Evening Star Newspaper, January 3, 1932, Page 71

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY 3, - gre clothed for the most part in deerskins or some similar kind of covering, which hangs down behind like a cloak. They wear &prons round the middle, and leave the rest of the body naked. “The young boys and girig go about with nothing on them. The soles of their feet are as hard as horn, and they tread on thorns and briars without being hurt. Their arms are bows and arrcws 3 feet long, tipped with stag's horn, or a white flint sharpened at the end. They shoot these with such skill that they can stand off and hit a sparrow in the middle; and, in order to become expert by practice, they throw a spear up in the air and then send an arrow from the bow string and drive it into the spear before it falls. But since they do not string the bow very tight, they cannot hit a mark at a greal distance. They live by means of these weapons and go out every day through the fields and woods to hunt squirrels, partridges, turkeys and wild animals. For there is an abundance of all these, though we ourselves do not yet venture to procure food by hunting, for fear of ambushes. “They live in houses built in an oblong, oval shape. Light is admitted into these through the roof by a window 1!': feet long; this also serves to carry off the smoke, for they kindle the fire in the middle of the floor and sleep around the fir Their kings, however, and chief men h private compartments, as it were, of their own, and beds made by driving four posts into the ground and ar- ranging poles above them horizontally.” It is almost impossible to comprehend how wild this country really was nearly 300 years ago, when all of this was taking place. What 8 different sort of picture Leonard Calvert would have seen if he had sailed up the river 50 years ag>, for instead of sceing 500 Indians on the site of Fort Washington he would have seen at least as many Sunday school chil- dren on the bluff havinz the time of their lives, by special permission of the War Department, for regular excursions were never held at this place or at Fort Foote, to the north and nearly opposite Alexandria, where private parties also frequently held their excursions years ago. HE site of Fort Washington, originally the Manor of Warburton, was patented October 20, 1641. When the city of Washington was laid out George Digges was the proprietor of Warburton, and according to the census of 1790, had living with him one son over 16 years of age, wife and one daughter, and had 105 slaves. Presumably his brother William owned 22 slaves, and Mary, who may have been his sister-in-law, owned 75. The placing of a fort at this strategic place in the river was due to the request of President Washington made in 1794, for it was on May 12 of that year that Henry Knox, then Secretary of War, received a letter which said: “The President of the United States, who is well acquainted with the river Potomac, conceived that a certain bluff of land on the Maryland side, near Mr. Digges’, a point formed by an eastern branch of the Potomac, would be a proper situation for the fortification about to be erected.” The expense attached to the construction of the fort was rather small and included only a proposed expenditure of $3,000, and from what is stated, probably even less than this amount was expended, for we find that when war was deemed imminent with Great Britain Maj. L’Enfant was directed to proceed to Fort Washington and to ascertain and report its condition for defense, which he did on May 28, 1813, and though he was not favorably impressed with the design of the fort, yet he urged a suitable appropriation for putting in proper condition for the defense of the Po- tomac. g However, when the Brm.\hésailed up the river three days after the burning of Washing- ton by Gen. Ross Capt. Samuel T. Dyson, the American officer in charge, did not attempt to test the resistance and stability of the fort, but forthwith blew it up and made a hasty retreat, for which he was later court-martialed and dismissed from the service. APT. GORDON of H. M. S. Seahorse, in command of the enemy's Potomac squad- ron, later made this interesting report on what happened after his arrival off Fort Washington: “The following mowmning. August 27, 1814, to our great joy, the wind became 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 Potomac, a gentleman’s residence. Higher up the river on the opposite side, Fort Wash- ington appeared to our anxious eyes, and, to our great satisfaction, it was considered assailable. A little before sunset the squadron anchored just out of gunshot; the bomb vessels at once took up their positions .o cover the frigates in the projected attack at daylight next morning and began throwing shells. The gar- rison, to our great surprise, retreated from the fort; and a shcrt time afterward, Fort Wash- ington was blown up, which left the Capital of America and the populous town of Alexan- dria open to the squadron, without a loss of a man. It was too late to ascertain whether this catastrophe was occasioned by one of our shells, or wh~ther it had been blown up by the garrison; but the opinion was in favor of the latter. Still we are at a loss to account for such an extreordinary step. The position was good, and s capture would have cost us at least 50 men and more, had it been prop- erly defended: besid an unfavorable wind and many other chances were in their favor, and we could have only destroyed it had we succeeded in the attempt “At the ships moored under the batte mplcted its destruction The guns were i by the enemy; we otherwise mutilated and destroyed the carriages. Fort Wash was a most respectable de- fense: it mounted two 52 pounders, two 32 pound eight 24 pounders; in a martello tower t{wo 12 pounders, with two loopholes for musketry; and a battery in the rear mounting two 12 and six 6 pound field pieces.” 