Fort Ellsworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Ellsworth |
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| Part of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C. | |
| Alexandria, Virginia | |
Brady Photograph of Fort Ellsworth
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| Coordinates | 38°48′22″N 77°04′07″W / 38.80600°N 77.06867°W |
| Type | Earthwork fort |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Union Army |
| Condition | Dismantled |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1861 |
| Built by | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| In use | 1861–1865 |
| Materials | Earth, timber |
| Demolished | 1865 |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Fort Ellsworth was a strong fort built during the American Civil War. It was made from timber and earth. The fort was located west of Alexandria, Virginia. It was part of the defenses that protected Washington, D.C..
The fort was built quickly after the Union Army lost the First Battle of Bull Run. Fort Ellsworth stood on a hill north of Hunting Creek and Cameron Run. From its high spot, the fort could watch over important roads and the southern ways into Alexandria. Alexandria was the biggest town in Northern Virginia that the Union Army controlled.
Fort Ellsworth: Protecting Washington D.C.
Why Forts Were Needed: The Civil War Begins
The Union Army took control of Northern Virginia peacefully. But the town of Alexandria was different. There, a Union officer named Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth was killed. He was trying to take down a Confederate flag from a hotel. James Jackson, the hotel owner, shot him. Ellsworth was one of the first soldiers to die in the Civil War. Because of this, Alexandria remained a place where many people supported the Confederacy. This meant the Union Army had to keep soldiers there.
The Story of Colonel Ellsworth
Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth was a brave leader. He commanded a group called the New York Fire Zouaves. His death shocked many people in the Union. Fort Ellsworth was named in his honor. This showed how important he was to the Union cause.
Building the Defenses: A Ring of Forts
After the Union took over Northern Virginia, many forts were built. These first forts were along the Potomac River. They also guarded the main bridges connecting Virginia to Washington and Georgetown.
Then, leaders decided to build a huge ring of forts. These new forts would protect Washington D.C. from all directions. This work was stopped when the First Battle of Bull Run began. Soldiers who were building forts went to fight instead. After the Union lost this battle, everyone was worried. They feared a Confederate attack on Washington. So, quick defenses were put up, mostly around Arlington.
On July 26, 1861, Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan took command of the Washington military area. He was very unhappy with the city's defenses. He said there was almost nothing to stop an enemy attack. He noted that no forts had even started on the Maryland side. The enemy could easily shell the city.
To fix this, General McClellan ordered a huge expansion of Washington's defenses. Forts and trenches would be built everywhere. They needed to be strong enough to stop any attack. Alexandria was especially important. It had a major port and canal.
Planning and Construction: How Fort Ellsworth Was Built
In August 1861, General McClellan put General John G. Barnard in charge. His job was to create a complete system of defenses. General Horatio Wright oversaw the building of Fort Ellsworth. General John Newton managed the forts south of Four Mile Run. He made sure men and materials were available.
Construction of Fort Ellsworth began on May 25, 1861. The fort's outer edge was 618 yards long. It had space for 29 guns. This included one very large 100-pound Parrott gun.
Life at Fort Ellsworth: What Was It Like?
Fort Ellsworth was used from 1861 to 1865. On June 26, 1861, new 10-pounder rifled cannons were tested there.
A Soldier's View
Colonel J. Howard Kitching and his soldiers from the 6th New York Artillery stayed at Fort Ellsworth. He wrote about it: "Now we are in Fort Ellsworth...It is a very fine piece of work on a splendid commanding position, overlooking Washington, Alexandria, and all the surrounding country, for fifteen or twenty miles." He also noted how neat the fort was. Sailors had worked hard to make it tidy, even planting evergreens.
Later, his unit moved to Fort Worth. He wrote about leaving the comfortable Fort Ellsworth. At Fort Worth, they had to build the fort themselves. They used axes and shovels instead of training with guns.
A Writer's Visit
In 1862, famous writer Nathaniel Hawthorne visited Fort Ellsworth. He wrote about his visit in the Atlantic magazine. He described the view from the fort's walls. He saw the Potomac River, which he called a "truly majestic river." He also saw the surrounding country.
Hawthorne believed these forts, though new and bare, would become important. He thought they would be "historic monuments." They would be "grass-grown and picturesque memorials" of a time of fear and suffering. He felt they would make the country more special. He even thought they would inspire poetry in the future.
In September 1864, Company F of the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery Regiment was stationed at Fort Ellsworth.
Where is Fort Ellsworth Today?
Fort Ellsworth was taken apart in 1865 after the war ended. Today, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial stands on Shuter's Hill. This is the same spot where Fort Ellsworth once protected Washington D.C.
