District of Columbia Forts

American Forts: East

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Last Update: 17/MARCH/2011

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2011 American Forts Network

NOTE: The District of Columbia, originally a 10-mile square, encompased Arlington County and the City of Alexandria in Virginia until retroceded in 1846. Georgetown and Washington City were separate entities until 1878. Briefly became the Territory of Columbia in 1874 - 1876.

Civil War Defenses of Washington
(NPS Historic Resource Study)
Washington, DC Civil War Defense System - FORT WIKI
(1861 - 1866)

Overview: These forts were mostly designed after 17th-century French fieldworks. Work on these first began only as soon as Alexandria and Arlington Heights in Virginia were occupied by military forces. The first works erected north of the Potomac River were begun after the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas). After the Second Battle of Bull Run, the existing forts were enlarged and strengthened, and many more were built. By the end of 1862, 53 forts and 22 batteries were built, with 718 guns and mortars actually emplaced. By the end of 1864, there were 68 enclosed armed forts, 93 unarmed open field batteries, and three self-contained blockhouses, all linked together by 20 miles of rifle pits/trenches and 32 miles of newly-built military roads, in addition to the existing city streets. In 1864 Washington was the most heavily defended location in the Western Hemisphere as it was bristling with 905 actual emplaced guns and mortars (1521 emplacements built). The majority of works were dismantled by the fall of 1865. Except for those located in park settings, the vast majoritiy of these works no longer exist. [ * = National Park Service sites ]
NOTE: For info about the forts just outside the District, please see the pages for VIRGINIA and MARYLAND.

Southeast region:
Fort Carroll* (14 guns, eight vacant platforms), located one-half mile north of Fort Greble near Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. and Sterling Street. (340 yard perimeter) Remnants still exist.
Battery Carroll (four vacant platforms), an outwork of Fort Carroll, located at 3720 Horner Place.
Fort Snyder (eight guns), an outwork of Fort Stanton, located near Congress Place. (210 yard perimeter)
Fort Stanton (*park) (16 guns, eight vacant platforms), the major work protecting the approach to the Washington Arsenal and Navy Yard, located on Fort Place. (322 yard perimeter)
Navy Yard Bridge Tęte-du-Pont, a fortified infantry post in Uniontown protecting the southern bridgehead across the Anacostia River (11th Street).
Fort (or Battery) Ricketts* (four guns), located at Fort Place and Bruce Place. (123 yard perimeter) Remnants still exist.
Fort Wagner (five guns), located on grounds of Stanton Elementary School, at Alabama Ave., Good Hope Road, and 25th Street. Also known as Fort Good Hope. (166 yard perimeter)
Fort Baker (22 guns, three vacant platforms), located between Forts Meigs and Stanton one mile east of Uniontown at Fort Baker Drive and 30th Street. (492 yard perimeter)
Fort Davis (*park) (12 guns, two vacant platforms), an outwork of Fort Baker, located north of Alabama Ave. at Pennsylvania Ave. and across from Fairfax Village Shopping Center. (220 yard perimeter)
Fort DuPont (*park) (nine guns, six vacant platforms), located at Massachusetts and Alabama Aves.. (200 yard perimeter) See also Fort DuPont Park
Fort Meigs (25 guns, eight vacant platforms), located on the north side of Bowen Road at 46th Street. (500 yard perimeter)
Redoubt Rucker, an outwork of Fort Meigs connected by a covered way, located at Bowen Road and Benning Road.
Kennedy's Hill Fort (unarmed), located at Chaplin Street and Hilltop Terrace.
Fort Chaplin (*park) (one gun, 11 vacant platforms), located one mile southeast of Benning's Bridge, near Texas Ave. and "C" Street. Remnants still exist.

Camp Shearer, located near Fort Baker.

