Fort Bayard (1)

Fort Bayard (1) (1862-1865) - Fort Bayard was one of the approximately 68 forts that surrounded the city of Washington DC and protected it during the U.S. Civil War period from Confederate invasion. Construction began in 1862 and was completed in 1863. Named for Brevet Brigadier General of Volunteers, regular Captain USA, George D. Bayard (Cullum 1721), 4th U.S. Cavalry, who died 14 Dec 1862 from wounds received at Fredericksburg, Virginia, during the U.S. Civil War.

Fort Bayard Park Sign	Fort Bayard Marker
Fort Bayard Hill

Fort Bayard (1) History

Fort Bayard & Battery Bayard Plan

Established late in 1862 from plans designed by Colonel Barton Alexander, (Cullum 1117), U.S. Engineers. The design was in the form of an ellipse that had a perimeter of 123 yards with eight gun platforms and embrasures. Armament was two 12-pounder smoothbore howitzers on either end and four 20-pounder rifled Parrott guns in the middle (2 vacant gun platforms). A small three gun outworks, Battery Bayard (2), was located to the right of the main works aligned with a rifle pit.

A 17 May 1864 report from the Union Inspector of Artillery noted the following: "Fort Bayard, Maj. J. M. Murphy commanding.–Garrison, one company Seventh New York Heavy Artillery– 6 commissioned officers, I ordnance-sergeant, 129 men. Armament, two 12-pounder field howitzers and four 20-pounder Parrotts. Magazines, one; dry and in good order. Ammunition, full supply and serviceable. Implements, complete and serviceable. Drill in artillery, ordinary; needs improving. Drill in infantry, very indifferent; needs much improving. Discipline, indifferent. Garrison is not full strength."

Abandoned and dismantled in 1865 at the end of the war.

Current Status

No visible remains of the fort in Fort Bayard Park, Washington DC. Map points are not exact but are close.

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USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 530886

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Location: Bayard Park, Washington DC Maps & Images Lat: 38.9552778 Long: -77.0916667 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 325'

See Also:

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

Sources:

• Cooling, Benjamin F. III and Owen, Valton H. II, Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington, Scarecrow Press, 2009, ISBN 0810863073, ISBN 9780810863071, 334 pages.
• 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 133-134

Links:

• North American Forts - Fort Bayard
• Wikipedia - Fort Bayard

Visited: 26 May 2013