Evening Star Newspaper, July 9, 1922, Page 60

Interesting Events in [ Ft. Washington’s History ©Old Fort Washinston, on the Mary- Jand bank of the Potomac, twenty miles below this city and nearly op- posite Mount Vernon, has been the scene of several interesting events in the history of the United States. Long before the establishment of the fort the site was occupled by a village of the Piscataway Indians, and Gov. Calvert and his party, exploring the Potomac, there found about 500 war- riors in full war paint, prepared to oppose his farther advance. Several pow-wows followed, but it was not until the Indian chiefs were satisfied of the friendly purposes of the ex- plorers that they were permitted to land. Gov. Calvert found the loca- tion ideal, and even thought of set- tling there instead of at St. Marys, farther down the river. Subsequently in 1645 the province of Maryland decided that the better defense of the province against hos- tile Indians required the establish- ment of a garrison at the mouth of Piscataway creek. At the same time Thomas Watson was authorized “to assemble all the freemen of Sajnt George's Hundred and assess upon them the charge of the soldiers whom they had sent to serve in that gar- rison.” In 1695 the last stand of the In- dians was made at Tidewater, where Fort Washington now stands. About 1,500 Maryland and Virginia militia, under command of Col. John Wash- ington, met and defeated a force of about 2,500 Indians. Col. John Wash- ington was the grandfather of George ‘Washington. These Indians consisted such an extraordinary step. The po- sition was good, and its> capture would have cost us at least fifty men or more had it been properly de- fended. Besides, an unfavorable wind and many other chances were in their favor, and we could have only de- stroyed it had we succeeded in the attempt. “At daylight the ship moored under the battery and completed its de- struction. The guns were spiked by the enemy. We otherwise mutilated them and destroyed the carriages. Fort Washington was a-most respect- able defense. It mounts two fifty- two-pounders, two twenty-two pound- ers, eight twenty-four pounders, in a martello tower two twelve-pounders, with two loopholes for musketry, and a battery in the rear mounting two twelve and six pound fleld pieces.” Rebuilding the old fort of masonry was begun in 1816 and completed several years later. ‘After many vicis- situdes It stands today ir. a fair state of repair. It was allowed to dete- riorate after the declaration of peace and was used as a garrison for a few rrtillerymen and engineers. In 1861 a Heart of th Bureau T has been said that one of thel of various tribes, chief among whom were the Piscataways, Yoamocoes and Susquehannocks. Their defeat was so decisive that they left that section of the country. In 1808 the United States govern- ment purchased three acres of land from George Digges and began the first fortifications of what is now Fort Washington. * * ¥ X HESE fortifications consisted of mere earthworks and a water bat- tery of a few guns bearing upon the the ascent of the river. channel in They were impotent, however, the moment a vessel had passed. That work was seated at the foot of a stéep weelivity, from which the garrison could have been driven by musketry located at the summit. To provide against that contingency. a block- house was placed at the summit, but the blockhouse, calculatgd only against musketry, was defenseless against twelve-pounders. At that time the post was named Fort War- burton, but In 1813 was changed to that of Fort Washington, in honor of George Washington. > In the latter year Maj. L’Enfant was sent by President Madison to in- epect and report upon the condition of the fort. Maj. L'Enfant was an «ngineer officer, who served under «ieorge Washington during the revo- lution and who laid out the city of Washington. In hie report Maj. L'En- fant stated that “the whole original design was bad, and it is therefore impossible to make a perfect work of it by an alteration. The major believed firmly in ade- quate sea and coast defenses, and that the best way to prevent war was to be prepared. In a letter to Gen, Washington, dated September 17, 1789, he sall “And now that I am addressing your excellency, I will avail myself of the occasion to call to your atten- tion an object of at least equal im- portance to the dignity of the nation and with which her quiet and pros- perity is intimately connected—I mean the protection of the seacoast of the United States. This has hith- erto been left to the individual states, and has been so totally neglected as to endanger the peace of the Union, for it is certaln that an insult offered on this (and there is nothing to pre- vent it). however immaterially it may be in its local effect, would degrade the nation and do more Injury to its political interests than a much greater depredation on her inland fiontier. From these considerations, | should argue the necessity of the different ways and seaports being for- tified at the expense of the Union, in order that one general and uniform system may prevail throughout, that being as necessary as a uniformity in the discipline of the, troops to whom they are to be intrusted. “I flatter myself your excellency will excuse the freedom with which 1 impart to you my ideas on this sub- ject! Indeed, my confidence in this business arises in a great measure from a persuasion