Fort Scott (Arlington, Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Scott |
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| Part of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C. | |
| Arlington, Virginia, USA | |
Fort Scott Historical Sign
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 Fort Scott
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| Coordinates | 38°50′50.5″N 77°03′35″W / 38.847361°N 77.05972°W |
| Type | Earthwork fort |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Union Army |
| Open to the public |
yes |
| 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 Scott was a small but important fort built during the American Civil War. It was part of a big defense system around Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. This fort was built in May 1861 to protect the southern side of Washington. It was named after General Winfield Scott, a very important leader in the Union Army. Today, you can only find a small part of the fort and a historical sign at Fort Scott Park in Arlington County, Virginia.
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Fort Scott: Protecting the Capital
Fort Scott was a special type of fort called a lunette. This means it was shaped like a crescent moon. Its main job was to guard the southern part of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. The fort was named after General Winfield Scott, who was the top general of the Union Army at the time.
The Capital's Defenses
Fort Scott was one of many forts built by the Union Army. These forts created a ring of protection around Washington, D.C. This whole system was known as the Civil War Defenses of Washington.
There were 33 forts on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. These forts formed a defense line called the Arlington Line. Their purpose was to keep the capital city safe from attacks.
Inside Fort Scott
The fort had a perimeter of 313 yards. This means its outer edge was about the length of three football fields. Inside, it had places for eight large guns. It also had two places to store ammunition, called magazines. There was a guard house and a bombproof area. A bombproof was a strong shelter designed to protect soldiers from explosions.
The fort had many different types of weapons. These included:
- Five 24-pounder guns
- One 8-inch howitzer (a type of cannon)
- One 30-pounder Parrott rifle (a powerful long-range gun)
- One 6-pounder gun
- Two 10-inch mortars (which fired shells high into the air)
Life at the Fort
In May 1864, an inspection report described Fort Scott. Major Trumbull was in charge of the fort. The soldiers there were from the First Connecticut Heavy Artillery company.
The report noted that the fort had enough ammunition and tools. The soldiers were trained well in using artillery and in infantry drills. This means they knew how to use the cannons and how to fight as foot soldiers. The fort was considered to have enough soldiers to do its job.
Why Fort Scott Closed
Later in the war, new defenses were built closer to Alexandria, Virginia. This made Fort Scott less important for protecting the capital. Because of this, the fort was no longer needed.
Fort Scott was abandoned in 1865. This happened at the very end of the American Civil War. Today, only a small part of the fort remains in the Arlington Ridge community.
