The United States railroad photographer, Captain A. J. Russell, labeled
this picture of 1864: "Engines stored in Washington to prevent their
falling into Rebel hands in case of a raid on Alexandria." Here they are,
almost under the shadow of the Capitol dome (which had just been
completed). This was one of the precautions taken by the authorities at
Washington, of which the general public knew little or nothing at the
time. These photographs are only now revealing official secrets recorded
fifty years ago.
[Illustration: ONE OF WASHINGTON'S DEFENDERS