Confederate army of about 12,000 troops under the command of general jubil early nearly invaded washington, d. C. , next, historian and journalist mark leapson takes us on a tour of battlefields in maryland and washington, d. C. , to tell the story of the battle of monocacy where they had the battle of fort stephens where they had the heavily fortified city before deciding to turn back. Consider what could have happened with an entire corps of troops let loose in washington, d. C, lean and hungry confederate troops. The treasury was there for the looting. The treasury department. They could have burned the capital. You know, the Navy Department which lincoln did not know had a ship provisioned for him in the potomac to take him out of town and think about what could have happened to the union cause had there been confederates running loose in the streets of washington, d. C. . Dont forget, lincoln was fighting for his political life at this time. This was the president ial election of
Tuesday. [laughter] thank you team changing hands this is the third event and i did my official book launch both before and thank you tusis bantu booktv it is amazing to turn over the tv to see authors talking about box. This is the fourth time i have been on the program so i can get through the of alberta without saying anything inappropriate they will broadcast me for the fourth time. This is my fourth book the president s war. For me as a history lover and a junkie which is what i was before, this is the ultimate story never told. We had a Record Number of living president s during the civil warfare during, john tyler, James Buchanan buchanan, fillmore, and a Record Number of president s alive to witness a National Tragedy to play again harass and opposed so for me the story began with a friend of mine said jim perrin not ordinarily you associate with the mid19th century and he said he was still alive. Of them and i knew instantly i had the idea for next book. So to tell the story o
You can read faster than i can talk so i wont read the slides. I want you to see beautiful places i love. They are history and parks and recreation and National Resources and frankly the lungs of the city are largely these forts and the parks. So there we start. As frank said the city was unprotected down below. This is Fort Washington. If you havent been there, you should go. Its quite different from the forts that were built during the civil war. After bull run, lincoln knew the city was vulnerable. Thats when he ordered director Major General john g. Barnard to design forts around the city to protect it. Here they are. These are the ones available there. It was quite an amazing feat to build all those. It was just tremendous. Here they are there. Ive circled them here on this old map, the ones that are under government ownership today. The park service owns all the ones in washington, d. C. And one in maryland and one in virginia. The ones in virginia are owned by local governments.
Generals men. The president of the railroad is telling him its a real threat and grant is going to move rather slowly. As the confederates will now move toward isolating the union troops, which evacuated Harpers Ferry on Maryland Heights and close in on frederick, maryland. On frederick, maryland, they have occupied it on the 8th day of july. A union army has been assembled there on the banks of the river and on the 9th day of july at the battle, who would write the most popular novel written in the 19th century by american author ben purr. When evacuates and leaves the battlefield he falls back on baltimore leaving washington uncovered. Many of the thousands of men who had been manning the washington forts, the 87 forts and batteries had been called to fill the vacant ranks as we talked about in those wonderful songs we were led in as they are father abrahams call. And they are going to become instant infantrymen. Many of them we have just heard from our lecturer, many by the black me
Im 75 years of age folks. I remember things differently than when i was fighting or Something Like that at 20, 18, or what have you so the veterans may have been mistaken but they wanted to mark that spot and they got the stone out of the water reed area Cameron Creek and put that bar relief and thats their monument to the remembrance of lincoln on enemy fire. We dont know that the Justice Supreme Court really uttered one of those immortal words, get that damn fool down. The records suggest there are six or five other people, veterans who also shouted get that fool down of the get that man down including horatio down because he told him i cant protect you. Finally lincoln condesendedly getting down. Still washington forts are yet another of washingtons many monuments that have transitioned you purpose. They want recognition from all of us, appreciation. For commemoration for with a they did there an probably both sides lost thousands of people on both sides. So just what they have beco