". . . a detail of men with axes was marched . . . to the place afterwards known as 'Fort Runyon' and proceeded to level the ground of a fine peach orchard of three hundred trees."
Emmons Clark,
History of the Seventh Regiment, New York
1806 - 1889, vol. II, 1890
Although no major battles were fought in current Arlington County during the Civil War, the conflict turned the small farming community of 1,500 residents upside down. Forests and orchards were cut down to build forts and deny cover to enemy infantry. Homes and churches were converted to hospitals, barracks, and even stables. Farm fields and pastures were dug for trenches and latrines. Military roads crisscrossed the landscapes, restricting local commerce and made earning a living difficult. Unable to farm, many families moved away from Arlington during the war.
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