that the subject has already engaged your attention, having had the honor to belong to the Corps of Engineers acting under your orders during the late war and being the only officer of that corps remain- ing on the continent.” * kK % HCWEVER, Mr. Armstrong, the Sec- retary of War, believed that it was an utter impossibility that the capitdl would be attracted either by . principal organs of that gigantic | institution known as the U. 8. Veterans' Bureau, formerly the bu- reau of war risk insurance, is the medi- cal division. As a matter of fact, it might also be said that this division is one of the main veins of the system. ‘When a disabled veteran of the world war flles a claim with the government his fate, to a certain extent, is in the hands of the medical saction of the bureau, for it is this division that passes on the claimant's disablity and de- cides whether or not the disability Is due to his world war service. In order that the veterans may be given the best of care and attention expert physicians and specialists have been brought to the bureau. ‘These medical “sharks” furnish expert aid to Col. Robert U. Patterson, medical de- partment of the Regular Army, who has been detailed to the bureau and placed in charge of this division. There is no doubt that this division, numerically a relatively small group, | performs conscientiously and with un- assuming faithfulness a task gigantic | in its proportions and perplexing in its | aspects, yet of outstanding and para- afterward it was re-establis! artillery post. In 1891 modefn guns and defenses were installed, but were afterward withdrawn, as the sid fort High School Cadets and Boy Scout or- ganizations have encamped on the churches and socleties. of Washington, the garrison consist- mount importance both to the tax- payers of this great naticn and to the disabled world war veteran in whose interest this great work is being done. * k% % VWHILE every one knows of the Vet- erans’ Bureau, very few know the early history of the bureau and espe- cially of this great division. Shortly after the declaration of war with Ger- many, Congress by enactinent of legis- lation established the bureau of war risk insurance to provide for the dis- bursement of certain benefits of com- pensation—insurance and treatment for the boys in service who becamre dis- abled as a result of their military or naval service. The estublishment of this institution was the acknowledg- ment of obligation to the men who suf- fered while serving, typical of the char- acter of the American people, who have lost the power of providing for them- selves, either through glorious accidents of battle or the less spectacular and more commonplace drudgery of routine camp life during periods of emergency. This law provided that under certain circumstances an ex-service man would be entitled to financial succor and medi- cal treatment. The establishment of a bureau carrying out these provisions, particularly at a time when there was a dearth of skilled and unskilled cleri- cal, technical and professional workers, was a tremendous problem which was solved only with great difficulty. * Kk Kk K THE early days of the bureau found a small group tucked away in a corner of the main Treasury building here in Washington, which was subse- quently transferred to the National Mu- seum building, rapldly increaesing in size, with two physicians the sole medi- cal representatives of the bureau. After several months two additional physi- cians were added to the personnel. The first half of the year 1919 saw further increases of ten or twelve ‘medical_officers scattered about in spare corners of the Arlington building, to which the entire bureau later moved, poring over medical directories to dis- cover the names and addresses of spe- clalists in various parts of the coun- try, to perform professional services in treating tne bureau beneficiaries. Hav- ing found the name of a physician whose qualifications appeared to be satisfac- tory, the medical officers in the bureau were then compelled to attempt to in- terpret the intricacies and mysteries of railroad guides to determine the proper routing of claimants to be examined and a land force or by a fleet ascending the Potomac. As a result, Fort Washington was not reinforced. In August, 1814, the British fleet ascended the Potomac. At that time Fort Washington wa# garrisoned by a company of eighty men, commanded by Capt. Samuel T. Dyson. On the approach of the British fleet the small garrison spiked their guns and retrsated without firing a shot. Capt. Gordon, who was commanding the British fleet, gives the following ac- count of the affair: “The following morning, August 27, 1814, to our great joy, the wind be- came fair, and we made all sail up the river, which now assumed a more pleasing aspect. At 5§ o'clock in the afternoon Mount Vernon, the retreat of the illustrious Washington, opened to our view and showed us for the first time since we entered the Poto- mac a gentleman's residence. Higher up the river, on the opposite side, Fort Washington appeared to our anxious eyes and to our great satisfaction assailable. A little before sunset the squadron anchored just out of the gunshot. The bomb vessels at once took up @heir position to cover the frigates in the projected attack at daylight next morning and began throwing shells. The garrison, to our great surprise, retreated from the . fort, and a short