1932. The old Marshall Mansion, Marshall Hall, Md., built about 1690. Mrs. Cora Marshall Somerson, last child in the Marshall line, born in the old Marshall Hall mansion. PTER the British had left Alexandria, and had sailed down the river, there was & rumor that they intended to return, a rumor that proved unfounded. But the people of the District of Columbia were quite alarmed and according to Christian Hines * * * “met at Lewis’ tavern, on Pennsylvania avenue, in an old brick house, near where Dr. Johnson now resides, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets west. There we discussed the matter, and finally concluded to appoint a committee of three to make collections among the citi- zens for the purpose of employing workmen to go to Fort Washington to assist in repair- ing it. An election was held, which resulted in the selection of Willlam Worthington and John Gardiner, Esgs., and myself as collectors for that purpose. I believe it was George Graham, Esq., who favored me with the nom- ination. On the next morning we commenced the work of collecting, and succeeded in rais- ing about as much as would enable us te pur- chase provisions sufficient to last about a week. And, as what was to be done had to be accom- plished quickly, it was concluded among us that I, being the youngest and most active at that time, should make all necessary arrangements to employ laborers, engage a vessel to take us down to Fort Washington, and to do whatever else was necessary to our speedy departure on our expedition, while they would continue the collection of money and be prepared to pay off the men on our return from the fort. “With this arrangement I was well pleased, and immediately commenced operations. I was authorized to offer $1 per day and one pint of whisky for laborers as an inducement, be- sides finding them in rations. I immediately proceeded to Blodgett's Hotel, where the general post office now stands, in the vicinity of which I knew many Irish laborers, parti- cularly "John and Morgan Donoho. John, I knew, was an expert workman in his line of business, and him I procured to assist me in obtaining other suitable persens, and concluded to make him foreman of the workmen 1" THEN went over to Georgetown and chartered the packet of my old friend and acquaintance, Harry Macpherson, to take us down to the f« and loft directions to sail over to Lear's wharf early in the morning. In the meantime I procured provisions by the as- sistance of my brothers, sufficient to last about a week, and sent them down to the fort. The most of them, however, were potatoes. After this, having prepared everything necessary for our trip, I notified the men where and 'at what time to meet together in the morning. “All being now in readiness, I went to Dr. Blake, by appointment, who gave me an open letter to Mr. Le Enfant, the engineer, in which the doctor spoke of me in high terms. Dr. Blake was, at that time, mayor of Washing- ton. On the next morning the men assembled at the old house where I still reside, near the corner of Twentieth and I streets, first ward, with their picks and shovels on their shoulders. After resting awhile we started down to Lear’s wharf (Stone House), went on board the packet and sailed down to Fort ‘Washington. “It was late in the evening when we arrived at the fort, and after landing and securing my men under shelter, I started off to Diggs’ (about half a mile from the fort), where I found the house pretty well crowded with gentlemen from the neighborhood. I presented my letter to Mr. Le Enfant, the engincer. con- versed with him a while, took a glass of wine with him and then went back to my men. In the morning Mr. Le Enfant came down to the fort and gave us directions what to do, so we went to work and worked manfully. In the meantime, Mr. James Esling, a carpenter, soon put up a tolerably good shanty for the ac- commodation of the workmen. " E found, on our arrival, that the Alexandrians had already a company of colored men at work, ours being the first from the city or Georgetown. We continued to work for 135 days, at the expiration of which time John P. Ingel, Esq., came down with a company of men from the eastern part of the city to relieve us. So I turned over to him the United States property, viz: pots, kettles, etc., took his receipt for them, and returned with my men to Washington by way of Alexandria. “On reaching home with my company, I left them at my house and called on the other members of the committee, expecting to get the money to pay off the men who were in waiting at my house for their pay. To mY great mortification I was informed by them that they had not been