Chapter 14: At Fort Reno

The wobbly farm wagon and its happy outrider proceeded up the long hill to Tennallytown at Ben's steady pace and then, at what was called Gloria Point, turned a sharp left across the Georgetown-Rockville Pike by the old tavern. The sporadic firing had quieted again, and the only sounds Seth could hear were the familiar creak of the wagon and the clip clop of the mule and horse. Now I'm in the other army, he thought as they arrived at the huge fort's impressive back gate, Robert's army, Mr. Lincoln's army. He shivered and wondered why.

Fort Reno proudly stood on the highest piece of ground in the District of Columbia. On a clear day such as this, one could easily see all across the city, well into Virginia, and sometimes even out north to Sugarloaf Mountain especially now than almost all the trees had been cut down. It was from the fort's high and well-built signal tower that the movement of McCausland's cavalrymen had been spotted long before they passed the District Line a mile away to snipe at the picket line and redoubts. A similar tower at the Soldiers' Home, where the President and his family had been sleeping on these hot nights, was clearly visible and far to the south, the stump of the unfinished Washington Monument, the Smithsonian's redstone spires and the new Capitol dome gleamed through the heat waves.

The Ninth New York manned Fort Reno's heavy guns, and reinforcements from the Veterans' Reserve had reached the fort on Sunday evening. The sprawling fortress and this section of the capital's defensive line had been put under the command of General Martin D. Hardin. Only 27, Hardin won promotion the week before while recovering from his fourth war wound.

In an operation that had snap, polish and precision, neatly uniformed soldiers brought Seth and Jefferson before the fort's commanding officer within minutes of their arrival. Seth saw a man with a broad forehead, piercing eyes, a full mustache and a firm chin. Those eyes never left the boy's face as he listened attentively to the Seth's story while brushing aside all interruptions.

General Hardin asked a few probing questions about what Seth thought of as trivial details. Did he hear the names of Early's commanders? How many horses were pulling each of the cannons? Did the soldiers carry packs or just blanket rolls? Did they have cartridge pouches? Hardin's eyes flickered to Jefferson and then he stood behind his bare desk leaning forward on his thick fingers.

"Seth," he said, "I believe you and I thank you. And you too, Mr. McKenzie. It took great courage and perseverance to come into the city today. But you were right to do so. The cavalry actions here this morning had the marks of feints and provocations, but we couldn't be sure. They might have screened the main force. Cavalry south of Rockville yesterday led us to believe that Early would come this way, but they've only been testing our strength and resolve. I think they knew we were too strong here, but Fort Stevens is, unfortunately, a horse of another color. Too bad you couldn't convince your captor that Reno was the weak spot."

The general smiled to show he did not mean it. "Far as I know there are only militia and some government clerks over that way. Poor McCook. This is going to be a close thing because all the reinforcements have been ordered out here."