|
Washington DC Fort Ring - A ring of Union U.S. Civil War Forts scattered around the capital city's perimeter was erected early in the war to protect Washington, D.C. from the threat of Confederate assault. This ring included fortifications in Virginia and Maryland as well as Washington DC. By 1865 the Defenses of Washington DC were said to included some 68 named forts, 93 detached batteries, 20 miles of rifle pits, blockhouses at three key points and 32 miles of military roads. At the beginning of the war there was only a single fort, Fort Washington, protecting the city.
These numbers are difficult to reconcile because of name changes, consolidations and upgrading of batteries to named forts. There is also confusion about what fortifications are included especially the permanent fortifications and the outlying fortifications at Baileys crossroads and Seven Corners. What can be said is that the city was ringed with connected fortifications and that the Virginia side defenses were especially dense with many fortification within close range of each other. The 37 mile circle of fortifications had platforms for some 1,500 field and siege guns with some 807 guns and 98 mortars in place.
The list below attempts to include all of the named fortifications that surrounded Washington DC during the U.S. Civil War. It does not include camps, barracks, unnamed batteries and other administrative facilities.
See Also:
Resources:
Washington DC Fort Ring (edit list)
| Fort
|
State
|
County
|
Owner
|
Visible
|
Perim
|
Guns
|
GPS
|
Notes
|
| Fort Albany (1)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
James Roach and heirs,
J.R. Johnson
|
No
|
429 yds
|
8/4
|
38.86509,
-77.06569
|
|
| Battery Bailey (1)
|
MD
|
Montgomery
|
Shoemaker family
|
Yes
|
|
0/6
|
38.95261,
-77.11028
|
|
| Fort Baker (3)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Sarah E. Anderson, Ann A.C. Naylor;
Susan M. Naylor
|
No
|
492 yds
|
22/3
|
38.86222,
-76.96417
|
|
| Fort Barnard
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Philip J. Buckey, Sewall B. Corbettt
|
No
|
250 yds
|
19/3
|
38.84919,
-77.09195
|
|
| Battery Bayard (2)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Unk
|
No
|
|
0/3
|
38.95543,
-77.09114
|
|
| Fort Bayard (1)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Unk
|
No
|
123 yds
|
6/2
|
38.95528,
-77.09167
|
|
| Fort Bennett (3)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Wm. B. Ross, John H. Bogue,
B.B. Lloyd
|
No
|
146 yds
|
5/0
|
38.90025,
-77.07863
|
|
| Fort Berry
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Sewall B. Corbettt
|
No
|
215 yds
|
4/6
|
38.85559,
-77.09161
|
|
| Fort Buffalo
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
|
No
|
|
|
38.87201,
-77.15587
|
|
| Fort Bunker Hill (1)
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
Henry Quinn
|
Yes
|
205 yds
|
13/0
|
38.93539,
-76.98775
|
|
| Fort C.F. Smith (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Thomas Jewell
|
Yes
|
368 yds
|
19/6
|
38.90083,
-77.09056
|
|
| Battery Cameron
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
J.H. Phillips
|
No
|
|
4/0
|
38.91564,
-77.0888
|
aka
Battery Georgetown
|
| Battery Carroll
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Unk
|
No
|
|
0/4
|
38.83709,
-77.00403
|
|
| Fort Carroll (3)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Fenwick Young
|
Yes
|
340 yds
|
14/8
|
38.83735,
-77.00736
|
|
| Fort Cass (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Mary Randolph Lee,
U.S. Government
|
No
|
288 yds
|
3/1
|
38.88519,
-77.08203
|
aka
Fort Ramsay (1)
|
| Chain Bridge Battery
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Unk
|
No
|
|
2/0
|
38.930326,
-77.111932
|
|
| Fort Chaplin
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Selby B. Scaggs
|
Yes
|
225 yds
|
1/11
|
38.88917,
-76.94306
|
|
| Fort Corcoran
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
William H. Ross
|
No
|
576 yds
|
5/5
|
38.89626,
-77.07592
|
|
| Fort Craig (3)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Septimus Brown,
Samuel Carison, Elliot
|
No
|
324 yds
|
12/1
|
38.87041,
-77.08165
|
|
| Fort Davis (7)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Major Sayles J. Bowen,
Daniel F. Lee
|
Yes
|
|
12/2
|
38.86639,
-76.95056
|
|
| Fort De Russy (1)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
B.T. Swart
|
Yes
|
190 yds
|
11/2
|
38.96331,
-77.051
|
|
| Fort DuPont (2)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Michael Caton
|
Yes?
|
200 yds
|
9/6
|
38.87279,
-76.94021
|
|
| Fort Ellsworth (2)
|
VA
|
Alexandria
|
Henry Rozier Dulany, Rebecca Ann Dulany
|
Some?