Northeast region:
Fort Scaggs (six vacant platforms), a circular work located at 3950 Ames Street. Listed in reports as Fort of Circular Form.
Fort Mahan (*park) (22 guns, two vacant platforms), located at 3938 Benning Road, near Minnesota Ave.. (352 yard perimeter)
Battery Mahan (four guns), an outwork of Fort Mahan.
Benning's Bridge Tęte-du-Pont, a fortified infantry post protecting the eastern bridgehead across the Anacostia River (Benning Road).
Fort Lincoln (34 guns), located at the present-day Fort Lincoln Elementary School on Fort Lincoln Drive, it protected the approach of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Baltimore (Bladensburg) Pike. (466 yard perimeter)
Fort Thayer (eight guns), a lunette between Forts Lincoln and Bunker Hill, located south of Irving Street between 24th and 25th Streets. (780 yard perimeter)
Battery Morris (seven vacant platforms), located at Rhode Island Ave. and 20th Street.
Fort Saratoga (six guns, one vacant platform), a minor lunette between Forts Lincoln and Bunker Hill, located in a present-day recreational area behind 1821 Jackson Street. (153 yard perimeter)
Fort Bunker Hill (*park) (13 guns), located on the east side of 13th Street between Perry and Otis Streets. (205 yard perimeter)
Fort Slemmer (four guns), located behind Catholic University in front of St. Joseph's Statue, at Fort Drive, Taylor Street, and Harewood Road. (93 yard perimeter)
Fort Totten (*park) (20 guns), located at Fort Place off North Capitol Street. (272 yard perimeter) Still extant.
Battery Totten (guns included above), an outwork of Fort Totten.

A six-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Lincoln. A seven-gun battery was located in front of Fort Lincoln. A three-gun battery was located to the left of the Bladensburg Turnpike. A three-gun battery was located to the right of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and a seven-gun battery on the left. A three-gun battery was to the right of Fort Thayer at Irving Street and South Dakota Ave.. A four-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Saratoga. A 12-gun battery was located to the right of Fort Saratoga. A seven-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Bunker Hill at 15th and Monroe Streets. A seven-gun battery was located in front of Fort Bunker Hill at 1330 Perry Street. A nine-gun battery was located to the right of Fort Bunker Hill at 12th and Perry Streets. A six-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Slemmer. A five-gun battery was located to the right of Fort Slemmer. A two-gun battery was located to the right of Fort Totten.

Camp Barry, an artillery camp located near Bladensburg Pike and Benning Road.
Camp Capitol Hill, located on Capitol Hill (near Union Station ?).

Northwest region:
Fort Slocum (*park) (25 guns, 15 vacant platforms), located near Oglethorpe and 3rd Streets. (655 yard perimeter) No remains.
Fort Stevens (*Rock Creek Park) (19 guns, three vacant platforms), originally named Fort Massachusetts until 1863, located at Piney Branch Road (13th Street) and Fort Stevens Drive. Partially restored in 1937. (375 yard perimeter) See also Battleground National Cemetery (1864) from NPS
Battery Sill (nine guns), located at the west-end of Nicholson Street at 16th Street. Another battery was located nearby at 1615 Manchester Lane.
Battery (Left) Rock Creek (*Rock Creek Park) (six guns), remnants located on Ross Drive near Joyce Road.
Battery Kingsbury (*Rock Creek Park) (nine guns), located east of Fort DeRussy along Rock Creek.
Fort DeRussy (*Rock Creek Park) (11 guns, two vacant platforms), located near Oregon Ave. and Military Road. (190 yard perimeter) Still extant.
Battery Smead (four guns, four vacant platforms), located at St. John's College High School on 27th Street. Remains were leveled in 1958. (170 yard perimeter)
Battery (Right) Broad Branch (three guns), remnants located 400 yards east from the former Tunisian Embassy, near Broad Branch Road and 31st Street. (NOTE: the present Tunisian Embassy is now located at Scott Circle and 15th Street NW.)
Battery Terrill (seven guns), remnants located north of Fort Kearny on Garrison Street.
Fort Kearny (10 guns, one vacant platform), located between Forts Reno and DeRussy, in the present-day Forest Hills area. (320 yard perimeter)
Battery Rossell (eight vacant platforms), located between Forts Reno and Kearny.
Fort Reno (*park) (21 guns, six vacant platforms), originally named Fort Pennsylvania until 1863, located at Nebraska Ave. and Grant Road, near Chesapeake Street. (917 yard perimeter) No remains.
Battery Reno (seven guns, three vacant platforms) was located 300 yards north at Gramercy and 39th Streets, connected to Fort Reno by rifle trenches and a covered way with several gun emplacements.
Fort Bayard (*park) (six guns, two vacant platforms), an elliptical work located at River Road and Western Ave.. (123 yard perimeter) No remains. Friends of Fort Bayard Park
Battery Bayard (three guns), an outwork of Fort Bayard.
Fort Gaines (four guns, one vacant platform), located at Ward Circle on the grounds of American University. (171 yard perimeter)
Battery Vermont (three guns, one vacant platform), located at Palisades Lane and Manning Place.
Chain Bridge Battery (two guns, with seperate blockhouse), located at the Chain Bridge.
Battery Martin Scott (two guns), located above Chain Bridge at Potomac Heights Park.
Battery Kemble (*park) (two guns), located on Nebraska Ave. (Ridge Road) near Chain Bridge Road. Remnants still extant.
Battery Parrott (two guns), remnants located at 2300 Foxhall Road.
Battery Cameron (four guns), located at 1900 Foxhall Road and Reservoir Road.

