President Abraham Lincoln traveled to the front lines at Fort Stevens during Early's attack. Although this was after Early had resigned himself to the failure of his attack.
Still, sharpshooter bullets whizzed and cannons boomed.
Generals and other officers pleaded for him to tale cover as bullets thudded into the embankment.
Legend has it that one of these officers was Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., the future U.S. Supreme Court justice, who, recognizing the lanky Lincoln as his commander-in-chief, barked at the President, "Get down, you damn fool!"
It marked the only time a sitting president ever came under fire in combat, according to the National Park Service.
--Old Secesh
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