Fort DuPont (2)

Fort DuPont (2) (1861-1865) - A Union U.S. Civil War fort established in 1861 in Southeast Washington DC. Named after Flag Officer Samuel F. du Pont, who commanded the naval victory at Port Royal, South Carolina, in November 1861. Fort abandoned after the war in 1865.

Fort DuPont NPS Marker	Fort DuPont Ditch and Earthworks
Fort DuPont Entrance Sign

Fort DuPont

One of the ring of Union fortifications surrounding Washington DC during the U.S. Civil War, see Washington DC Fort Ring.

Fort DuPont Plan

A Union earthworks U.S. Civil War fort with six sides, each 100 feet long, surrounded by a deep moat. Fort DuPont guarded the Eleventh Street bridge over the Anacostia River near the Washington Navy Yard.

A 17 May 1864 report from the Union Inspector of Artillery noted the following: "Fort Du Pont, Lieut. Marcus Conant commanding.–Garrison, one-half company Ninth Unattached Company Massachusetts Artillery-1 commissioned officer, 1 ordnance-sergeant, and 29 men. Armament, two 6-pounder field guns, three 24-pounder barbette, three 8-inch siege howitzers, one Coehorn mortar. Magazines, one; dry and in good order. Ammunition, full supply and serviceable. Implements, complete and serviceable."

The fort was abandoned after the war in 1865.

Current Status

Fort DuPont NPS Plaque

Part of Dupont Circle Park. In the 1930s, National Capital Planning Commission acquired the old fort and surrounding land for the park. The only traces of the fort today are the earthworks that can be seen at the center of the one way loop drive. The bronze plaque and the NPS sign are located inside the loop drive at the north end of the fort.

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Location: Southeast corner of DuPont Circle Park, Southeast Washington DC. Maps & Images Lat: 38.872793 Long: -76.940206 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 269'

See Also:

• Washington DC Fort Ring
• Washington DC Defense System - U.S. Civil War

Sources:

• Cooling, Benjamin F. III and Owen, Valton H. II, Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington, Scarecrow Press, 2009, ISBN 0810863073, ISBN 9780810863071, 334 pages.
• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 135
• NPS Civil War Defenses of Washington - Appendix E: General Reports About the Defenses

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort DuPont (2)
• NPS - Fort DuPont (2)

Visited: 25 May 2013