WASHINGTON D.C. IN 1862

IN 1861….•Virginia lay just across the Potomac. • From the President's House in Washington, Confederate flags could be seen waving over the seaport of Alexandria.  • The city was, for all practical purposes, southern, and many of its citizens had strong southern inclinations.

THE CAPITAL WAS SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO SLAVE STATES, BOTH SOUTH OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE. FEW GOVERNMENT TROOPS WERE IN THE VICINITY AND OF THOSE THAT WERE, SOME OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN CHOSE TO JOIN THE NEW CONFEDERATE ARMED FORCES AND HEADED SOUTH FOR THAT PURPOSE. THUS, UNTIL MORE TROOPS ARRIVED, WASHINGTON D.C. WAS A COMMUNITY UNDER SIEGE.

IN THE SPRING OF 1861, THE CITY HAD LAIN OPEN TO ATTACK BY STATES THAT HAD WITHDRAWN FROM THE UNION. VIRGINIA, JUST ACROSS THE POTOMAC, SECEDED IN APRIL. MARYLAND, A SLAVE STATE, HAD MANY SOUTHERN SYMPATHIZERS.THEY ANSWERED PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS BY BURNING BRIDGES AND TEARING UP TRACKS TO PREVENT UNION SOLDIERS FROM REACHING THE CAPITAL.

Following the defeat at First Manassas (The Battle of Bull Run), gigantic efforts were directed toward designing and erecting a system of fortifications to protect Washington, D.C., the Union's capital. Prior to this battle, Washington was protected by only one fort---outmoded Fort Washington, nearly 12 miles down the Potomac, had been built to guard against enemy ships following the War of 1812 .

BY THE SPRING OF 1865, THE DEFENSE SYSTEM TOTALED 68 FORTS AND 93 DETACHED BATTERIES FOR FIELD GUNS WITH 807 CANNONS AND 98 MORTARS IN PLACE.

TWENTY MILES OF RIFLE TRENCHES FLANKED THESE STRONGHOLDS, JOINED BY MORE THAN 30 MILES OF MILITARY ROADS OVER WHICH COMPANIES OF SOLDIERS AND GUNS COULD MOVE AS REINFORCEMENTS.

Washington had become the most heavily fortified city in the world. Washington, DC turned into the training ground, arsenal, supply depot, and nerve center for the Union cause. Newly formed regiments encamped in every quarter, and streets reverberated under the wheels of cannons.

Cattle for meat grazed on the National Mall; sacks of flour, stacked against siege, surrounded the U.S. Treasury. To protect the city and vital supply routes from enemy hands, Union armies built a ring of earthen fortifications.

By the time the 17th arrived in October of 1862, thousands of soldiers were quartered in Washington, D.C. --- and they were called upon to work on constructing forts and defenses to protect the capitol.

Life for enlisted men in the forts began at dawn. Drill, repairs, duties, parades, and inspection consumed the day.

THE SOLDIERS OF 1861-1862 WERE ALSO CALLED UPON TO PERFORM “FATIGUE DUTY”---FELLING TREES, BUILDING FORTS, BUILDING ROADS, ETC.

To accomplish the work necessary to construct and maintain the defenses of Washington, a variety of tools were necessary. On May 7, 1861, Barnard (Army Corps of Engineers) wrote that he desired "the following entrenching tools": 1000 shovels, 500 Picks, 300 Axes, 200 ax handles, etc. On the same day, Barnard asked for shovels, picks, axes, axe handles, hand saws, cross cut saws, augurs and wheel barrows. Other tools frequently requested were spades, broad axes, sledge hammers, hatchets, drawing knives, crow bars, tape lines, and transits

The soldiers who worked on the Defenses of Washington, frequently mentioned the tools in their letters, memoirs, books and in regimental histories.

•“[We] quickly erected Fort Sumner with "the diligent use of axes in front, with the teams hauling timber, with pick and shovel, crosscut saw, broadax, and other tools which the Government furnished."

•" . . . the men are put to work with pick and shovel . .

