Green Valley in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Fort Barnard

Historical Site

— Defenses of Washington 1861 - 1865 —

Fort Barnard Marker image. Click for full size.

February 2, 2008

1. Fort Barnard Marker

Inscription. Here stood Fort Barnard, a redoubt constructed late in 1861 to command the approaches to Alexandria by way of Four Mile Run and Glebe Road. It was named for General J. G. Barnard, Chief Engineer of the Defenses of Washington. It had a perimeter of 250 yards and emplacements for 20 guns.

Erected 1965 by Arlington County, Virginia. (Marker Number 18.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Defenses of Washington series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 38° 50.967′ N, 77° 5.569′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Green Valley. Marker is at the intersection of South Pollard Street and South Walter Reed Drive, on the left when traveling south on South Pollard Street. Marker is located at Fort Barnard Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2101 South Pollard Street, Arlington VA 22204, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Living and Learning (approx. 0.4 miles away); Recreation (approx. 0.4 miles away); Mt. Zion Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Places of Worship (approx. 0.4 miles away); Community Businesses

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(approx. 0.4 miles away); Origins of Green Valley (approx. 0.4 miles away); Drew School (approx. 0.4 miles away); Dr. Roland Herman Bruner (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arlington.

More about this marker. In the center of the marker is a map of the Washington Defenses, with a red (weathered) arrow pointing out the location of Fort Barnard.

Additional commentary.
1. Fort Barnard Particulars
From Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington, by Benjamin Franklin Cooling III and Walton H. Owen II:

The fort was located in the southeast section of the modern day Fort Barnard Park, near Oxford Street. It was named for Maj. Gen. John Gross Barnard, who designed the defenses of Washington. First built in the fall of 1861, the fort covered Four Mile Run, and connected with Fort Reynolds to the south and Fort Berry to the north.

With a 250 yard perimeter, the fort contained 20 gun emplacements. Armament included three 8-inch howitzers, five 32-pdr guns, three 24-pdr guns, three 24-pdr field howitzers, three 30-pdr

February 2, 2008

2. Fort Barnard Marker

View to the east.

Parrott rifles, one 10-inch mortar, and one 24-pdr Coehorn mortar. Detachments of the 3rd New York Artillery, 14th Massachusetts Infantry, 166th Ohio National Guard, and the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery garrisoned the fort at different times.

An additional outer battery stood near the end of South Pollard Street, and those works may still be visible. In addition some rifle pits were reported along 22nd Street.

— Submitted February 4, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2008. This page has been viewed 2,985 times since then and 82 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 4, 2008. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.