In Defense of Washington

Many of the 68 major earthwork forts and batteries built to protect the Capital of Washington D.C. during the Civil War have long since been destroyed by development. However, an incredible 90 to 95 percent of Fort Ward remains intact. Constructed between July and September of 1861, it's such an important site that it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1961 the City of Alexandria began the preservation of the fort and in 1964 the Fort’s Northwest Bastion was completely restored.

Many other 19th century fortifications that ringed Washington were one-sided so they could be built quickly and easily. Because of its location at the crossroads of Seminary and Braddock roads, Fort Ward was considered critical to the defense of the Capital and was constructed as a "bastion fort" or five-pointed elongated star-shaped fort. Because of its shape, its various cannons could be positioned to create much more effective cross-fire to cover the roads into Washington.

At Fort Ward, owned and operated by the City of Alexandria, Virginia through the Office of Historic Alexandria, you will be able to gain a new understanding of how fortifications protected the residents of Washington, D. C. from Confederate attack during the Civil War. The very fact that Fort Ward never came under Confederate attack proves that it served its purpose well as a protector of the Capital.

Fort Ward is named for Naval Commander James H. Ward, the first Union naval officer to die in the Civil War. When Virginia seceded from the Union, and the Confederates could have blockaded the Potomac River and cut off supplies to Washington, D.C., Commander Ward was given a flotilla of seven ships and charged with keeping the river open. At Mathias Point, Virginia, a Confederate sniper shot and mortally wounded Ward, who died soon afterward.

In addition to learning how this historic fortification fit into the defenses of Washington, visitors can get an intimate personal feeling for how the defenders built and manned the restored Northwest Bastion, and lived in the Civil War period. The reconstructed Officer's Hut contains the meager furnishings of a Union officer and gives the feeling that he has just put down his reading glasses and left to carry out some pressing duty. But he will be right back to check on the pie just baked on the small cast iron stove and cooling on the table. The Fort Ward Museum itself provides further insight into the fort life of the Union soldier though exhibits of artifacts discovered during the fort’s reconstruction, and displays with descriptions of authentic typical equipment, weapons, and personal memorabilia of the war.

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