| Virginia, Alexandria — Fort Ward |
| | Historical Site Defenses of Washington 1861-1865 Fort Ward Here stands Fort Ward, constructed in 1861 to protect the approaches to Alexandria by Little River Turnpike and Leesburg Turnpike. In 1864, the fort was enlarged to a perimeter of 818 yards with 36 gun emplacements. The fort has been preserved by the City of Alexandria. — Map (db m41117) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Fort Ward — 1861-1865 |
| | On May 24, 1861, when Virginia's secession from the Union became effective, Federal forces immediately occupied Northern Virginia to protect the City of Washington, D.C. After the Confederate victory at the Battle of First Bull Run (First Manassas) in July 1861, the Federal government began construction of a defense system to guard the Union capital. By the end of the war in 1865, the Defenses of Washington consisted of 162 forts and batteries, with emplacements for 1,421 guns. The initial . . . — Map (db m7676) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Entrance Gate to Fort Ward — Officers' Hut |
| | The Fort Ward entrance gate, completed in May 1865, provided the only access to the interior of the fort. The gate's decorative details include stands of cannonballs and the insignia (castle) of the Army Corps of Engineers which designed and supervised the construction of the Defenses of Washington. The present gate is a reconstruction based on the original Corps of Engineers drawing above. A ditch, or dry moat, surrounded the entire fort. The fort's earthen walls reached a height of . . . — Map (db m7680) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Bombproof |
| | Two bombproofs, each measuring 200 feet long by 12.5 feet wide, were located in the center of Fort Ward. During normal operations the bombproofs were used as meeting rooms, storage facilities, and sometimes as a prison. In the event of an attack, the structures provided temporary protection for the soldiers. Water was supplied by a well located between the bombproofs. — Map (db m7716) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Rifle Trench |
| | This rifle trench extended from the North Bastion toward Battery Garesche located beyond Leesburg Turnpike (Route 7). Another rifle trench extended from the tip of the South Bastion near the Fort Gate. The rifle trenches prevented enemy troops from moving towards the rear of the fort. — Map (db m7715) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Profile of Fort |
| | This exterior view of the restored Northwest Bastion illustrates the effectiveness of an earthwork fort. The fort walls were 18-22 feet high, 12-14 feet thick, and slanted at 45 degrees. To gain access to the fort an attacker would have to cross the field of fire (the open area to the front of the fort), penetrate the abatis (the line of felled trees that surrounded the ditch), enter the ditch, and scale the walls while the defenders were well protected behind the embankments. These restored . . . — Map (db m7714) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Northwest Bastion |
| | The plan of Fort Ward consisted of five bastions with positions for 36 guns. The Northwest Bastion illustrates how the entire stronghold appeared in 1864. This bastion is armed with six reproduction weapons based on Fort Ward's original table of armament: three 4.5" Rodman rifled guns (#14,16,17), two 24-pounder smoothbore Howitzers (#13, 15), and one 6-pounder James Rifle (#12). The cannons worked in concert to sweep the field toward Little River Turnpike (Duke Street) to the south, and . . . — Map (db m7713) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Powder Magazine and Filling Room |
| | Ammunition for the fort's guns was kept in underground storage facilities called magazines and filling rooms. Shells were armed and sometimes stored in the filling room, while the magazine was used to hold black powder and crated rounds. Implements for firing the cannons could also be kept in the filling room. Duty in either the filling room or the magazine was hazardous as the slightest spark could ignite the highly explosive black powder. Soldiers assigned to this task were required to . . . — Map (db m7711) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Fort Ward — 1861-1865 |
| | This stairway leads up the west wall of Fort Ward between the Northwest Bastion (to the left) and the Southwest Bastion (to the right). Fort Ward had 14 cannon emplacements along this area of the wall that created overlapping fields of fire. Infantry soldiers armed with rifle muskets stationed between the cannon emplacements made this wall of the fort a formidable obstacle to attack. A self-guided tour begins at the ceremonial gate. The initial construction of Fort Ward was completed in . . . — Map (db m7709) HM |
| Virginia, Alexandria — Southwest Bastion |
| | The Southwest Bastion was the most heavily fortified area of the fort with emplacements for seven guns, as well as a magazine and a filling room. The largest gun in Fort Ward, a 100-pounder Parrott Rifle, was located in the Southwest Bastion. This weapon was mounted on a center pintle (circular) carriage and could fire a 100-pound projectile a distance of about five miles. The Parrott Rifle was important because of its capability of defending both the Leesburg Turnpike and the Little River . . . — Map (db m7684) HM |
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