Manassas, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Building Mayfield Fort
1861 - 1862
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 8, 2023
Turn around and look at the fort towering above you. Think about building something this big with heavy equipment, digging and moving all that dirt by hand, and doing so in just a matter of months. Now imagine a six-sided structure, totally enclosed on all sides with a 200 foot diameter open space in the center, big enough to house three small buildings, also built by hand. Envision the trenches lining the inside and the dirt removed in making them turned into parapet walls fortified by large logs and small branches intertwined together to keep the earth from eroding away — all moved here manually. Picture the sixteen gun openings, placed in regular intervals around the fort each holding a huge naval gun captured from the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk. Now thing about how high up you are, surrounded by totally open fields of fire that favored you and your fellow soldiers. This was Mayfield Fort.
The Rebel works have trenches…and abatis. The planking in the embrasures would indicate that no siege guns were ever in position. One can hardly believe that here is the monster Manassas, which for eight months has been the fright and bugbear of the country.
— N.Y. Morning Herald, March, 1862
[Captions:]
This image shows details of an earthwork fort at Centreville just outside of Manassas. The fort at Mayfield was constructed in the same manner.
Library of Congress
Views of the earthwork defenses built near Tudor Hall. Note the railroad and boxcar in the foreground in the image on the right. The earthworks built here were constructed primarily to defend this vital supply line.
Library of Congress
Erected by City of Manassas, Virginia.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1862.
Location. 38° 45.263′ N, 77° 27.123′ W. Marker is in Manassas, Virginia. Marker can be reached from Battery Heights Boulevard south of Quarry Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8401 Quarry Rd, Manassas VA 20110, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Role of Mayfield in Battle of First Manassas (within shouting distance of this marker); Battle of Bull Run Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Building the Fort System (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Battle of Bull Run Bridge (about 300 feet away); Why the Forts? (about 300 feet away); Casualties of Battle
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 8, 2023
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 8, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 154 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 8, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.