Fort Willard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Willard |
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| Part of Washington D.C.'s Civil War defenses | |
| Fairfax County, Virginia, USA | |
Entrance to Fort Willard
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| Type | Earthwork fort |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Fairfax County Park Authority |
| Controlled by | Union Army |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Stabilized |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1862–1863 |
| Built by | 34th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry |
| In use | 1862–1865 |
| Materials | Earth, timber |
| Demolished | 1865 |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Fort Willard was a fort built by the Union Army during the American Civil War. It is located in the Belle Haven area of Fairfax County, Virginia. Today, efforts are being made to protect its old earthen walls and trenches so people can learn about its history.
Contents
Why Forts Were Built in Northern Virginia
When the American Civil War began in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for soldiers to help stop the rebellion. This made some southern states, including Virginia, decide to leave the United States. Virginia voted to secede (leave the Union) on May 23, 1861.
Right after this vote, the U.S. Army moved into Northern Virginia. This was important because military leaders wanted to protect Washington D.C., the nation's capital. They worried that the Confederate Army might place cannons on the hills of Arlington and fire at government buildings in Washington.
To keep the capital safe, the army decided to build forts along the Potomac River. These forts would guard the bridges connecting Virginia to Washington D.C., like the Chain Bridge and Long Bridge.
Building a Ring of Defenses
After the first forts were built along the river, plans began for a much larger defense system. This new plan involved building a huge circle of forts all around Washington D.C., protecting it from every direction.
However, this construction was paused when the First Battle of Bull Run happened. After the Union Army lost this battle, there was a lot of worry that the Confederates might attack Washington D.C. quickly. So, soldiers quickly built temporary trenches and earthworks, mostly in Arlington.
On July 26, 1861, General George B. McClellan took command of the Union Army in Washington. He was very concerned about how weak the city's defenses were. He said that there was "nothing to prevent the enemy shelling the city."
To fix this, General McClellan ordered a massive expansion of Washington's defenses. New forts and trenches were to be built everywhere, strong enough to stop any attack. The city of Alexandria, with its important port, was also a key place to protect.
How Fort Willard Was Built
Fort Willard was built in late 1862 and early 1863. It was first known as Redoubt "D" to Fort Lyon. Soldiers from the 34th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry helped build it.
One officer, Lieutenant Colonel William S. Lincoln, wrote in his diary that on January 8, 1863, a general and engineers spent the day planning a new fort. He mentioned that his regiment, the 34th Massachusetts, would have to build it. He joked that they were becoming a "regiment of Engineers" because of all the construction work!
The fort was named after Colonel George L. Willard, a Union officer who was killed in the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863.
Fort Willard was a smaller fort with strong earthen walls. It had a "bombproof" (a shelter to protect against bombs) and a "magazine" (a place to store weapons and gunpowder). The fort could hold fifteen cannons. Its weapons included:
- Two 24-pound siege guns (large cannons)
- Two 12-pound howitzers (shorter cannons that fire shells in a high arc)
- Four 4.5-inch ordnance rifles
- Four 6-pound guns
- Two 10-inch siege mortars (weapons that fire shells high into the air)
- Two 24-pounder Coehorn mortars
The fort also had buildings like barracks for soldiers, a guardhouse, officers' quarters, and a cook house. Two smaller batteries (groups of cannons) were also nearby to support the fort. Most of these original buildings are gone today because of new construction in the area since the 1930s.
Some of the army units that were stationed at Fort Willard included:
- 34th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
- 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery
- 10th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment
- 1st U.S. Artillery, Battery G
- 1st U.S. Artillery, Battery E
- 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery Regiment
Fort Willard Today
The Fort Willard Historic Site is located at 6625 Fort Willard Circle, Alexandria, Virginia. This park protects important parts of the fort built by the Union Army. You can still see the earthen walls, places where cannons were set up, and the remains of the bombproof and magazine areas.
The Fairfax County Park Authority owns and takes care of the site. They consider it a special park because of its historical importance. On October 15, 2011, a special event was held to celebrate the restoration and educational programs at the site.
