The first large-scale deployment of the US Army to Washington took place, not surprisingly, during the American Civil War.
As of this past weekend, more than 2,200 National Guard troops were deployed to Washington, DC. Of these, fewer than 1,000 were part of the DC National Guard. The remainder came from out-of-state units, including those in Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. It is just the most recent deployment of the guardsmen to the nation’s capital.
In 2021, following the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol, hundreds of guardsmen were deployed, with some forced to sleep on the Capitol’s marble floors before being moved to a parking garage. For guardsmen from the DC area, many can sleep in their own beds at night, but those from the various other states have ended up sleeping on cots in empty government buildings—similar to the 5,000 soldiers who were transferred to DC for the June military parade.
The Roman Rule: No Soldiers in the Capital
For much of the nation’s early history, it was almost unheard of for a large number of troops to be seen anywhere near the capital. Although never officially stated, the United States followed the lead of the Roman Republic, which prohibited a general from leading his legion within the “Pomerium,” the sacred boundary of the eternal city. That rule was implemented to safeguard against military coups by requiring generals to disband their legions and return to civilian life.
While that rule was strictly enforced during the Roman Republic, during the Roman Empire era, emperors often brought their legions as a show of strength and to ensure they were not the victims of a coup. The threat from invasion in the latter years of the Roman Empire at times even necessitated that an army be present.
Union Soldiers Protected Washington During the Civil War
The first large-scale deployment of the US Army to Washington occurred, not surprisingly, in response to the American Civil War. Initially, the threat from a Confederate attack was seen as an afterthought. However, following the Union Army’s surprise defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the construction of extensive fortifications while a large number of soldiers were deployed to defend the capital. Washington served as the primary military headquarters and logistics center throughout the war, and a ring of Union Army forts protected the city.
Those troops successfully deterred Confederate attacks, with only one taking place. In July 1864, a force of about 10,000 Confederates, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal Early, attempted an attack, but the defenses of Fort Stevens and Union reinforcements blunted the threat. The attack was just four miles from the White House, allowing President Lincoln to observe the fighting personally.
The war effort and the continued presence of the military, which lingered after the war ended, led to a notable expansion of Washington, DC.
The “Bonus Army”: A Dark Chapter in DC History
The DC National Guard remained stationed in Washington during the First World War to protect the city’s critical infrastructure, while the war further established DC as a significant military hub. That would further expand during the Second World War.
However, it was the veterans of World War I whose actions resulted in one of the US military’s more sordid hours. In 1932, a movement of approximately 20,000 veterans, accompanied by their families and supporters, began to arrive in the city to demand early payment of the bonuses promised for their service in the war. Those bonuses were promised in 1945, but with the onset of the Great Depression, war veterans argued that they should be paid out early.
The protest movement began in Portland, Oregon, in May, but soon spread across the country. Dubbed the “Bonus Army,” 20,000 unemployed war veterans set up a temporary camp on the outskirts of DC while petitioning the government. The protests remained largely peaceful, but after Congress defeated a bill that would have provided early payment, President Herbert Hoover ordered the eviction of the Bonus Army.
The DC police were unable to handle the task, and the US Army, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, was deployed to carry out the eviction. The soldiers used tear gas against the protestors, while cavalry was also sent in. The unfortunate event also marked the first time that tanks rolled through the streets of Washington. Two veterans, William Hushka and Eric Carlson, were killed during the clashes, and many others were injured as the Army cleared the roads.
The brutal dispersal of the Bonus Army received widespread condemnation, and was among the many factors that contributed to President Hoover’s ignominious loss to Franklin D. Roosevelt that November. It further served to highlight the plight of US military veterans—leading in part to the passage of the GI Bill of Rights in 1944 during World War II, intended to ensure that returning service members would quickly receive the benefits to which they were entitled.
Countering Protests—and Also Celebrations
During the Vietnam War, the US military once again maintained a significant presence in and around DC, deterring anti-war protests. In 1967, troops were deployed to quell civil unrest, nobly during the 1967 Pentagon Riot. Although most of the 50,000 to 100,000 anti-Vietnam War protestors marched peacefully to the Pentagon, some demonstrators clashed with military police, which led to the arrest of nearly 700 individuals. The event was seen as a defining moment for the anti-war movement—and a moment when a young woman offered a flower to a soldier came to be regarded as one of the defining images of the Vietnam era.
The US military next marched through the streets of Washington in June 1991 following the US victory in the Persian Gulf War. It was the largest military parade held in the United States since World War II, with tanks and other vehicles rolling down Constitution Avenue. At the same time, numerous aircraft carried out flyovers over the nation’s capital.
For the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US Army in June, another—albeit not quite as impressive—parade was also held on the streets of DC.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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