Forgotten Forts Series Index

NFB22

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jun 21, 2012
Location
Louisville, KY
Now that were at 20+ threads for the "Forgotten Forts Series" I thought it may be easier just to have an index of all the forts to more easily navigate this series for those members who are interested as well as future members of CWT. I started this series just purely out of boredom and to share information but I have actually learned quite a bit and hopefully members have to. As long as people express interest I will continue

In this "index" I'll include links to all threads from the series and include a short summary of each for noting its location and at what capacity the fort served in the American Civil War. As the series continues I'll post a link and summary to each fort on this thread.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-trumbull.80893/
Located in New London, CT. Served as a coastal defense fortification for New London and the Thames River. Also served as HQ to the 14th US. Infantry Regiment.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-darling.80694/
Located along the James River at Drewry's Bluff, VA. Served as part of the defenses surrounding Richmond. Site of the Battle of Drewry's Bluff and also host to Confederate States Naval Academy and Camp Beall which was HQ of the Confederate States Marine Corps


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-marion.80654/
Located in St. Augustine, FL. Is the United States oldest permanent fortification and served as a prison. Garrisoned by both Confederate and Union forces during the war.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-carroll.80201/
Located on a man-made island on the Patapsco River near Baltimore, MD. Originally constructed under the supervision of Robert E. Lee was used for the defense of Baltimore.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mcree.79876/
Located on Perdido Key near Pensacola, FL. Built for the defense of Pensacola saw action during the bombardment of Pensacola in late 1861 and early 1862.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-duffield.79689/
Overlooks the town of West Point, Kentucky. Guarded the mouth of the Salt River and served as a supply depot to the Army of the Cumberland.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-williams.79605/
Located in Glasgow, Kentucky. Guarded the town of Glasgow and its vital rail and communication lines. Site of the Battle of Glasgow.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-gorges.79453/
Located on a man-made island in Casco Bay near Portland, Maine. Served as coastal defense for the bay and Portland. Never fully garrisoned.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-scammel.79382/
Located on House Island near Portland, Maine. Built to protect harbor and saw limited action in the so-called “Battle of Portland Harbor”

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-lancaster.79287/
Located near present day Sheffield, Texas. Abandoned by Union forces at the outbreak of the war was garrisoned by Confederate forces before being abandoned in 1862.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-craig-nm.79104/
Located along the Rio Grande in rural New Mexico. Played a major role during Henry Sibley’s invasion into New Mexico in 1862.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-pike.78757/
Located near New Orleans. Garrisoned by Confederate forces early in the war prior to the capture of New Orleans then by Union troops.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-livingston.78737/
Located on Grand Terre Island in Louisiana. Served as coastal defense and as a safe haven for blockade runners, garrisoned by Confederate troops prior to capture of New Orleans. Later garrisoned by Union troops.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mcallister.78469/
Located near Savannah, Georgia as part of the city defenses. Site of the Battle of Fort McAllister in late 1864.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-caswell.78408/
Located on Oak Island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Saw action dueling with the Union blockade. Part of the defenses of the Cape Fear and Wilmington, NC.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-wool.78325/
Located on a man-made island near Hampton, VA. Took an active role in the Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mackinac.77950/
Located on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Served as a prison for political prisoners from TN.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-norfolk.77859/
Located in Norfolk, Virginia. Abandoned by Union troops when navy yard was abandoned and garrisoned by Confederate forces. Some of its armament and ammunition were used aboard the CSS Virginia.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-clinch.77816/
Located near Jacksonville, Florida on Amelia Island. Served as a safe haven to blockade runners and garrisoned by both sides during the war.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-adams.77979/
Located near Newport, Rhode Island. Built for the defense of Newport and also briefly served as the United States Naval Academy.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mifflin.80944/
Fort Mifflin is located on Mud Island near Philadelphia, PA. Fort Mifflin served as prison during the war. Also said to be "haunted"