A six-gun battery was located to the right of Fort Slocum. A four-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Slocum. A two-gun battery and an eight-gun battery were located to the right of Fort Stevens. A three-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Stevens. A two-gun battery was located to the left of Fort Bayard. A five-gun battery and a two-gun battery were located on the Potomac River above Three Sisters Island (near Clark Place and Potomac Ave. NW), overlooking the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, opposite Fort C.F. Smith, serving in a coastal (riverine) defense role.

Camp Anderson (1861 - 1865), located at Franklin Square (Park), on "K" Street between 13th and 14th Streets.
Camp Barclay (1861), a cavalry camp located on Meridian Hill.
Camp Cadwallader, located on Kalorama Heights.
Cliffburn Barracks, located at Mount Pleasant. A military hospital was also located here.
Camp Fry, located near George Washington University.
Camp Graham, located near Capitol Hill.
Camp Harlan, located on North Seventh Street (Georgia Ave.).
Jersey Camp, located on Meridian Hill.
Camp Keystone, located between Tenleytown and American University.
Camp Lochiel, located on Red Hill in Georgetown.
Camp Lyon (1861), located near the Chain Bridge.
Camp Relief, located on 7th Street, probably near Mount Vernon Square.
Reynolds Barracks and Hospital (1866 - 1868), south lawn of the White House.
Camp Winfield Scott at Franklin Square (Park).
Camp Stoneman (2), located on Meridian Hill.
Camp Tennally, located in Tennallytown (Tenleytown).

Unknown regions: (locations unknown or undetermined)
Camp Barker
Camp Brightwood (1861)
Camp Buford (1863)
Camp Caldwell
Camp Cameron
Carver Barracks (1861 - 1862)
Camp Chase
Camp Cochran
Camp Duncan
Camp Fenton
Camp Frieze
Camp Holt (1862)
Camp James (1861)
Camp Lacey (1861)
Lincoln Barracks and General Hospital
Lowell Barracks (1866)
Camp Marks
Camp Marshall (1863)
Camp Meagher
Camp Rapp at Kendall Green (?)
Sedgwick Barracks
Camp Simms
Camp Sprague (1861)
Stanton Barracks and Hospital, located at New Jersey Ave. and "I" Street (NW ? or SE ?).
Camp Sullivan
Todd Barracks
Post at Washington a general reference to the Army field headquarters for the city defenses.
Wisewell Barracks

Southwest region:
Fort Greble* (17 guns, four vacant platforms), located on Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave. at Elmira Street, near Hadley Memorial Hospital. Remained in use after the war as an ordnance depot, then as a Signal Corps training ground. Formally transferred to U.S. Signal Corps in 1868, then finally abandoned in January 1869. (327 yard perimeter) Remnants still exist.
Battery Greble (guns included above), an outwork of Fort Greble.

