Battery Rodgers
Battery Rodgers (1863-1867) - A Union U.S. Civil War Battery first established in 1863 in present day Alexandria City, Virginia. Named Battery Rodgers after Navy Captain George W. Rodgers, who was killed at Charleston Harbor 17 Aug 1863. Abandoned in 1867.
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History of Battery Rodgers
One of the ring of Union fortifications surrounding Washington DC during the U.S. Civil War, see Washington DC Fort Ring.
Battery Rodgers was also one of 33 forts on the Virginia side of the Potomac River that made up an outer defense line for Washington DC known as the Arlington Line.
Established in August 1863 as a water defense on the Potomac River at Alexandria City. The battery was built on a bluff at Jones Point at the south end of Alexandria with a clear view of the Potomac River. The battery had a perimeter of 330 yards and emplacements for six seacoast guns. Armament included five 200 pounder Parrott rifles and one 15" Rodman gun.
This was a large battery with a face of 30 yards and flanking side curtains of about 25 yards. Supporting the large seacoast guns were two magazines and two bombproofs. Other buildings included two barracks, a hospital, a prison and a slaughterhouse.
A 17 May 1864 report from the Union Inspector of Artillery noted the following: "Fort Rodgers, Major Meservey commanding.–Garrison, one company First Wisconsin Volunteers–1 major, 5 commissioned officers, 203 men. Armament, one 15-inch Rodman gun, one 200-pounder Parrott (rifled). Magazines, two; dry and in good condition. Ammunition, supplies received May 9, 1864. Implements, complete, good order. Drill in artillery, fair. Drill in infantry, fair. Discipline, fair. Garrison larger than necessary."
Battery Rodgers was complemented on the other side of the river in Maryland by Fort Foote which was similarly but more heavily armed. Fort Foote had two 15" Rodman guns emplaced by the end of the war. One of the original Fort Foote 15" Rodmans remains in place today along with a second 15" Rodman that was originally at at Battery Rodgers.
The fort was abandoned in 1867, well after the end of the war.
| Assumed | Relieved | Rank | Name | Cullum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1867-05-01 | 1867-08-31 | Capt. | Campbell, Joseph B. | 1954 | |
| Dates are formatted in yyyy-mm-dd to sort correctly. The Cullum Number is the graduation order from the United States Military Academy by year and class rank and links to a page for the officer on the website version of the Cullum Register. Listings without a Cullum Number indicate that the person was not a graduate of the United States Military Academy. | |||||
Current Status
No remains, three markers at Jones Point in Alexandria City, Virginia. the actual Battery Rodgers 15" Rodman gun is located across the river at Fort Foote in Maryland.
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Location: Jones Point, Alexandria City, Virginia. Map point is approximate. Maps & Images Lat: 38.79524 Long: -77.04141 |
See Also:
- Arlington Line - U.S. Civil War
- 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 823.
Links:
- North American Forts - Battery Rodgers
- Wikipedia - Battery Rodgers
- HMDB - Battery Rodgers
- HMDB - The Civil War and Battery Rodgers
- HMDB - Guarding the Potomac
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