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-griswold.81636/
Fort Griswold is located in Groton, CT. The fort was used as coastal defense during the Civil War and for a time was the command of John Reynolds.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-wayne.82152/
Fort Wayne is located in Detroit, Michigan. The fort was used as a recruiting center during the Civl War.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-smith-ar.84301/
Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The fort was used as a supply depot during the war and garrisoned by both sides. Also the site of an unsuccessful Confederate attack in 1864.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-foote.86544/
Fort Foote is located south of Washington D.C. on the Potomac River. The fort was part of the defenses of Washington D.C. It never fired a shot in anger during the war.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-totten.86617/
Fort Totten is located north of Washington D.C. The fort was part of the defenses of Washington D.C. and played a part in the Battle of Fort Stevens in 1864.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-anderson-nc.86669/
Fort Anderson is located on the Cape Fear River south of Wilmington, North Carolina. Used for the defense of the port of Wilmington it saw action after the capture of Fort Fisher in 1865.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-harrison-va.86956/
Fort Harrison is located outside of Richmond, Virginia. Used for the defense of Richmond it was involved in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in 1864. Garrisoned by both sides during the war.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-inge-tx.87046/
Fort Inge is located on the Leona River near Uvalde, Texas. Garrisoned by Confederate troops during the war. Used as a cavalry post to patrol area. Fort Inge never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-union-nm.87232/
Fort Union is located near Mora, New Mexico. Garrisoned by Union troops during the war its troops played a roll in Henry Sibley's failed New Mexico Campaign


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-washita-ok.87327/
Fort Washita is located near Durant, Oklahoma. Abandoned by Union troops at the start of the war it was used as a HQ in the Indiana Territory by Confederates the duration of the war.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-macomb-la.87422/
Fort Macomb is located near New Orleans, Louisiana. Garrisoned by both sides during the war it never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-towson.87552/
Fort Towson is located near the town of Fort Towson, Oklahoma. Garrisoned by Confederate troops it served as HQ of forces in the Indian Territory. BG Stand Watie also surrendered his forces nearby.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-alcatraz.87976/
Fort Alcatraz is located on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Built to defend the city and harbor it served as a military prison during the war. Some parts of fort still exist.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-sewall.87992/
Fort Sewall is located in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Used to defend Marblehead and its harbor during the war by Union forces and possibly as a prison for a short time. Never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-frederick.78543/
Fort Frederick is located near Big Pool, Maryland near the Potomac River. Garrisoned by Union troops for a time it guarded nearby ferry crossings, canals, and railroads. A small skirmish took place nearby in late 1861.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/fort-obrien-me.88207/
Fort O'Brien is an earthwork fortification located near Machiasport, Maine. Built to defend the Machias River and bay it was manned by Maine troops from 1863-1865. Never fired a shot in anger. Now a state park.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-index.80901/
Fort McClary is located near Kittery, Maine. Manned by Maine militia and the 1st NH Heavy Artillery was used for the defense of the Portsmouth Naval Yard and for defense against privateers. Never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-madison.89077/
Fort Madison is located in Castine, Maine. Manned by US Volunteers during the war it helped protect Penobscot Bay during the war. It never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-huger-va.89630/
Fort Huger is located in the community of Isle Wight, Virginia. Built by Confederate forces to defend the James River it saw action on multiple occasions dueling with Union naval vessels.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-phoenix-ma.89784/
Fort Phoenix is located in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Garrisoned by Union troops during the war to defend the towns of Fairhaven and Bedford from enemy naval raids. Never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-james-jackson.90034/
Fort James Jackson is located outside of Savannah, Georgia. Garrisoned by Confederate troops during the war it aided in the defense of the city. Abandoned by Confederate troops it was captured by Union troops in 1864 and garrisoned by them through the end of the war.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-chaplin.90160/
Fort Chaplin is located in Washington D.C. Designed as one of the many forts that helped protect D.C. during the war it mounted just a single gun and saw no significant action during the war.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-wood-ny.91800/
Fort Wood was a granite fort built in New York Harbor on Bedloe's Island, now Liberty Island. The fort served as an ordnance depot and recruiting station. It never fired a shot in anger.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-mccausland.95172/
Fort McCausland was an earthwork fort built in Lynchburg, Virginia. The fort saw action during the Battle of Lynchburg in June of 1864.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-huggins-island-fort.95197/
Huggins Island Fort was an earthwork fortification located on Huggins Island near Swansboro, North Carolina. Built for the defense of Bogue Inlet and the White Oak River it never saw action. It was destroyed by Union forces in 1862.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-yellow-bluff-fort.95330/
Yellow Bluff Fort was an earthwork fortification located along the St Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida. Built for the defense of Jacksonville by Confederate forces it was later captured by Union troops and held through the end of the war.


