Fort Farnsworth

This week I’m focusing on Fort Farnsworth, one of the many forts in the defensive network around Washington, D.C. discussed in last week’s post. It is mentioned several times throughout Philip’s diary. The West Virginia Light Artillery, Battery C was ordered to Fort Farnsworth at the end of May 1864.


Fort Farnsworth was established in 1862 as one of four redoubts in advance of Fort Lyons in the area of present day Alexandria, Virginia. All four redoubts were renamed for Union officers killed in battle. Fort Farnsworth was named for Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth, 8th Illinois Cavalry, who was killed at Gettysburg. The other three forts in this group were Fort Weed, Fort O’Rourke, and Fort Willard. Together, these five forts created a defensive line across the southern approach to Alexandria.

Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth was killed in Gettysburg on July 3, 1863 during an ill-fated mounted assault on the Army of Northern Virginia in what became known as “Farnsworth’s Charge.”  A detailed discussion of Farnsworth’s Charge can be found here:

A May 17, 1864 report on Fort Farnsworth from the Union Inspector of Artillery noted the following: “Drill in artillery, ordinary; needs improving. Drill in infantry, very indifferent; wants labor and attention to become efficient. Discipline, indifferent. Garrison of sufficient strength.” Perhaps this is why Philip’s unit was ordered to move to Fort Farnsworth at the end of May 1864.

Sources:

Fort Farnsworth was located in what is now the Huntington area of Fairfax County, Virginia, south of Alexandria. The site of the fort is now occupied by the Huntington Station of the Washington Metro. Nothing remains of the original earthwork and timber structure of the fort. 
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In the following excerpt from Philip’s diary he touches on his routine activities in the days leading up to his unit moving to Fort Farnsworth.

MAY 27TH
Rained for awhile this morning. We changed barracks in the afternoon. I went fishing in the Potomac & one of my comrades and myself caught 50 fish in 2 hours.

MAY 28TH
Was cleaning up quarters this morning. In the afternoon went fishing but had very poor luck. Orders to prepare for inspection. One half of our battery went over to Fort O’Rourke to man the guns. There we are under orders to move. We had a dance in our barrack and the evening passed very pleasantly.

MAY 29TH
Had Sunday morning inspection. Took a walk in the country. Went down to the Potomac and fished a couple hours.

MAY 30TH
Reveille sounded at 4:30am. Roll was called and we went out to drill. Then had orders to report to Fort Farnsworth. We went immediately, but when we got there we found the quarters all taken so we went to Fort O’Rourke and quartered there until further orders.

MAY 31ST
We changed our quarters over to Fort Farnsworth which is a very nice fort of mounts, 13 guns. Nothing new. Our mails are very unregular.

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