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

Battery Garesché

Historical Site

— Defenses of Washington 1861 - 1865 —

Battery Garesche Marker image. Click for full size.

February 2, 2008

1. Battery Garesche Marker

Inscription. Here stood Battery Garesché, constructed late in 1861 to control the higher ground dominating Fort Reynolds, 200 yards to the southeast. It had a perimeter of 166 yards and emplacements for 8 guns.

Erected 1965 by Arlington County, Virginia. (Marker Number 20.)

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° 50.311′ N, 77° 5.835′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Shirlington. Marker is at the intersection of South Abingdon Street and South 30th Road, on the right when traveling south on South Abingdon Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Arlington VA 22206, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Welcome to Fort Reynolds Park (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fort Reynolds (approx. 0.2 miles away); Edmund Douglas Campbell (approx. 0.4 miles away); Elizabeth Pfohl Campbell (approx. 0.4 miles away); Welcome to Jennie Dean Park (approx. half a mile away); Original Federal Boundary Stone, District of Columbia, Southwest 4

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(approx. half a mile away); Rifle Trench (approx. half a mile away); Outlying Gun Battery (approx. 0.6 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 Battery Garesché.

Also see . . . Wikipedia entry for Julius Peter Garesché, U.S. Army. (Submitted on March 27, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)

Additional commentary.
1. Battery Garesche 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 stood at the east corner of 30th Road and South Abingdon Street. It was named for Colonel Julius Peter Garesche, killed at the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee on December 31, 1862. The battery was built to cover a blind spot of nearby Fort Reynolds. In addition Blockhouse No. 3, standing near what is today 3033 South Columbus Street, covered the same blind spot.

The battery had a perimeter of 166 yards

February 2, 2008

2. Battery Garesche Marker

with emplacements for nine guns. Armament included two 8-inch howitzers, two 32-pdr howitzers, and four 20-pdr Parrott rifles. One magazine supported the fort's batteries. Units garrisoning the battery included the 4th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery and 6th Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery.

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

Lt. Colonel Garesché image. Click for more information.

Photographed By Wikipedia

3. Lt. Colonel Garesché

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2008. This page has been viewed 1,897 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 4, 2008. 3. submitted on March 27, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.