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

Fort Craig

Historical Site

— Defenses of Washington 1861 - 1865 —

Fort Craig Marker image. Click for full size.

February 2, 2008

1. Fort Craig Marker

Inscription. Here stood Fort Craig, a lunette in the Arlington Line constructed in August 1861. It had a perimeter of 324 yards and emplacements for 11 guns.

Erected 1965 by Arlington County, Virginia. (Marker Number 15.)

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° 52.224′ N, 77° 4.899′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Penrose. It is at the intersection of South Courthouse Road and South 4th Street, on the right when traveling south on South Courthouse Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arlington VA 22204, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically,

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it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Evelyn Reid Syphax (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Arlington Radio Towers (approx. ¼ mile away); Charles Drew House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Argonne Cross (approx. 0.3 miles away); American-Armenian Volunteer Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Lancaster Monument (approx. 0.4 miles away); St. John's Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Battle of the Bulge Monument (approx. half a mile 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 Craig.

Additional commentary.
1. Fort Craig 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 named in honor of Lt. Presley O. Craig, killed at First Bull

February 2, 2008

2. Fort Craig Marker

View to the west.

Run on July 21, 1861. It was constructed in August 1861. The fort covered the Alexandria and Georgetown Road.

Within a perimeter of 324 yards were 11 gun emplacements and two magazines. A quartermaster building stood just outside the fort in a gorge. The armament included four 24-pdr guns, one 24-pdr field howitzer, five 30-pdr Parrotts, one 10-inch mortar, and one 24-pdr Coehorn mortar.

Units garrisoned at the fort included the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, 138th Ohio Infantry, 6th Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and 16th Maine Infantry.

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

Officers at Fort Craig image. Click for full size.

3. Officers at Fort Craig

"Col. William H. Telford and officers, 50th Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry at Fort Craig." (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpb.03987

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2008. This page has been viewed 2,385 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 4, 2008. 3. submitted on February 9, 2008. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.