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The Battle of Fort Stevens was an American Civil War battle fought July 11–12, 1864, in what is now Northwest Washington, D.C., as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864 between forces under Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early and Union Maj. Gen. Alexander McDowell McCook.
Early's attack, less than four miles from the White House, caused consternation in the U.S. government, but reinforcements under Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright and the strong defenses of Fort Stevens minimized the threat. Early withdrew after two days of skirmishing, having attempted no serious assaults. The battle is noted for stories that U.S. President Abraham Lincoln observed the fighting.