http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-conant-ma.96475/
Fort Conant, also known as Fort Gloucester, was a fort located near Gloucester, Massachusetts. Tasked with defending the harbor and vital fishing village from Confederate naval and raiding forces it never fired a shot in anger.


http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-niagara.100169/
Fort Niagara is located near Youngstown, New York on the Niagara River which diveds New York from Canada. The fort was garrisoned by troops during the war in case of British aggression from Canada in support of the Confederacy. The fort however never fired a shot in anger during the war.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-ontario.100195/
Fort Ontario is located near Oswego, New York on the Oswego River on the shores of Lake Ontario. The fort was garrisoned by troops during the Civil War in case of British involvment from Canada. The fort was also updated during the war but never fired a shot in anger.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-schuyler.100890/
Located on Throgs Neck in New York City this fort served as a training area and as a prison during the American Civil War. It never fired a shot in anger.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-phantom-hill.100924/
Fort Phantom Hill located near Nugent, Texas was a former U.S. Army post garrisoned by Confederate forces in Texas as a base of operations for the area. The post never saw any action during the war.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-popham.101153/
Fort Popham was located at the mouth of the Kennebec River in Maine for the defense of the river and therefore the shipyards in Bath and the capital of Augusta. Garrisoned and armed by Union troops during the war the fort never fired a shot in anger.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-columbus-fl.102032/
Fort Columbus, often referred to as Columbus Fort was an earthwork location located near present day Live Oak, Florida tasked with defending a vital railroad bridge over the Suwannee River. It never fired a shot in anger.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-johnson-sc.102188/
Fort Johnson, located on James Island in Charleston Harbor was a Confederate earthwork fortification designed for the defense of Charleston. A mortar from the fort signaled the beginning of the bombardment of Fort Sumter in 1861 and it was also the site of a battle in July 1864 in which its defenders fought off a Union barge attack.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-independence.102398/
Fort Independence, located on Castle Island in Boston Harbor was designed to protect the main shipping lanes into Boston and for the defense of the city itself. It was used as a recruiting and training site during the ACW to train multiple Massachusetts regiments. It never fired a shot in anger.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-massac.103086/
Fort Massac, located in Metropolis, Illinois along the Ohio River was only an earthwork fortification by the time of the Civil War but formerly a timber frontier fort. The site was used to recruit, muster, and train Illnois units during the Civil War. Never fired a shot in anger.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-ethan-allen-va.105184/
Fort Ethan Allen, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was an earthwork fortification built for the role of defending Washington during the Civil War. The fort saw no action during the war.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-freestone-point-battery-va.106488/
Located on Freestone Point 25 miles south of Washington DC along the Virginia side of the Potomac River this Confederate earthwork battery was built in order to blockade the Potomac. The fortification saw action multiple times dueling with Union vessels.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-scammon-wv.107924/
Located in Charleston, West Virginia this post served as a defensive position overlooking Charleston, the Elk & Kanahwa Rivers, and vital bridges/ferry crossings. The fort never saw any action. Notable members of the garrison included future presidents Rutherford Hayes and William McKinley.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-taber.109518/
Located in New Bedford, Massachusetts this post was designed to protect New Bedford's valuable shipping and whaling port. Completed during the war Fort Taber saw no action.

http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-fort-nathan-hale.123040/
Located in New Haven, Connecticut this fort was designed to protect New Haven from Confederate naval forces and raiders. It never fired a shot in anger.
 
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What a super idea. Wanted to put a sticky on it, but there are already four in this forum..
 
