Fort Totten (Ward 5, Northeast Washington, D.C., District of Columbia)
Ward 5, Northeast Washington, D.C. · District of Columbia · Civil War
History & Significance
Fort Totten was a Union Army defensive earthwork, built during the Civil War and named for Joseph Totten, as part of the defense of Washington, D.C., during the Civil War, also known as the Fort Circle. Construction on the fort began in August 1861 and was completed in 1863.
The fort was a medium-sized, seven-sided polygon with a perimeter of 272 yards. The fort mounted 20 guns and mortars, including eight 32-pounders.
It was located between Fort Slocum (West) and Fort Slemmer (East). The fort occupied a high point in advance of the Soldiers' Home or Military Asylum, President's Lincoln summer home, located in Washington about three miles north of the Capitol, close to Silver Spring, Maryland.
The fort was manned by a garrison of 350 officers and men, with troops stationed at the fort at different times including the 76th New York, 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, the 136 and 137th Pennsylvania Infantry, 4th US Artillery, 150th Ohio National Guard, 1st New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, and the 1st Vermont Heavy Artillery. With the end of the war in 1865, the fort was deactivated. Today, it is maintained by the National Park Service.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Well-preserved Civil War earthworks including ramparts, ditches, and magazine structures
- Battery fortifications and connecting rifle trenches visible across the park
- Historical markers detailing the fort's role in defending Washington, D.C. during the war
- Urban park setting in Northeast Washington with walking paths through defensive lines
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-totten.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Totten_Park
- https://www.nps.gov/places/000/information-panel-fort-totten.htm
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=2993
- https://www.loc.gov/item/2005626571/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Totten_(Washington,_D.C.)
Other Forts in District of Columbia
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