Fort Thayer

Fort Thayer (1861-1865) - A Union U.S. Civil War Fort established in 1861 in Washington DC. Named Fort Thayer after Colonel Sylvanius Thayer, (Cullum 33), expert engineer known as the father of the United States Military Academy. Abandoned in 1865.

History of Fort Thayer

Established in 1861 as a lunette between Fort Lincoln (2) and Fort Bunker Hill with a perimeter of 180 yards and emplacements for eight guns.

A 17 May 1864 report from the Union Inspector of Artillery noted the following: "Fort Thayer, Capt. H. D. Scott commanding. – Garrison, withdrawn; works guarded by Sixteenth Massachusetts Battery, from Camp Barry–1 ordnance-sergeant. Armament, four 24-pounder barbette, one 24-pounder siege, two 8-inch siege howitzers, one 24-pounder Coehorn mortar. Magazines, one: dry and in good order. Ammunition, full supply, well packed and in good order. Implements, complete and serviceable."

The fort was abandoned in 1865 at the end of the war.

Current Status

No remains, no markers. Sources differ on the location, some locating in the fort in the wrong quadrant of the city (Roberts) and others clearly outside the fort ring perimeter (GNIS). The topography indicates the probable location is at the end of Thayer St. NE between 24th St. NE and 25th St. NE and Irving St. NE.

---

USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 531065

---

{"selectable":false,"width":"500"}

Location: Washington DC. Maps & Images Lat: 38.97917 Long: -76.97167 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 75'

See Also:

• Washington DC Fort Ring
• Washington DC Defense System - U.S. Civil War

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 140.

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Thayer
• NPS Civil War Defenses of Washington - Appendix E: General Reports About the Defenses

Visited: No