Lemoyne in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Fort Couch - General Couch - Fort Washington

Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, January 24, 2006

1. Fort Couch - General Couch - Fort Washington Marker

Inscription.

Fort Couch - General Couch - Fort Washington. . Left Panel. Fort Couch was built as part of the emergency fortifications erected to defend Harrisburg and nearby bridges across the Susquehanna River during the 1863 invasion of Pennsylvania by Confederate forces. Fort Couch was built as an advance position to ensure the defense of Fort Washington located on a slightly lower hilltop to the east. Construction started on June 20th, 1863, by command of Major General Couch and on the advice of Federal Army engineer officers. Fort Couch was mainly built by local African-American railroad workers. Artillery pieces were mounted on wooden platforms behind the earthworks and pointed west. Fort Couch was manned by New York National Guard, Pennsylvania militia, and Federal troops evacuated from the U.S. Army barracks at Carlisle that included members of the 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment. The Federal Calvary instructed the New York and Pennsylvania troops in the use of artillery. Several forward infantry picket lines were established between Fort Couch and Oyster Point located a mile an a half to the west., Center Panel. Major General Darius Nash Couch was born 1822 in Putnam County, New York, graduated U.S. Military Academy in 1846. Served in the Mexican War, and became Brigadier General in 1861 and Major General in 1862. During the Civil War he led divisions in the Peninsula and Antietam campaigns, and commanded the 2nd Army Corps at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. General Couch was head of the Department of the Susquehanna 1863-64, and led divisions in Tennessee and North Carolina 1864-65. He held several political and military posts in Massachusetts and Connecticut after the war, and died 1897 in Norwalk, Connecticut., Right Panel. Fort Washington was constructed primarily between June 14-19, 1863, as part of the emergency response to the Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania that culminated in the historic Battle of Gettysburg. Fort Washington was located 800 yards east of this site and consisted of entrenchments and earthen redoubts with wooden platforms for 25 pieces of artillery. The fort occupied about 60 acres and was manned by New York National Guard and Pennsylvania militia under the overall command of General Couch. Hastily built for the defense of Harrisburg and regions east of the Susquehanna River. These earthen fortifications were constructed by more than 600 local citizen volunteers and African-American railroad construction crews drinking water was pumped up the hill from the Susquehanna River using hose laid by volunteer firemen. Tents of some soldiers were erected on wooden platforms on the fort's steep hill slope. On June 29-30, 1863, troops from the fort engaged Confederate forces at Oyster Point and Sporting Hill located several miles to the west.

Left Panel
Fort Couch was built as part of the emergency fortifications erected to defend Harrisburg and nearby bridges across the Susquehanna River during the 1863 invasion of Pennsylvania by Confederate forces. Fort Couch was built as an advance position to ensure the defense of Fort Washington located on a slightly lower hilltop to the east. Construction started on June 20th, 1863, by command of Major General Couch and on the advice of Federal Army engineer officers. Fort Couch was mainly built by local African-American railroad workers. Artillery pieces were mounted on wooden platforms behind the earthworks and pointed west. Fort Couch was manned by New York National Guard, Pennsylvania militia, and Federal troops evacuated from the U.S. Army barracks at Carlisle that included members of the 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment. The Federal Calvary instructed the New York and Pennsylvania troops in the use of artillery. Several forward infantry picket lines were established between Fort Couch and Oyster Point located a mile an a half to the west.

Center Panel
Major General Darius Nash Couch was born 1822 in Putnam County, New York, graduated U.S. Military Academy in 1846. Served in the Mexican War, and became Brigadier General in 1861 and Major General in 1862. During the Civil War

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he led divisions in the Peninsula and Antietam campaigns, and commanded the 2nd Army Corps at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. General Couch was head of the Department of the Susquehanna 1863-64, and led divisions in Tennessee and North Carolina 1864-65. He held several political and military posts in Massachusetts and Connecticut after the war, and died 1897 in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Right Panel
Fort Washington was constructed primarily between June 14-19, 1863, as part of the emergency response to the Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania that culminated in the historic Battle of Gettysburg. Fort Washington was located 800 yards east of this site and consisted of entrenchments and earthen redoubts with wooden platforms for 25 pieces of artillery. The fort occupied about 60 acres and was manned by New York National Guard and Pennsylvania militia under the overall command of General Couch. Hastily built for the defense of Harrisburg and regions east of the Susquehanna River. These earthen fortifications were constructed by more than 600 local citizen volunteers and African-American railroad construction crews drinking water was pumped up the hill from the Susquehanna River using hose laid by volunteer firemen. Tents of some soldiers were erected on wooden platforms on the fort's steep hill slope. On June 29-30, 1863, troops from the fort engaged

Fort Couch - Left Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, January 24, 2006

2. Fort Couch - Left Panel

Confederate forces at Oyster Point and Sporting Hill located several miles to the west.

Erected by Camp Curtin Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1866.

Location. 40° 14.799′ N, 76° 54.291′ W. Marker is in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. Marker is at the intersection of Indiana Ave. and 8th St. on Indiana Ave.. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lemoyne PA 17043, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fort Couch (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named Fort Couch (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lemoyne (approx. 0.4 miles away); Camp Hill (approx. half a mile away); Lemoyne Veterans Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Lemoyne - Bridgeport Heights (approx. half a mile away); The Wormleysburg School (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Original Fire Bell (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lemoyne.

General Couch - Center Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, January 24, 2006

3. General Couch - Center Panel

Fort Washington - Right Panel image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, January 24, 2006

4. Fort Washington - Right Panel

Rear of Fort Couch - General Couch - Fort Washington Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, January 24, 2006

5. Rear of Fort Couch - General Couch - Fort Washington Marker

Lemoyne Diamond Jubilee Grove marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 3, 2016

6. Lemoyne Diamond Jubilee Grove marker

Erected 1980 at garden area within the park/earthworks.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 4, 2016

7. Fort Couch - General Couch - Fort Washington Marker

Fort Couch earthworks panorama; memorial marker is in the left distance.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 22, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 16, 2010, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,734 times since then and 96 times this year. Last updated on February 17, 2023, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 16, 2010, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 6, 7. submitted on May 7, 2016, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.