District of Columbia in the Civil War

United States     U.S. Military      District of Columbia      District of Columbia Military      District of Columbia in the Civil War

Introduction
Washington teemed with volunteer regiments and artillery batteries from throughout the North. After the battle of Bull Run, the city was fortified in case of a Confederate assault.

Slavery was abolished in D.C. on April 16, 1862 — eight months before Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.[3] Freed slaves flocked to D.C., and many helped construct the fortresses around the city.

The capital's defenses for the most part deterred the Confederate Army from attacking. One notable exception was the Battle of Fort Stevens on July 11–12, 1864,

By 1865 the defenses of Washington covered both land and sea approaches.

On May 10, 1865, President Andrew Johnson declared that the rebellion was virtually at an end. A formal review was held to honor the victorious troops. Three of the leading Federal armies came to Washington to participate in the procession— the Army of the Potomac, the Army of the Tennessee, and the Army of Georgia. The Army of the Potomac was the first to parade through the city, on May 23, in a procession that stretched for seven miles. The next day, William T. Sherman led the Army of the Tennessee and the Army of Georgia in a parade. Within a week after the celebrations, the two armies were disbanded, and many of the volunteer regiments and batteries were sent home to be mustered out of the army.

Regiments

 * 1st Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * 1st Regiment, District of Columbia Cavalry Organized 4 Companies at Washington, D.C., June to December, 1863 and 8 Companies at Augusta, Me., January to March, 1864. 7 companies transferred to 1st Maine Cavalry August 27, 1864. The rest had duty in the Department of Virginia until October and mustered out October 26, 1865.


 * 1st Regiment, District of Columbia Infantry Organized at Washington, D. C., July 23 to October 25, 1861. Consolidated with 2nd Regiment District of Columbia Infantry February 28, 1865.


 * 2nd Regiment, District of Columbia Infantry Organized at Washington, D.C., February 26, 1862. Near Shepherdstown September 20. Mustered out September 12, 1865.


 * 2nd Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) Organized at Washington, D.C., for the defence of that city April, 1861. Great Falls July 7, 1861. Mustered out July, 1861.


 * 3rd Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) Organized at Washington, D. C., for the defence of that city April, 1861. Great Falls July 7. Mustered out July, 1861.


 * 4th Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * 5th Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) Organized at Washington, D. C., for the defence of that city April, 1861. Great Falls July 7. Mustered out July, 1861.


 * 6th Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * 7th Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * 8th Battalion, District of Columbia Infantry (3 months, 1861) Organized at Washington, D. C., for the defence of that city April, 1861. Great Falls July 7. Mustered out July, 1861.


 * Owens' Company, District of Columbia Cavalry (3 months, 1861) Organized at Washington, D. C., April 26, 1861, for the defence of the Capital. Mustered out July 19, 1861.


 * Unassigned District of Columbia Volunteers "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.


 * Unassigned District of Columbia Colored "Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" by Frederick H. Dyer contains no history for this unit.