The Evening Star, Washington, D.C. July 14, 1935, Page F-4.

RECALLS GEN. EARLY'S RAID

Maj. Edward R. Campbell of the old Vermont Brigade on a visit to old Fort Stevens in Washington, where, as a young private of 20 years of age, he saw President Lincoln standing and directing the attack of Union troops which drove Lieut. Gen. Jubal A. Early and his Confederate troops out of Washington. —Harris-Ewing Photo.

Maj. Edward R. Campbell, Who Fought with Lincoln in Defense of Washington, Wants His Place in World's Most Exclusive Cemetery Here.

By Hoyt Barnett.

SITTING In this evening's shade of an ancient wild cherry tree, in the hallowed sanctity of the world&appos;s most exclusive cemetery, Maj. Edward R. Campbell of the Old Vermont Brigade, dozes to a half forgotten lullaby of singing Minnie balls and waits to take his place in the forty-first and last grave reserved for those who defended the United States Capital against the raid of Lieut. Gen. Jubal A. Early Just 71 years ago last Friday.

Many memories crowd one upon another as Maj. Campbell waits to join his comrades who fell on the battlefield that day.

He was a youthful veteran of 20 years. And as he charged forward to sweep Confederate sharpshooters from their concealment, he saw President Abraham Lincoln stand coolly under fire and direct the advance which saved Washington from the Confederacy.

Later that day, while young Campbell helped gather the dead and bury them under battle conditions—without coffins or shrouds—he stood in awe as President Lincoln returned to the battlefield and dedicated that burial spot to the soldiers who fell there in honor and to those who survived the battle.

It Is there, at 6625 Georgia avenue, at the Battle Ground National Cemetery, that Maj. Campbell, now residing at 30 Elm street, Takoma Park, Md., will be buried with his comrades.

He is believed to be the last Union survivor of that engagement. When the plain white marker is set in place over his grave, the last chapter of this cemetery will be written and the book closed forever upon the world’s most exclusive cemetery.

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, the late Supreme Court justice, also was eligible to rest in this cemetery. But the jurist chose Arlington National Cemetery because he wished to rest in a grave beside his wife.

Campbell, in spite of his 91 years, has a vivid memory of his fighting in Washington. He is a big man. Despite his slightly stooping shoulders, the blue-eyed Vermonter stands taller than 6 feet. He must have been a fine specimen of soldier 71 years ago.

We can let him tell his story:

“Me and the Old Vermont Brigade was fighting down at Petersburg, Va.” He speaks clearly and without excitement.

“On the evening of July 10. 1864, we got word that Gen. Early had defeated Gen. Wallace at the battle of the Monocacy and that old Gen. Jubal Early and 15,000 Johnny Rebs were advancing on Washington.

“Lordy, but there was some excitement. We got out of Petersburg in an almighty hurry and marched 20 miles that night to City Point, on James River. A transport took us down the James and up to Potomac to Washington, where we arrived ready for action about 6:30 on the morning of July 12.

“President Lincoln met us personally. He told us that Johnny Reb was camped in the shadow of the Capitol. Citizens who weren't too scared lined the street and cheered the Old Vermont Brigade as we marched up Seventh street to Brightwood, where we deployed as skirmishers on the right flank of Fort Stevens.

“Minnie balls from sharpshooters were hitting all around and killing a few. Shells from light artillery were whining over our heads and kicking up dust in front of us.

“We waited for the order to advance. Other troops were brought up on our right. To our left was Fort Stevens. To the left of Stevens was a detachment from New York.

“There weren't any trees near the fort like there are now. I was watching the fort where cannon were blazing away. And there was President Lincoln. He was standing on the parapet, cool as could be. He was the only President of the United States to direct troops under fire. And I was mighty proud to be fighting for him that day.

“IT WAS a mighty dangerous place for the President of the United States. A medical officer standing beside him

Maj. Edward R. Campbell, the elderly gentleman on the left, walks through Battle Ground National Cemetery in Washington, in which he will occupy the forty-first and last grave. —Harris-Ewing Photo.

threw up his hands and collapsed. A minnie ball from a sharpshooter cut him down. (The medical officer's name has not been preserved.)

“Gen. Wright, in command of the fort, ran up and dragged the President of the United States right down off that parapet. He didn't care if Lincoln was the President, the commander in chief, or what—Gen. Wright was in command of that fort and he knew he was supposed to protect the life of the President.

“Then came the command to advance. We did. And when we unfurled the pennants of the Old Vermont Brigade Gen. Early knew what he was up against and cleared out. He remembered us from the Battle of the Wilderness.

“Early left some sharpshooters in an old house (6404 Georgia avenue, which still stands). They held us up for a minute or two, but we drove 'em out and continued to drive the Rebs for about another mile.