Ft. Lincoln.jpg
Fort Lincoln was a part of the Federal Defenses of Washington, North of the Potomac. It guarded the Bladensburg Turnpike and the railroad line between Washington and Baltimore. It was an earthen work with a perimeter of 466 yards. Armaments included thirty-four guns and mortars, including two eight-inch siege howitzers, six 32 pounder seacoast guns, one 24-pounder and three 24-pounder seacoast guns, two 24-pounder field howitzers, four twelve-pounder field guns, eight 6-pounder field guns, four 30-pounder Parrots, one 100-pounder rifled Parrot, and one ten-inch and two 24-pounder Coehorn morters.

For a contemporary description of the fort please read the letter written by my g-g grandfather Pvt. William B. Phillips dated December 1, 1862 at: http://wbp2ndpaha.wordpress.com/december-1862/
 
Excellent! Keep these forts in the memories or they shall surely be forgotten.

Fort Lincoln is a cemetery now. Few of my relatives are buried there and, amazingly enough many of the earthworks remain though not as sharp, the hill and valley aspects are certainly not natural.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf
 
Excellent! Keep these forts in the memories or they shall surely be forgotten.

Fort Lincoln is a cemetery now. Few of my relatives are buried there and, amazingly enough many of the earthworks remain though not as sharp, the hill and valley aspects are certainly not natural.

Just some thoughts.

M. E. Wolf

I was trolling about on the web one night and I was reading about forts on the Great Lakes. There was one family up in Wisconsin or Minnesota I believe that lived in a large brick house. Come to find out they were actually living in an old barracks and the "hills" around their house were actually remains of earthworks. There hadn't been much written on the fort since it was never fully completed nor garrisoned therefore nobody really knew about it.
 
Forgotten forts is important because most were not needed in the Civil War. They show how unprepared the U.S. was for war and the inability of the Confederacy to win a war.
Forgotten forts are places that weren't needed in war, because the Confederacy was so inadequate in naval arms. The Confederacy could fight in eastern Virginia, but couldn't control western Virginia and the Ohio river. Many could speak of its "success" but they never captured Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, Connecticut and any northern naval port.

The forgotten forts and the forgotten lack of any Confederate naval power; all part of the forgotten Civil War.

"...it would hardly be possible to imagine a great maritime country more destitute of the means for carrying on a naval war than the Confederate States in 1861."
James Russell Soley
Assistant Secretary of the Navy[U.S]
1891-1893
 
Forgotten forts is important because most were not needed in the Civil War. They show how unprepared the U.S. was for war and the inability of the Confederacy to win a war.
Forgotten forts are places that weren't needed in war, because the Confederacy was so inadequate in naval arms. The Confederacy could fight in eastern Virginia, but couldn't control western Virginia and the Ohio river. Many could speak of its "success" but they never captured Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, Connecticut and any northern naval port.

The forgotten forts and the forgotten lack of any Confederate naval power; all part of the forgotten Civil War.

The problem is they were either obsolete or in areas where they werent needed as you pointed out. There were various forts that were located all along the Union coast in places like Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, California that werent needed because the war didnt stretch that far. Most never saw combat to begin with and never would so they were used as supply depots, recruiting centers, and prisons.

Another major problem is the ones that did become involved were obsolete when put up against new naval vessels, most notably ironclads. We saw this scenario played out in Mobile Bay when the navy simply sailed right by Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines.

Lastly, forts were already obsolete when it came to new rifled artillery. Fort Sumter in Charleston or Fort McRee in Pensacola were reduced to rubble during the war and Fort Pulaski was forced to surrender after only 2 days of bombardment because its walls were crumbling apart.
 
I've made this Index a "Sticky."

NFB22's hard work, photographs and research is a 'gold nugget' of information and interest.

Keep up the great work NFB22 :thumbsup:

M. E. Wolf
POSTED IN CAPACITY OF MODERATOR
April 26, 2013 2:28 p.m.
 
NFB22.

Again, thank you so much for supplying such an amazing index and history on these forts. Without you, gosh knows how many forts would be unknown to us history buffs.

M. E. Wolf
 
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