Camp Stoneman (1), a cavalry depot located at Giesboro Point, now on grounds of Bolling Air Force Base. In 1863 a shore battery with two "heavy guns" was called for at this location. It is unclear if they were ever actually emplaced.

Fort Lesley J. McNair (U.S. Military Reservation)
(National Defense University)
(1791 - present) ¤National Archives MAP¤
This is the third oldest continuously occupied U.S. Army post in the nation, after West Point, NY, and Carlisle Barracks, PA. Originally known as Washington Arsenal. It was first fortified in 1793 with a one-gun earthwork battery, and sometimes referred to as Fort at Greenleaf Point or Fort at (Turkey) Buzzard's Point. It was refortified with 10 guns in 1814 as the British approached the city. It was destroyed by the British along with other sites in the city. In 1826 the first Federal prison was built here. President Lincoln's conspirators were tried and executed here in 1865. In 1881 the Arsenal closed and was transferred to the Quartermaster Corps. The post was then renamed Washington Barracks. About 90 percent of the present buildings on the post's 100 acres were built, reconstructed, or remodeled by 1908. The Army War College was founded here in 1901. It was reorganized as the Army-Navy Staff College in 1943, and became the National War College in 1946. The Army Industrial College was founded here in 1924. It later became the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. The two colleges became the National Defense University in 1976. An Army General Hospital was here from 1898 - 1909, which was the predecessor to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The post was briefly renamed Fort Humphreys in 1935 - 1939. Renamed Fort McNair in 1948. It now serves as the Headquarters of the Military District of Washington since 1966.

Nacotchtanck
(c. 1600, 1620 - 1653), Anacostia
A major Nacostan Indian town on the Anacostia River, directly opposite present-day Fort McNair on Greenleaf Point, as noted on John Smith's map of 1608. Possibly palisaded, it was a major fur trade center. The English later anglicized the name to "Anacostia". Shortly after the 1622 Massacre in Virginia, the Anacostia Indian Fort was raided and looted by Virginian Ralph Hamor and 50 Patawomeck warriors for foodstuffs. In 1624 Capt. Henry Spelman and 19 other Virginians were killed here on a trading mission. Henry Fleet was the sole survivor, held captive for five years. Probable site is now the Anacostia Helicopter Facility.

Rock Creek Fort
(1690's)
A Maryland colonial militia (Maryland Rangers) fort was located somewhere along Rock Creek during Indian troubles in the 1690's. No viable sites were found during the 2003-07 archaeological excavations overseen by the NPS. See also Archaeology in Rock Creek Park from NPS

Georgetown Fort
(1790's), Georgetown
A small earthwork with two bastions and two redoubts defending the upriver approach to the town. The site was on a bluff now occupied by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, located between the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the State Department. It is unclear if this fort was ever actually built, but it is featured on the same map by Pierre L'Enfant as the Fort at Greenleaf Point (Fort McNair).

Fort Greenhow
(1861)
The popular name of the home of Mrs. Rose O'Neal Greenhow, famous Confederate spy, and her daughter. She was kept under house arrest for several months, along with several other "disloyal" women of the city. She was later transferred to the Old Capitol Prison. Located at 16th and "H" Streets NW, across from St. John's Church. Site now the Hay-Adams Hotel.

Camp Leach
(1917 - 1919)
A training camp for specialized Army Engineers, and later Chemical Warfare units. Site was 11 acres on the American University campus.

Camp Meigs
(1917 - 1919)
A mobilization center for the DC National Guard, originally named Camp Ordway. Renamed in 1917 and became a Quartermaster Corps training center. Became a seperation center for the National Guard after the war. Site was 81 acres at Florida Ave. and 5th Street NE.

Cold War AAA Defenses of Washington
(1952 - 1956)
Several permanent sites were established for the Army's Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) Gun Site Program, the precursor to the NIKE missile defense program. Four 90mm AA guns were positioned at each site, with troop barracks and other support buildings. Known sites include:
Brookland (1952 - 1956): group headquarters only, at 12th and Kearney Streets NE.
Fort Reno Park (date ?) guns ?: NW.

There were no NIKE missile defense sites located within the city limits.

(See also the MARYLAND and VIRGINIA pages)

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