Fort Foote (1)

Fort Foote (1) (1863-1878) - A U.S. Civil War era Coastal Fort named for Commodore Andrew H. Foote on 1 Oct 1863. The garrison was removed in 1878 and the fort was abandoned.

Fort Foote (1) History

Established to protect the entrance to Washington D.C. and Alexandria.

Construction began in the winter of 1862-1863, but progressed slowly until four companies of soldiers from the 9th New York Heavy Artillery arrived in Aug 1863 to supplement the workforce and garrison the fort.

The Potomac facing side of the Fort was over 500 feet long with earth walls approximately 20 feet thick. A central traverse ran the length of the fort and contained bombproof magazines and storage areas for the Parrott rifles and 15-inch Rodman guns. These interior rooms were constructed of cedar posts and roofed with chestnut logs all covered with earth.

The first 15-inch Rodman gun arrived in late 1863, and the others arrived over the next two years. The Fort was armed and completed 6 Jun 1865. Fort Foote boasted two 15-inch Rodman guns, four 200-pounder Parrott Rifles, and eight 30-pounder Parrott Rifles.

Current Status

National Park. Two 15" Rodman guns in place, one originally from for Foote and the other from Battery Rodgers across the Potomac River.

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Location: Rosiers Bluff on the east bank of the Potomac River in Maryland, six miles south of Washington D.C. Maps & Images Lat: 38.710833 Long: -77.033056 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 100'

Sources:

• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 380-381
• National Park Service
• American Forts Network
• Wikipedia

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