June 1, 1861- Skirmish at Arlington Mills / NOVA Forts / Col. Dumont disembarks to attack Confederates at Philippi
June 1, 1861 <later>
Skirmish at Arlington Mills
Arlington, VA
U.S. Troops (Co. E 1st. Michigan Volunteer Infantry & Co. G, of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1st New York Fire Zouaves)
vs.
Virginia Militia
This is where GPS brought me. The the actual Four Mile Run upon which the mil was built.
But I found the marker...
Eventually...
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| https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=206471 "On the night of June 1, 1861, a scouting party of Virginia militia attacked U.S. troops at Arlington Mill, which stood to your right. Co. E 1st. Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment was on picket duty at the mill guarding the Columbia Turnpike and the Alexandria, Loudoun, & Hampshire Railroad. In a nearby house, Co. G, of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (1st New York Fire Zouaves), prepared to relieve the Michigan men. At about 11 P.M. the Virginians fired at the pickets, killing one and wounding another. The militiamen were driven off after a brief exchange of fire, with one man wounded. The "Skirmish at Arlington Mills " as the New York Times called it, was among the first military engagements of the Civil War. It occurred only a week after the May 23 vote ratifying the secession of Virginia from the United States. The next day, President Abraham Lincoln ordered Union forces to cross the Potomac River and occupy Arlington Heights. The fight helped show that Washington was vulnerable to Confederate attacks and its defenses needed to be strengthened." |
This small, obscure site in the middle of urban NOVA suddenly carries a bit more weight.
I'm here now, so I'm going to sneak this fort in here too since there is no specific date, and the fort was referenced here and now. Makes as much sense as an entry for all of 1863...
"Historical Site
1861-1865
Fort C.F. Smith
Just to the north are the remains of Fort C.F. Smith. A lunette built early in 1863 to command the high ground north of Spout Run and protect the flank of the Arlington Line. It had a perimeter of 368 yards and emplacements for 22 guns."
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| https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=175254 |
"Fort C.F. Smith was constructed early in 1863 as part of the expansion and strengthening of the capital's defenses that continued throughout the war. With Forts Strong, Morton, and Woodbury, Fort C.F. Smith formed the outer perimeter of fortifications that protected the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal's Aqueduct Bridge (then located near the present-day Francis Scott Key Bridge*).
[ :( *the "present-day" what now?]
The fort was built as a lunette with a southern and western face and two flanks, as well as a cremaillere (intended) line on the north side to defend against an attack from the river up the ravines. A road that crossed Spout Run and proceeded up the hill to Fort Strong entered Fort C.F. Smith from the east. The trees from miles around were cut down to provide clear lines of fire for all the forts, and much of the lumber was used to construct the fortifications and support buildings.
Fort C.F. Smith had barracks, mess halls, kitchens, officers' quarters, a barn, and a headquarters that stood to your right. When the fort was decommissioned in 1865, the buildings were demolished. No above-ground evidence of their existence remains today.
Charles Ferguson Smith was born in Philadelphia on April 24, 1807, and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1825. Later, when he was commandant there, Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman were cadets, Smith fought in the Mexican War (1846-1848) and, when the Civil War began, was promoted to brigadier general. On February 15, 1862, during Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's siege of Ft. Donelson, Tennessee, Smith's division breached the defenses and prompted the Confederate surrender. When Grant was asked for terms, Smith suggested "unconditional and immediate surrender," a phrase that made "Unconditional Surrender Grant" famous throughout the North. Smith, promoted to major general on March 21, 1862, temporarily commanded the army when Grant was accused of drunkenness. Smith died on April 25, 1862, of an infection after a seemingly minor non-combat injury."
* which is why this Fort was built in 1863 and should probably be listed on the timeline then, but here we are!
