Fort Slemmer
Fort Slemmer sometimes called Battery Slemmer was one of seven temporary earthwork forts part of the Civil War Defenses of Washington, D.C., during the Civil War built in the Northeast quadrant of the city at the beginning of the Civil War by the Union Army to protect the city from the Confederate Army. From west to east, the forts were as follow: Fort Slocum, Fort Totten, Fort Slemmer, Fort Bunker Hill, Fort Saratoga, Fort Thayer and Fort Lincoln. Unlike other forts, today very little remains of the structure.
Civil War
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/District_of_Columbia._Soldiers_at_gate_of_Fort_Slemmer_LOC_cwpb.01508.jpg/220px-District_of_Columbia._Soldiers_at_gate_of_Fort_Slemmer_LOC_cwpb.01508.jpg)
The fort was named in honor of Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer. It was built in August 1861 between Fort Totten and Fort Bunker Hill on the east side of Harewood Road just north of The Catholic University of America's Marist Hall.[1] In February 1862, the 20th New York moved in the fort.[6]
The fort was equipped with the following armament:
- Three 32-pounder James guns
- One 8-inch siege howitzer[6][7]
The following troops garrisoned in the fort:
- 20th New York
- Several New Hampshire Heavy Artillery
- 150th Ohio National Guard
- Battery G, 3rd United States Artillery[6]
Post Civil War
The fort was abandoned at the end of the civil war in 1865.[7] It fell in disrepair after the war.[6]
See also
- Civil War Defenses of Washington
- Washington, D.C., in the American Civil War
- Fort Slocum
- Fort Totten
- Fort Bunker Hill
- Fort Saratoga
- Fort Thayer
- Fort Lincoln
- Battle of Fort Stevens
References
- ^ a b c d e f Rice Scott, Sarah; Dobbs, Michael; Mazzenga, Maria. "A Historical Walking Tour of The Catholic University of America : The Civil War: Fort Slemmer". CUexhibits.WRLC.org. American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives. Catholic University of America. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Fort Slemmer (historical)". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. December 18, 1979. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ a b Cowan's Auctions. "Civil War Photograph of the 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, Fort Slemmer, by Brady". CowanAuctions.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ a b National Park Service. "Union Pennsylvania Volunteers: 2nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery (112th Volunteers)". NPS.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Fort Slemmer Co. and 2d Pennsylvania Artillery". LOC.gov. LCCN 2012646716. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ a b c d The Defenses of Washington during the War - The Evening Star - Thursday, October 9, 1902 - page 21
- ^ a b Fortwiki - Fort Slemmer - http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Slemmer
External links
Media related to Fort Slemmer at Wikimedia Commons
- Civil War Defenses of Washington official website
- v
- t
- e
- Department of the East
- Department of Washington, D.C.
- Department of the Potomac
- Military District of Washington
- Department of the Rappahanock
- Defenses of Washington, D.C.
- Department of Washington
- Army of the Potomac
- XXII Corps
- Fort Marcy
- Fort Ethan Allen
- Fort C. F. Smith
- Fort Bennett
- Fort Strong
- Fort Corcoran
- Fort Haggerty
- Fort Morton
- Fort Woodbury
- Fort Cass
- Fort Whipple
- Fort Tillinghast
- Fort McPherson
- Fort Buffalo
- Fort Ramsay
- Fort Craig
- Fort Albany
- Fort Jackson
- Fort Runyon
- Fort Richardson
- Fort Barnard
- Fort Berry
- Fort Scott
- Battery Garesche
- Fort Reynolds
- Fort Ward
- Fort Worth
- Fort Williams
- Fort Ellsworth
- Fort Lyon
- Fort Farnsworth
- Fort Weed
- Fort O'Rourke
- Fort Willard
- Fort Cross (MD)
- Fort Kirby (MD)
- Fort Sumner (MD)
- Battery Alexander (MD)
- Fort Simmons (MD)
- Fort Davis (MD)
- Battery Benson (MD)
- Battery Bailey (MD)
- Fort Mansfield (MD)
- Battery Cameron
- Battery Parrott
- Battery Kemble
- Battery Martin Scott
- Battery Vermont
- Fort Bayard
- Fort Gaines
- Fort Reno
- Battery Rossell
- Fort Kearny
- Battery Terrill
- Battery Smead
- Battery Kingsbury
- Fort DeRussy
- Battery Sill
- Fort Stevens
- Fort Slocum
- Fort Totten
- Fort Slemmer
- Fort Bunker Hill
- Fort Saratoga
- Fort Thayer
- Fort Lincoln
- Battery Jameson
- Fort Mahan
- Fort Chaplin
- Fort Meigs
- Fort Dupont
- Fort Davis
- Fort Baker
- Fort Wagner
- Fort Ricketts
- Fort Stanton
- Fort Snyder
- Fort Carroll
- Fort Greble
- National Park Service (Web)
- Map of defenses in 1865