time afterward Fort ‘Washington was blown up, which left the capital of America and the popu- lous town of Alexandria open to the dquadron without & 1088 of & man. It Wwas too late to. ascertain whether bis catastrophe was occasioned’ by éne of our shells or whather it had been blown up by the garrison, but the opinion was in favor of the latter. ‘Stil], we are at a loss to acccunt for treated, and to issue transportation, IDNEY LANIER'S “Hymns of the Marshes” reveals an intl- macy of nature study which stamped the author as a mas- ter in descriptive power, which was not fully appreciated at the time, but subsequently justified by the most critical students. A craftsmanship in full sympathy with every phase of marsh, shore and sea life emphasizes every page and an intimate knowl- edge of these nature secrets runs like a golden:thread through every line of these exquisite songs. In these poems there is the-league. less sweep of immensity, described in such manner as to create the idea of liberty and freedom in the fullest sense, The flight of gulls, the curv- ing distance of the sea-rimmed hori- son and the long stretches of shore line intensify this idea. It must be remembered that “The Hymns of the Marshes” were all written during, the last years of the poet’s life, when the dread disease was insiduously weakening his. vital- ity day after ‘day. ‘“Marshes of Glynn” came out in 1878, “Individu- ality” and “Sunset” the year follow- ing, while “Sunrise” was finished late in December, 1880, when his fever was 104 and when the master was almost helpless from sheer weakness. - This 'was only nine months before his pass- ‘World’s Famous Songs By Dr. Henry E.'Harman - force of forty marines was stationed jgreen glory of dark leaves, he & personality akin to some human an {form. The little green leaves disturb ‘bending to a there- to protect the prope al His aleep, rustle as was not deemed essentisl to'the de-jthem, on fonse of the Natlonal Capital. Since then the District National Guard, the used fre- ground by fort reservation, and it wi quently as a plenic Since last September the old artil- lery post has been the home of the infantry of the new military. district 3d Battalion, ' 64th [As a lover Infantry, ¢ formesly Camp Meade, .Md. That battalion is described as a “live” organization, and has done much to revive the popularity of Fort Washington. Its basket ball team won the 1921-22 champlenship in the district of Washington, and the battalion served at the parades at the burial of the unknown soldler and at the recent dedication of the Grant memorial, besides serving at the gen- eral arms conference. Its twenty- plece bugle and trumpet corps is the pride of the battalion, and recently gave an exhibition at Keith's Thea- ter. The post is accessible by water apd by roads from Ahacostia, on the bank of the Potomac. ing of the United States stationed at tenderest e Veterans’ meal tickets, expense tickets and a thousand other things that the ordi- nary physician seldom is called upon to do. In odd moments time was found for the rendering of medical opinions to aid in the adjudication of claims for compensation and insurance purposes. In July, 1919, Col. W. C. Rucker was dctailed from the United States Public Health Service as chief of the medical division. The number of physiclans was Increased, and the group was assembled into an organ- ized unit and divided into sections representing the several major clin- ical disease types. The routine tasks previously performed by the doctor, | |3 though not properly in his domain, | = were delegated to other bureau divi- sions. In fact, tne entire medical division had' undergone a complete change. Dr. Haven Emerson was the next medical adviser in charge of this sec- tion. On September 1, 1921, he was succeeded by Col. Robert U. Patter- son of the Regular Army, who was an overseas veteran of the world war, besides being a seasoned campaligner, having served in the Philippines. Under the supervision of Col. Pa terson the medical division was re- organized to take care of the numer- ous new functions necessarily as- sumed after the consolidation of gov- ernmental agencies under the United States Veterans' Bureau, which was created by the act of August 9, 1921, { to supersede the bureau of war risk | insurance and the federal board for vocational education. * x x % UNDER Col. Patterson's administr: tion this division has reached its high tide of efficiency with regard to both production and professional accuracy. Col. Patterson, an able ad- ministrator, with his enviable serv- ice record in the Regular Army, in- spires his co-workers by his open- mindedness, his fearless honesty, his untiring labor and his unalloyed loy- alty to those whom he serves and those who serve with him. He has caused to be established a board of consultants in the medical division for professional counsel. It is the function of the board to confer upon doubtful and disputed medical prob- lems, to investigate research work and determine upon broad questions of treatment and policy as they affect the medical aspects of compensation cases. Other new changes made by the present assistant director in charge of the medical division include & hos- ital inspection staff. It is the duty of this section to inspect all hospital under the bureau. The administra- tion organisation of hospitals, in- cluding the allocation of beds and the supervision of hospital