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| Hendry House. Just trust me. |
Remnants of earthworks abound
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| https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=175255 "The ramps in front of you, now covered with grass, led to wooden platforms on which the various cannons were placed. When Fort C.F. Smith was built in 1863, it had platforms for twenty-two artillery pieces and four siege mortars. Only the mortars and sixteen cannons were ever placed here, however, because the Confederate threat to Washington, D.C., had been greatly reduced. The list of armaments here included two 6-pounder brass guns, six 4.5-inch guns, four 24-pounder guns, three 12-pounder howitzers, one 8-inch seacoast howitzer, and four 8-inch siege mortars." Also let's just do Fort Ward too while we are here, please:  "The Fort Ward entrance gate, completed in May 1865, provided the only access to the interior of the fort. The gate's decorative details include stands of cannonballs and the insignia (castle) of the Army Corps of Engineers which designed and supervised the construction of the Defenses of Washington. The present gate is a reconstruction based on the original Corps of Engineers drawing above. A ditch, or dry moat, surrounded the entire fort. The fort's earthen walls reached a height of approximately 20 feet from the bottom of the ditch to the arch of the gate. The walls were 12-14 feet thick and could absorb the impact of artillery fire. The officers' huts, soldiers' barracks and mess hall were located outside the fort, near the present Museum, which is patterned after a Union army headquarters building. These structures were built in a typical board-and-batten style. The above photograph, taken at Fort Ward in 1863, shows the quarters of Capt. Theodore H. Rockwood (seated), of Co. E., First Connecticut Heavy Artillery. Throughout the war, Fort Ward was manned by companies of the First CT Heavy Artillery as well as units from New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The fort could accommodate a garrison of approximately 1,200 soldiers, although records indicate that only 300-400 men were stationed here at one time."   "The Southwest Bastion was the most heavily fortified area of the fort with emplacements for seven guns, as well as a magazine and a filling room. The largest gun in Fort Ward, a 100-pounder Parrott Rifle, was located in the Southwest Bastion. This weapon was mounted on a center pintle (circular) carriage and could fire a 100-pound projectile a distance of about five miles. The Parrott Rifle was important because of its capability of defending both the Leesburg Turnpike and the Little River Turnpike, two major roads into Alexandria. The viewing platform to the right of this marker spans an opening (outlet) in the fort wall that enabled troops to move through the ditch to an outlying rifle trench without being exposed to enemy fire."   "This outlying 6-gun battery was constructed to cover the ravine where Interstate 395 is located today. The remains of a covered-way rifle trench that extended from the Northwest Bastion is visible near the park road. This trench provided protection for troops moving from the fort to support the outlying gun battery."       "Historical Site 1861-1865 Fort Ward Here stands Fort Ward, constructed in 1861 to protect the approaches to Alexandria by Little River Turnpike and Leesburg Turnpike. In 1864, the fort was enlarged to a perimeter of 818 yards with 36 gun emplacements. The fort has been preserved by the City of Alexandria." Also: "African Americans established "The Fort," a community that continued here after the Civil War (1861-1864) for nearly a century into the Civil Rights Era of the 1960s. The place received its name from The Fort's location around the remnants of Fort Ward, one of the fortifications that were built as part of the Defenses of Washington. In the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries, families living at The Fort and in the larger "Seminary" community — located around the Virginia Theological Seminary and Episcopal High School on Braddock, Howard, King, and Quaker streets — were connected through shared kinship, marriage, church, and work, particularly at the two Episcopal educational institutions. Four generations sustained The Fort through these associations, faith, adherence to a strict moral code, and emphasis on education. "The Fort" community began in large part from the results of the Civil War—freedom, rights, and opportunities for enslaved African Americans. Ironically, The Fort ended almost a century later as civil rights expanded. The City of Alexandria dedicated this park and museum for the Civil War Centennial in 1964." |
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Meanwhile in [West] Virginia...
Col. Dumont disembarks to attack Confederates at Philippi
Webster, WV
The signs is not in great shape, but here- at the home of the lady who invented Mothers Day-there is a marker for a stop on the way to the battle. However, there is no mention of the home also being the "First Headquarters of General George B McClellan"... other than on that museum sign there.
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| https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=211558 |
"Webster Station was located on the Northwestern Virginia Railroad. Webster was a major supply depot and many warehouses were located here. It also served as a staging area for troops. This was the southernmost station on the railroad. During the Civil War, troops marching into south-central West Virginia embarked and disembarked railcars at Webster.
On June 2, 1861, Col. Ebenezer Dumont’s command rode the train from Grafton, disembarking here to continue on foot to attack the Confederates at Philippi. He commanded the 7th Indiana, the 14th Ohio, the 6th Indiana, and a section of artillery leaving Webster to move on Philippi."
Here's a pic of the sign during better times - because the map of the local action is cool.
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Photographed By Don Morfe, August 1, 2012 |
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