“I was in the party sent back to bury the dead. We picked them up from where they lay scattered over the field—most of them killed by sharpshooters.

“We had about finished the job, and who do you suppose came driving up? It was Lincoln again.

“I'll always remember what Lincoln looked like and what he said. He looked sad. He didn't say anything for a minute. We all stopped working. Mr. Lincoln held up his hand and said ‘I dedicate this spot as the Battle Ground National Cemetery.’

“Then the President and his aides rode away.

“No. that wasn't the end of the war. We kept on fighting. We chased Gen. Early for a couple of days on out through Rockville, Md., and Poolesville, and on to the Potomac River, where he crossed above Leesburg and escaped into Virginia.”

THE historical value of the battle before Fort Stevens within the city limits of Washington is problematical. Gen. Early, after a stiff battle with the forces under Gen. Wallace at Monocacy and two severe marches in extremely hot weather, reached Washington too exhausted to make an attack against the meager forces of about 700 men, many of whom were civilians and wounded soldiers.

The delay at Monocacy gave Gen. Grant a chance to rush reinforcements, which arrived in time to drive the Confederate troops away.

According to history, the purpose of the attack was to cause Gen. Grant to shift part of his troops out of Virginia to protect the Capital. In this, the raid was entirely successful.

In later years Gen. Early explained why he didn't make an attempt to take Washington with his exhausted troops.

“What could I have done with it, if I had taken it?” he is quoted as asking. “If I had gone in I wasn't sure of ever getting out. And value to the cause was in my mobility.”

Maj. Campbell enjoys living In the vicinity of this historical battle. He was born in Londonairy, Vt., January 29, 1844. He joined the Army in the Spring of 1862 and remained until the Summer of 1865.

His brigade went from one campaign to another in rapid succession from May. 1864, when he took part in the Battle of the Wilderness, until October of that year, when he fought at Cedar Creek. During this time his outfit suffered 3,116 casualties.

Following the Civil War he returned to the National Guard and in successive promotions reached the rank of major.

He has spent much of his life in Washington, where he was a clerk in the Pension Office from 1883 to 1915, when he resigned. Since then he spent many of his Winters in Florida and divided the Spring and Summer between Vermont and Washington.

Maj. CAMPBELL'S home is not many blocks from the cemetery, the last grave of which is waiting for him. He likes to visit the cool spot where he will be buried.

He has found a friend there in Maj. Frederick L. Taylor, U. S. A, retired, who is superintendent. They fight their respective wars over again, and it always is Maj. Campbell, the Civil War veteran, who finishes the comparison of conflicts by telling Maj. Taylor that “according to statistics, the World War wasn't much of a fight.”

“Why listen to me,” he exclaims.

“Out of 2,000,000 American soldiers fighting in France you lost only about 116,000 men.

“But listen to these figure—out of about 2,000,000 men in the Civil War we lost about 700,000 men.”

And Maj. Taylor can't refute the logic of those figures.

The friendship continues. The younger man, living with his wife in quiet comfort, and the other waiting to take his place in Battle Ground National Cemetery.

The names of the 40 men carved on the 40 white markers are the names of his friends. They are Sergt. Thomas Richardson, Sergt. Alfred C. Starbird and Pvts. Elijah S. Huflotin, Jeremiah Maloney and William Tray of the 25th New York Cavalry.

E. C. Barrett of the 40th New York Infantry.

E. S. Bavett, John Davidson, Matthew J. De Graff. G. W. Farrar and Mark Stoneham of the 43d New York Infantry.

Corpls A. Mattott and William Ruhle and Pvts. Andrew J. Dowen, Andrew Manning and John Kennedy of the 122d New York Infantry.

Lieut. William Laughlin and Pvt. Andrew Ashbaugh, Phil Bowen, John Ellis, George Garvin and H. McIntire of the 61st Pennsylvania Infantry.

William Holtsman of the 93d Pennsylvania Infantry, Sergt. George Marquet and Pvts. Bernard Hoerlo, Charles Seahouse and Frederick Walther of the 98th Pennsylvania infantry.

Sergt. John M. Richards of the 139th Pennsylvania Infantry.

John Dolan of the 2d Massachusetts Cavalry.

Patrick Lovett of the 37th Massachusetts Infantry.

John Pockett of the 7th Maine Infantry.

Corpl. George W. Gorton of the 1st Rhode Island Infantry.

Russell L. Stevens of the 3d Vermont Infantry.

And D. S. Christ, 2d United States Artillery and the only Regular Army man killed that day.

And on the last marker, to be erected when Maj. Campbell's soul begins its Journey to the Valhalla, where awaiting him are the 40 comrades whose Journey started 71 years ago, will be inscribed:

Edward R. Campbell, 2d Vermont infantry.

Recalls Gen. Early's Raid, The Evening Star, Washington, D.C. July 14, 1935, Page F-4. (PDF)