successful in collecting a sufficient amount of funds to pay the men off. Under these circumstances I knew not what to do. However, as there was no alter- native, I received what money they had col- lected and went back to the house and stated the case to the men, and promised to pay <4hem in a few days. Those who were ac- quainted with me cheerfully agreed to wait for their pay until we could make a further collection, and those who were most needy we paid as far as our money would reach In a short time afterward we collected money enough and paid them all off. During our stay at the fort I went twice to Alexandria in a boat to purchase provisions, and once I visited Mount Vernon. My brother, Abraham, was my assistant while at the fort. “The following are the names of the work- men who accompanied me to work at Forl Washington on that occasion: “John Conly, Timothy Herrity, John Donoho, Thomas Ladan, Morgan Donoho, George Esling, Levi Shaw, Michael Greager, John Tidings, Edward Crowly, 1st; Michael Herrity, Edward Crowly, 2d; Samuel Duval, James Gray, James Tiernan, James Esling, Samuel Douglass, Richard Bannister, Willilam Linkins, John Linkins, James Troth, Leonard Ellis, Michael King, Lloyd Jones, Patrick Larner, William Hayward.” HERE was much in common between Mount Vernon and Warburton Manor, just as there must have been between Mount Vernon and Marshall Hall, for we are told by the late Dr. James Dudley Morgan that “it was often Gen. Washington'’s custom in going either to Bladensburg, Upper Marlborough or to Annapolis to ferry the Potomac from Mount Vernon to Warburton, and thus continue his journey. He has often, when tired or belated, or for social d@ntercourse, stopped and spent some time with George or Thomas Digges at Warburton—what is now Fort Washington.” Washington Irving has told * * * “how Gen. Wachington stood on that knoll, a little to the front of his home, and through that forest vista signaled by flag to Warburton. Then their little boats with liveried men would pull out from the shores of the Potomac, to bear the invited one to Mount Vernon or Warbur- ton, or to strike a trade perchance of tobacco, corn or wheat, for cattle or sheep, or what not.” Nor is it probable that this intercourse was interrupted to any extent during the Winter months, for we have Tobias Lear’s words, in 1793, that “the river generally shuts up about Christmas and is open again the latter part of February, or very early in March, Sometimes there are ‘only short interruptions by ice through the Winter, and sometimes i happens that it is not closed so as to prevent the navigation during the Winter. This was the case last<Winter.” A frequent Washington visitor to Warbur- ton during the early days of the city, wag Mrs. Winifred (Marshall) Gales, who had made the acquaintance of Thomas Digges, one of the proprietors of Warburton, before the Galeses had left England, and 20 years be+ fore they again met at the Digges home on the Potomac, where her son, Joseph Gales, jr., was the noted editor of the National Intelli- gencer. Mrs. Gales was a clever writer, and upon one occasfon when visiting the Diggeses she put into verse her impressions of the Potomac in the vicinity of Mount Vernon and War- burton. She said: Oh, what a goodly scene mine eyes embrace! Mingling with Flora’s tints of varied dye, Painted on nature’s sweet and pleasant face, Woods, vales and streams in sweet confusion glow! “Let poets boast of Arno’s shelvy side! And sing the beauties of the classic Po. Give me Potomac’s grand, majestic tide, Sparkling beneath the sun’s effulgent glow! “Farewell, Potomac! wide I take a lingering but delightful view; Whilst the gay vessel dances on the tide I bid thee, Warburton, a last adieu. O’er thy waters “Perhaps no more to see my early friend— No more his hospitable smile to meet, Where true politeness and kind friend- ship blend, The ever-welcome, grateful guest % greet.” Indeed, all the country surrounding Mouum} Vernon breathes the life, the spirit and the time of George Washington, for, though he is known te have paid strict attention to his own affairs, yet unquestionably he was a goad neighbor and was not backward in calling @@ his friends whenfver the opportunity pree sented itself. That he enjoyed good come pany, no one can deny, and that others em- joyed his company is equally true, for, after all, he was just as human as any one else, and yet he was the greatest American thaé ever lived. First-Aid Film R mmfv' The efforts of the Red Cross in informiryj the general public in first-aid measures hav'i been given added support through the Bureail of Mines, which has taken advantage of thi: trend toward hcme movies. A film entitled “Learn and Live” has been produced by the bureau showing first-aid work, to a large ex- tent in mine accidents, but the principles nevertheless are applicable to similar accidents in other lines of industry and general daily life, The importance of first-aid work is shown by the fact that the annual accident toll of this courtry is 100,000 killed and 3,000,900 in- jured. The new film is to be distributed to inter- ested persons who seek to borrow it. The only wcost is the transportation charge. The film must be returned, of course, for the bureau desires the widest possible usc of it. 5