Existing comment:
Civil War:
The outbreak of the war in 1861, and the mobilization of troops and material brought tremendous changes to the nation's capital. It also brought great opportunities for many of those held in bondage nearby. By the summer of 1861, there were over 50,000 troops camped out around the city, including in Uniontown. They provided a ready market for vendors of prepared food, fresh vegetables and fruit, sea food and fish, laundry, and other domestic services. Union soldiers also often provided assistance to escaping slaves.
By 1865, there were 68 forts surrounding the capital, 11 of them along the Eastern Branch and in the southeast quadrant of the city. The forts attracted many escaping slaves from Virginia, Maryland, and other nearby states. Forts also employed a large number of free blacks and escaped slaves. There were three large forts constructed in Far Southeast: Fort Stanton, Fort Greble, and Fort Carroll. There was also a cavalry depot in Giesborough. Almost 15,000 horses and mules were stabled there. The clearing of forests along the Eastern Branch and the impact of the vast number of horses and mules pastured at Giesborough greatly degraded the land along the Eastern Branch and caused further silting of the river. |