Washington, D.C., where Ashley Shafii Grover has a successful business, has endured quite a bit during its relatively short existence. The British rampaged through the capital during the War of 1812, burning and looting (including the burning of the White House).
During the Civil War, the capital, where Ashley Sohria Shafii now has her business, was in a very tense position, given its proximity to Richmond, the capital of the Confederate States of America. It had to lead the Union, as well as defend itself against attack from the South.
Not very many people lived in Washington, D.C. until war broke out in 1861. The city had to be protected, and President Abraham Lincoln organized troops to this effect. Businessman Andrew Carnegie was instrumental in building a railroad to bring much-needed reinforcements to the capital; they arrived on April 25, 1861.
The soldiers were a mixed lot; some were professional military men, while others were volunteers with no previous experience in battle. The population of the capital swelled to 75,800.
The First Battle of Bull Run, which had been viewed as an easy Union victory, instead became a Confederate victory. More soldiers were brought to defend the capital, and Lincoln organized first the Department of the Potomac, then the Army of the Potomac. With the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862, and then the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, freed slaves poured into Washington, D.C., providing much-needed help in defending the city.
In 1861, Washington, D.C. was defended only by Fort Washington. Major General George McClellan took command of the Department of the Potomac in 1861 and oversaw the construction of fortifications covering thirty-three miles of land, in addition to forts on high ground surrounding the city. He also put field artillery batteries between the forts. When finished, the capital’s defenses were virtually unassailable.
The Battle of Fort Stevens in 1864, was one of the few times that the Confederate Army actually attempted to take Washington, D.C. Led by Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early, the Confederate troops attacked Fort Stevens, only to be repelled by Union soldiers. President Abraham Lincoln visited the fort during the attack, making him the only President to be fired upon by the enemy in wartime while in office.
Hospitals in the capital were running at full capacity, helping soldiers fresh off the battlefield as well as those who were recovering from wounds or illness. Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, and Dorothea Dix were two notable nurses, with poet Walt Whitman and novelist Louisa May Alcott helping out.
During the Civil War, the capital, where Ashley Sohria Shafii now has her business, was in a very tense position, given its proximity to Richmond, the capital of the Confederate States of America. It had to lead the Union, as well as defend itself against attack from the South.
Not very many people lived in Washington, D.C. until war broke out in 1861. The city had to be protected, and President Abraham Lincoln organized troops to this effect. Businessman Andrew Carnegie was instrumental in building a railroad to bring much-needed reinforcements to the capital; they arrived on April 25, 1861.
The soldiers were a mixed lot; some were professional military men, while others were volunteers with no previous experience in battle. The population of the capital swelled to 75,800.
The First Battle of Bull Run, which had been viewed as an easy Union victory, instead became a Confederate victory. More soldiers were brought to defend the capital, and Lincoln organized first the Department of the Potomac, then the Army of the Potomac. With the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862, and then the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, freed slaves poured into Washington, D.C., providing much-needed help in defending the city.
In 1861, Washington, D.C. was defended only by Fort Washington. Major General George McClellan took command of the Department of the Potomac in 1861 and oversaw the construction of fortifications covering thirty-three miles of land, in addition to forts on high ground surrounding the city. He also put field artillery batteries between the forts. When finished, the capital’s defenses were virtually unassailable.
The Battle of Fort Stevens in 1864, was one of the few times that the Confederate Army actually attempted to take Washington, D.C. Led by Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early, the Confederate troops attacked Fort Stevens, only to be repelled by Union soldiers. President Abraham Lincoln visited the fort during the attack, making him the only President to be fired upon by the enemy in wartime while in office.
Hospitals in the capital were running at full capacity, helping soldiers fresh off the battlefield as well as those who were recovering from wounds or illness. Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, and Dorothea Dix were two notable nurses, with poet Walt Whitman and novelist Louisa May Alcott helping out.
No comments:
Post a Comment