|
618 yds
|
20/7
|
38.806,
-77.06867
|
|
| Fort Ethan Allen (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Stephen & Mrs. E.M. Meredith
|
Yes
|
736 yds
|
45/4
|
38.92444,
-77.12361
|
|
| Fort Farnsworth
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
|
No
|
255 yds
|
10/3
|
38.78861,
-77.07361
|
|
| Fort Foote (1)
|
MD
|
Prince George's
|
Francis W. Rozier & wife,
Mrs. M.A. Hill,, Benedict Edelin
|
Yes
|
|
10/0
|
38.76764,
-77.0287
|
|
| Battery Gaines
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
|
|
|
|
38.93917,
-77.08889
|
|
| Fort Gaines (4)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
William A.T. Maddox;
Mr. Loughborough
|
No
|
171 yds
|
6/1
|
38.93611,
-77.0875
|
|
| Battery Garesche (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Margeret B. Dangerfield
|
No
|
166 yds
|
8/0
|
38.83843,
-77.09698
|
|
| Fort Greble (1)
|
DC
|
Southwest
|
William & Thomas M. Berry,
John C. McFerron,
Lucien and Miss Eliza Berry
|
Yes
|
327 yds
|
17/0
|
38.82590,
-77.01461
|
|
| Fort Haggerty
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Owen; Mary Murray & heirs,
Thomas Cozar, Guardian
|
No
|
128 yds
|
4/0
|
38.89611,
-77.06863
|
|
| Battery Jameson
|
MD
|
Prince George's
|
John Veitch
|
Yes
|
80 yds
|
1/14
|
38.92796,
-76.95219
|
|
| Fort Jackson (8)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
|
No
|
|
|
38.87129,
-77.04141
|
|
| Fort Kearny (5)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
John Magee
|
Unk
|
320 yds
|
10/1
|
38.94833,
-77.05833
|
|
| Battery Kemble
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
William A.T. Maddox
|
Yes
|
|
2/0
|
38.93067,
-77.09572
|
|
| Battery Kingsbury (2)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
|
Trace
|
|
0/9
|
38.96333,
-77.04417
|
|
| Fort Lincoln (2)
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
John Veitch
|
No
|
466 yds
|
34/0
|
38.92591,
-76.95837
|
|
| Fort Lyon (3)
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
Unk
|
Yes
|
937 yds
|
38/0
|
38.79389,
-77.07778
|
|
| Battery Mahan (2)
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
|
No
|
|
0/4
|
38.895,
-76.94444
|
|
| Fort Mahan
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
Unk
|
Yes
|
352 yds
|
22/2
|
38.8944444,
-76.9441667
|
|
| Fort Mansfield (2)
|
MD
|
Montgomery
|
Thomas Dean family, Samuel Shoemaker
|
No
|
220 yds
|
11/2
|
38.95297,
-77.10164
|
|
| Fort Marcy (3)
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
Gilbert Vanderwerken
|
Yes
|
338 yds
|
20/1
|
38.93441,
-77.12656
|
|
| Battery Martin Scott
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Scott James Weaver
C & O Canal Co.
|
Trace
|
|
3/0
|
38.93056,
-77.09444
|
|
| Fort McPherson (3)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
|
No
|
|
|
38.87273,
-77.07381
|
|
| Fort Meigs (2)
|
MD
|
Prince George's
|
Mrs. Stow
Mr. Joseph Trimble
|
No
|
500 yds
|
25/8
|
38.87351,
-76.92941
|
|
| Battery Morris (3)
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
|
No
|
|
0/7
|
38.92889,
-76.97694
|
|
| Fort Morton (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
|
No
|
250 yds
|
6/4
|
38.89192,
-77.0871
|
|
| Fort Munson
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
Daniel O. Munson
|
No
|
|
|
38.86026,
-77.14507
|
|
| Fort O'Rourke
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
|
No
|
160 yds
|
13/3
|
38.78704,
-77.07319
|
|
| Battery Parrott (2)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Ellen J. King
John H. King
|
Trace
|
|
2/0
|
38.92055,
-77.0905
|
|
| Fort Ramsay (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Charles Upton
|
No
|
|
|
38.87284,
-77.14623
|
aka
Fort Upton (2)
|
| Battery Reno
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
|
No
|
|
7/3
|
38.95571,
-77.07614
|
|
| Fort Reno (1)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Giles Dyer
Mrs. James C. Dyer
Miles Dyer
|
No
|
917 yds
|
21/6
|
38.952768,
-77.077804
|
aka
Fort Pennsylvania
|
| Fort Reynolds (2)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
George W. Chase, L.E. Chittenden,
Edward B. Powell, Mary Walker
|
No
|
300 yds
|
13/1
|
38.83824,
-77.09436
|
|
| Fort Richardson (3)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
|
Yes
|
316 yds
|
14/3
|
38.85773,
-77.07783
|
|
| Fort Ricketts
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
J.H. Smith
George Washington Talburtt
|
Yes
|
123 yds
|
4/0
|
