The Early Days of the Civil War Defenses of Washington

At the outset of the Civil War, Washington, DC was relatively defenseless, with only one old fort (Fort Washington) and a few Union troops.  The city's location between Confederate Virginia and border-state Maryland made it strategically important and vulnerable. In 1861, Major General George B. McClellan was tasked with fortifying the capital. A complex system of forts, batteries, and earthworks was built to encircle the city, transforming the area into one of the most heavily fortified in the world. Please join Park Ranger Bryan Cheeseboro as he examines the system of fortifications constructed to protect the Union capital from Confederate attack during the early days of the Civil War.