Fort Williams (Virginia)
| Fort Williams | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C. | |
| Alexandria, Virginia | |
| Coordinates | 38°48′42″N 77°05′24″W / 38.81180°N 77.09000°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 Williams was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed in Alexandria, Virginia as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War.
History
It was named for Thomas Williams, killed at Baton Rouge, on August 5, 1862.
Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Williams was situated on north of Hunting Creek, and Cameron Run, (which feeds into it), near Vaucluse (plantation). From its position on Quaker Lane, one of the points west of Alexandria, the fort overlooked the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, the Little River Turnpike, and the western approaches to the city of Alexandria, the largest settlement in Union-occupied Northern Virginia.
It was built by the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery Regiment. It had a perimeter of 250 yards, and space for 13 guns. [1]
The Fort is now a 7.80 acres (31,600 m2) Alexandria, Virginia city park, at 501 Fort Williams Parkway.[2]
References
- ^ Cooling III, Benjamin Franklin; Owen II, Walton H. (6 October 2009). Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington. Scarecrow Press. pp. 64–70. ISBN 978-0-8108-6307-1.
- ^ Parks E-H | Recreation | City of Alexandria, VA
External links
- U.S. National Park Service Historic Resource Study of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C.
- Fort Williams Park - City of Alexandria
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