treatment, is directed by the hospital section. There is also a section known as the foreign relations section, having charge of veterans of the allied armies who have received treatment in this country. ‘The professional, technical and clerical personnel of the medical di- vision, both in the central office and in the various district offices, is made up preponderantly of specially trained men and women, assuring the dis- abled veteran of reasonable, honest and sympathetic treatment and fair and just consideration of requests. It might be said of the medical division that it is a servant of a grateful na- tion, aiding in a proper, just and equitable distribution of benefits pro- vided for men and women disabled in the performance of patriotic duty dur- ing the period of extreme emergency caused by the great world war. ing, his death occurring early in the following September. 4 In the construction of this group of poems Lanier individualizes the marsh, the like oak and the sea, clothing each with a‘ magnetic per- sonality which makes them livé and act as something human. This is perhaps the highest of poetic skill ‘when the writer can put info inani- mate objects the soul of & human and make them; comrades in his own as- pirations and sympathies. * % % % TBE broad sweep of the marsh sug- gested to. the master the. spirit of the catholic man, generosity, charity, liberality, a submitting to overflow, to the wind and the rain without complaint. In its calm poise he saw the spirit of a soul subdued by pa- tient suffering, but coming out of misfortune into serenity and peave, where the. bending sky above was pleased to mirror its stariit gléry. Oh, what.is sbroad in the: marsh and the Somehow, my ssol seems vuddenly free ' ' From the waighing of fate and the sad discussion of sin \ N By the leagth and the breadth and swéep of the marshes of Glyna, To the live oaks, ‘Which frame' in these balf sea plains with an eyer: the spring night, marsh and wood. He goes out in the spring dawn ere the light Is yet ipon the east and clasps these rugged trees | discovers as though each was human and pos- sessed a soul. 1 might not abids like oaks to hide In your gospelling glooms, and to be and sea, my sea! With fro through enditlg out a faint the soft breeses dally with their, afmless travels over and in heaven, the marsh, my marsh, language, - and Exclusive Agents for Ostermocr Mattresses. 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Here have stood these monarchs of the coast country through an hundred years and more, shaken by every storm, but with nevér & murmur and never giving way to the fury of the Down the long colonnades of these sturdy oaks his poetic eye rendezvous for lovers, and likewise the sheltering roof of a church, where the devout may kneel It is 2 wonderful picture I have walked, 1 have comeé, my beloved! | he gives us of these rugged oaks Investing them with an individuality 1 have come ere the dawn, O beloved, my | which the vast forest of the coast country never possessed before. pray. * * k x TO 8 certain extent, they became A possessed of . soul The master speaks ta them in the |spirit, and all through the poem the likewlse | artistic sympathy of the master is \erjflIIIIII[IIIIHIIIfI\\’!rIiIHIIflIIIIIImIZ\\YIr" A velours. could " creat else. with, in distress, were longing for and radeship and sympathy. as T 3 revealed—the sympathy of one who e, by his-art, something allve and spiritual out of inanimate | bjects. In these “Hymns of the Marshes"” the ocekn appealed to the heart of the paet perhaps more than anything To the east lay that vast ex- Ppanss of restiess water, urless stilled by sore . mysterious calm. Here again to the master was something soul—something moving as it something when As the great waves broke upon the $10.00 Cash—$2.00 Wee storm tossed, and something repent- ant when the calms breathed over its restless spirit. He draws a plcture of companionship between the waters of the sea and the mareh, a sympathetic intermingling of the two, as if each the other's com- adamant 1ibi -shore, erated fury upon storm-beaten rocks. storms. pictures of the sea when This English Renaissance Cane Suite A charming living-room suite, exactly like illus- tration, finished in mahogahy, with upholstery and removable spring-seat cushions, in richly designed Tomorrow, very special................ 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Perhaps in all poetry there is noth- ing which approaches Lanfer's vivid considered from the standpoint of individualism and personality. still there was Farewell. my loed Sun! i The creeks overflow: a thousand rivulets rum "Twixt the roots of the sod; the blades of ) the miarsh grass st They pass, and all Is still; and the currents cease to ru And the wea and marsh are one, Secret of Bronze. [T has been supposed that the ancients had some method of har- ,dening bronze tools the secret of which has been lost. Prof. Gowland of the British Institute of Metals says that’ the ancient bronzes were very impure, %o that their hardness could rot have been due, as sometimes as- sumed, to their exceptional purity On the other hand. inasmuch as modern bronzes by careful hammer- ing can be made as hard as the an- cient ones, the legend of a lost art in bropze hirdening seems lo be ex- ploded. v Purchases held for later delivery. No extra charge. 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