalry, under Maj. G. G. Briggs of the Seventh Michigan, filing into the works on the right and left of the fort, whose skirmishers advanced to the front, before whom those of Rodes fell back, after approaching within musketry range of Fort Stevens and wounding men on its parapet. This dashed Early's hope of getting possession of the works by surprise and he consumed the rest of the day in reconnoitering. Meanwhile a substantial and timely rein.forcement had ar rived to strengthen the Union defense. Gen eral Grant had doubted whether Early had any thing more than cavalry in Maryland, but had sent Ricketts' division to Baltimore, and, on the night of the 9th, a few hours after Wal lace's defeat on the Monocacy, ordered General Wright, commanding the Sixth corps, to march his other two divisions from the lines before Petersburg to City Point, 14 miles, where he arrived at daylight of the 10th, took transports and by 2 P.M. of the Ilth arrived at Washington, where, just arrived, was a steamer with 800 men of the 19th corps, who, having reached Hampton Roads from New Orleans, had been sent directly to Washington. President Lincoln was on the wharf to greet the troops on their arrivals Vt/right quickly landed his troops and marched them to near Fort Stevens, where he bivouacked, sending 900 men to relieve those that had been thrown out in front of Fort Stevens; being old sol diers, they immediately intrenched. Late in the evening 1,500 quartermasters' employees and 2,800 convalescents, under Col. Frank Price, from nearly every regiment in the Army of the Potomac, took position in rear of Fort Slocum and in the rifle-pits on either side of it.
After nightfall Early called a council of his division commanders and a conclusion was ar rived at to assault the Union lines at daybreak next morning, the 12th, but during the night a dispatch was received from Bradley T. John son, near Baltimore, that two corps had ar rived from Grant's army, and this caused Early to delay the attack until he could again ex amine the works. As soon as it was litgttt enough to see he rode to the front and saw h the works were lined with troops, and gave up the idea of capturing Washington, but decided to remain in front of the works during the day and retire at night.
At dawn of the 12th Early was seen in posi tion, with part of his command, at the Rives House, on the right of Silver Spring road, on rising ground, surrounded by shade trees, with an orchard near, giving cover to sharpshooters, who cotnmanded the Union sldrmish line from this point and also from McLay's House on the left of the road. Wheaton's brigade of the
Sixth corps was thrown out on the skirmish line in front of Fort Stevens and instantly the Confederate sharpshooters began their work. Skirmishing continued until the middle of the afternoon, when Wright pushed out Bidwell's brigade of the Sixth corps, formed in two lines with orders to join Wheaton in an attack upon the Confederates at the Rives House. The guns of Fort Stevens and Fort Slocum opened a rapid fire and at a signal from Wright, who stood on the parapet of Fort Stevens, Presi dent Lincoln at his side, Bidwell moved for ward, and with VVheaton's brigade, which formed an advance line, drove the Con federates from the Rives House and, after a sharp fight, from rising ground beyond, and back for a mile upon Rode's main line, where farther advance was stayed, but the skirmish ing was kept up until late in the night, and the ground gained intrenched. The engagement was witnesses by Cabinet officers, other officials and some ladies from behind the parapet of Fort Stevens, where also the President was ordered by General Wright, when the engage ment opened and men were being wounded on the parapet. The Union loss was over 200, of whom 150 were of Bidwell's brigade, including two regimental commanders of the brigade killed and others wounded.
On the left, near Fort Reno, Lovell's 900 cavalry had heavy skirmishing with McCaus land's cavalry brigade, and drove it back on the Georgetown road until infantry came to Mc Causland's support. That night Early fell back through Rockville, marched all night and halted near Darnestown. Lovell's cavalry pushed after Early on the morning of the 13th as far as Rockville, where it was attacked and driven back by McCausland, with a loss of 30 killed and wounded, after taking 38 prisoners. At noon Wright marched after Early with two divisions of the Sixth corps, followed by Emory's division of the 19th corps. Early re sumed his march frotn Darnestown and crossed the Potomac at White's Ford, near Leesburg, on the morning of the 14th, heavily laden with the spoils of war. The Union loss during the three days was between 350 and 450. Early left 30 dead and 70 wounded on the field and lost over 200 prisoners, not including his wounded. The loss on both sides was com paratively small, but the event is memorable in that it was the only occasion in the history of the country where hostile armies met so near the seat of government, and men fell in battle within the boundaries of the District of Columbia. Consult 'Official Records' (VoL XXXVII); Early, 'The Last Year of the War for Independence'; The Century Com pany, 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War' (Vol. IV).