38.85786,
-76.97548
|
aka
Battery Ricketts
|
| Battery Rodgers
|
VA
|
Alexandria
|
Samuel O. Bogot
Manassas Gap Railroad
|
No
|
330 yds
|
6/0
|
38.79587,
-77.04385
|
|
| Battery Rossell
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
|
No
|
|
0/8
|
38.95457,
-77.06956
|
|
| Fort Runyon
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
James Roach and heirs
|
No
|
1484 yds
|
|
38.86985,
-77.04508
|
|
| Fort Saratoga
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
John B. Kibbey
William. Kibbey
Executor, Ann McDaniels
|
No
|
153 yds
|
8/1
|
38.92944,
-76.97833
|
|
| Fort Scott (5)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
L.E. Chittenden, Hunter family
|
Yes
|
313 yds
|
10/0
|
38.8475,
-77.05898
|
|
| Fort Sedgwick (2)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
John Kennedy
|
No
|
|
|
38.88417,
-76.93639
|
aka
Kennedy's Hill Fort
|
| Fort Scaggs
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
Selby B. Scaggs
|
No
|
|
0/6
|
38.89112,
-76.94855
|
Not Armed
aka
Fort Craven
Fort of Circular Form
|
| Battery Sill
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
|
Trace
|
|
0/9
|
38.96111,
-77.03833
|
|
| Fort Simmons
|
MD
|
Montgomery
|
S.F. & L. Burrows
Charles Shoemaker
|
No
|
177 yds
|
8/3
|
38.95209,
-77.09834
|
|
| Battery Simmons
|
MD
|
Montgomery
|
S.F. & L. Burrows
Charles Shoemaker
|
No
|
|
0/4
|
38.95182,
-77.09927
|
|
| Fort Slemmer
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
Henry Douglass
|
No
|
93 yds
|
4/0
|
38.93972,
-77.00139
|
|
| Fort Slocum (1)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
John F. Callan,
L.E. Chittenden
Mary Walker
|
No
|
655 yds
|
25/15
|
38.96016,
-77.01386
|
|
| Battery Smead
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
B.T. Swart
|
No
|
170 yds
|
4/4
|
38.96139,
-77.06056
|
|
| Fort Snyder (2)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Joseph & Thomas Jenkins,
Badcock Williams
|
No
|
210 yds
|
8/0
|
38.84694,
-76.9825
|
|
| Fort Stanton (2)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
George Washington Talburtt
|
Yes
|
322 yds
|
16/8
|
38.86139,
-76.97722
|
|
| Fort Stevens (2)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
Emory Chapel/Methodist Church
Elizabeth Thomas (?)
|
Rec
|
375 yds
|
19/3
|
38.96436,
-77.02922
|
aka
Fort Massachusetts (2)
|
| Fort Strong (1)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Thomas Dawson,
Allen Pearce
|
No
|
318 yds
|
15/2
|
38.89694,
-77.08806
|
aka
Fort DeKalb
|
| Fort Sumner (3)
|
MD
|
Montgomery
|
Albert Lodge
|
No
|
843 yds
|
30/13
|
38.95669,
-77.12247
|
*
|
| Fort Taylor (7)
|
VA
|
Falls Church
|
L. William Taylor
|
No
|
|
6
|
38.87476,
-77.15898
|
|
| Battery Terrill (2)
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
|
No
|
|
0/7
|
38.95694,
-77.06111
|
|
| Fort Thayer
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
Charles B. Calvert, Executor
|
No
|
180 yds
|
8/0
|
38.92884,
-76.97167
|
|
| Fort Tillinghast
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Columbus Alexander
|
No
|
298 yds
|
13/1
|
38.8785,
-77.08383
|
|
| Battery Totten
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
George Thomas
|
Yes
|
|
|
38.95070,
-77.00552
|
|
| Fort Totten (2)
|
DC
|
Northeast
|
George Thomas
|
Yes
|
272 yds
|
20/0
|
38.9479,
-77.00519
|
|
| Battery Vermont
|
DC
|
Northwest
|
U.S. Government
|
No
|
|
3/1
|
38.9375,
-77.11111
|
|
| Fort Wagner (2)
|
DC
|
Southeast
|
Judson Richardson
|
No
|
166 yds
|
5/0
|
38.86,
-76.96972
|
aka
Fort Good Hope
|
| Fort Ward (1)
|
VA
|
Alexandria
|
|
Yes
|
815 yds
|
24/0
36/10
|
38.83026,
-77.10264
|
|
| Fort Washington (1)
|
MD
|
Prince George's
|
|
Yes
|
|
|
38.71112,
-77.03485
|
|
| Fort Weed
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
|
No
|
253 yds
|
11/1
|
38.78929,
-77.07832
|
|
| Fort Whipple (1)
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
Mary Randolph Lee
U.S. Government
|
No
|
|
|
38.88424,
-77.07835
|
*
|
| Fort Williams (4)
|
VA
|
Alexandria
|
Samuel Cooper, Willam Silvey,
George A. Smith, John Williams
|
Some
|
250 yds
|
15/0
|
38.8118,
-77.09
|
|
| Fort Willard
|
VA
|
Fairfax
|
Samuel R. Johnson
Josiah Willard
|
Yes
|
240 yds
|
16/2
|
38.78274,
-77.06617
|
|
| Fort Woodbury
|
VA
|
Arlington
|
John Lambden
|
No
|
275 yds
|
13/1
|
38.88966,
-77.08281
|
|
| Fort Worth (2)
|
VA
|
Alexandria
|
William Silvey
|
No
|
463 yds
|
28/3
|
38.81472,
-77.09889
|
|
|