•“[We] put aside . . . drilling, and exchanged . . . guns for the pick and shovel."

•“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."

• [We] worked daily ". . . on a line of breast-works connecting the forts"

•"Many of them, reared on farms, had a natural propensity for digging holes and shoveling dirt, which had been fully satisfied by details to dig "sinks" and tent drains" but they " . . . were glad of a chance to exhibit their artistic qualities on something less degrading than a camp sink."

THE 17THE 17THTH CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUTIN WASHINGTONIN WASHINGTON

REPORT OF COL. NOBLE

BY ELEVEN O’CLOCK ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 16, APPAREL, EQUIPAGE, A THOUSAND MEN AND ALL OF THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS WERE LOADED ONTO THE TRAIN THAT WAS TO TAKE THE REGIMENT TO WASHINGTON, D.C. THE RAILS WERE SO CROWDED BY ARMY TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION, HOWEVER, THAT THE TRAIN DID NOT REACH WASHINGTON UNTIL DUSK.

THE NEXT MORNING, THE REGIMENT WAS ORDERED TO MARCH TO TENALLYTOWN AND TO ENCAMP AT FORT KEARNY IN DEFENSE OF WASHINGTON.

REPORT OF COLONEL NOBLE

We were marched to the other side of Tenallytown and took a camp just vacated by the 138th New York. The men were put to work entrenching a hill that was afterward known as Fort Kearney. Our camp was named Camp Nellie Seward after the daughter of the Secretary of State.

PRIVATE WILLIAM WARREN:

The men of the regiment were doing considerable growling at this time. They entered service to kill rebels (they claimed) and not to dig trenches. Several times they rebelled openly against being detached for this work, and the officers threatened to punish them, but no punishment of any importance was afflicted.

Through the days they dug earth, and at nights they sat about the fires and told stories and sang songs.

THE FIRST DAY IN WASHINGTON WAS THE FIRST DAY IN WASHINGTON WAS SPENT SIGHTSEEINGSPENT SIGHTSEEING

P.T. BARNUM, TOM THUMB, AND COMMODORE P.T. BARNUM, TOM THUMB, AND COMMODORE NUTT CAME TO VISIT AND TO PREACH NUTT CAME TO VISIT AND TO PREACH TEMPERANCE. TEMPERANCE.

• OCT. 25TH - COLONEL NOBLECOLONEL NOBLE FELL INTO A RIFLE PIT, INJURING HIS ARM BADLY.

• SHORTLY AFTER, LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT

COLONELCOLONEL WALTER’SWALTER’S HORSE

STUMBLED AND FELL ON HIM. THE

HORSE WAS KILLED, AND LT.-COL.

WALTERS WAS SERIOUSLY HURT

•CHRISTOPHER OLMSTEADCHRISTOPHER OLMSTEAD “CRIP” – CRIP” –

(FRIEND OF JUSTUS SILLIMANJUSTUS SILLIMAN

AND SAM COMSTOCKSAM COMSTOCK) WAS

HOSPITALIZED WITH “BALTIMORE

FEVER.”

AND THE 17TH ?“At Fort Kearney, the regiment was immediately put to work in entrenchments. It expected to have been sent along to Sigel, and did not like the delay. It very likely worked with less will at its task of digging than it would have done except in the face of its disappointment. At any rate, several reports of its not being good diggers had been made.” (Colonel Noble)

." In an official report to his superiors on October 28, 1862 Civil

Engineer Gunnell informed that "the 17th Conn regiment is of no use for working on the forts . . ."

TENALLYTOWN: TENALLYTOWN: DIGGING AGAINDIGGING AGAIN

AND WHINING ONCE MORE!AND WHINING ONCE MORE!

Digging and growling filled up the time until the 30th, when the report came that we were to move the next morning. It was said we were going to Centreville, Va., to join General Sigel's corps. The members of the regiment received this news with rejoicing. They paraded through the company streets, singing and throwing their caps in the air.

SIGEL’S CORPS AT LAST?SIGEL’S CORPS AT LAST?