Fort Scott (Arlington, Virginia)
For Fort Scott, Kansas, see Fort Scott, Kansas.
Fort Scott | |
---|---|
Part of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C. | |
Arlington, Virginia, USA | |
Fort Scott Historical Sign | |
Fort Scott | |
Coordinates | 38°50′46″N 77°03′32″W / 38.846°N 77.059°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 detached lunette constructed in May 1861 to guard the south flank of the defenses of Washington during the American Civil War. It was named for General Winfield Scott, who was then General-in-Chief of the Union Army. An historic marker and a small remnant of the fort are the only evidence of the site of the fort on the grounds of what is now Fort Scott Park in Arlington County, Virginia.
When originally built, the fort had a perimeter of 313 yards (286 m) and emplacements for eight guns. Construction of the defense of Alexandria to the west subsequently reduced the importance of the fort.[1]
The fort is designated as a Historic District and is located in the Arlington Ridge community.
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. 92–94. ISBN 978-0-8108-6307-1.
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