Thirteen guns and mortars once commanded this very spot. This is the Fort Bunker Hill Plaque. It marks a site of vital importance during the Civil War. Let’s delve into the story of Fort Bunker Hill.
Fort Bunker Hill was one of seven temporary earthwork forts. These forts formed part of the Civil War Defenses of Washington D.C. They were built in the Northeast quadrant of the city by the Union Army. Their purpose was to protect the capital from the Confederate Army. The forts stretched from Fort Slocum in the west to Fort Lincoln in the east. Fort Bunker Hill played a crucial role in this defensive network.
The 11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry constructed Fort Bunker Hill in the fall of 1861. The fort got its name from the Battle of Bunker Hill. This famous battle occurred in 1775 in Charlestown, Boston. Fort Bunker Hill was strategically positioned. It stood between Fort Slemmer and Fort Saratoga. It bolstered the defense of the northeast approaches to Washington. It linked Fort Totten and Fort Lincoln.
Company F of the 11th Vermont Infantry Regiment also served here. They assisted in the defense of the city until November 17, 1862. The rectangular-shaped fort housed a formidable arsenal.
Fort Bunker Hill’s armament included eight 32-pounder James rifles and one 8-inch siege howitzer. It also had one Coehorn mortar. There was also one 10-inch siege mortar M. 1841, one 4-inch ordnance, and two 30-pounder Parrotts.
Several military units garrisoned Fort Bunker Hill. These included the 11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and Company B, Main Coast Guards. The Detachment 2d Company, New Hampshire Heavy Artillery was stationed here. So were the 150th Ohio National Guard and Battery G, 3rd United States Artillery. A supporting field battery stood a short distance to the North.
The fort remained operational until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Today, little remains of the original structure. The site is now bounded by 14th, Otis, 13th, and Perry Streets NE in Brookland, DC.
The National Park Service maintains the site. The Fort Bunker Hill Plaque commemorates its historical significance. It reminds us of the fort’s important position. It stood between Fort Totten and Fort Lincoln. It played a vital role in defending the nation’s capital.
A nearby road was once named Bunker Hill Road after the fort. It has since been renamed Michigan Avenue. Fort Bunker Hill may be gone, but its memory lives on. It lives on through this plaque and the stories it tells. It serves as a reminder of a crucial period in American history. The Civil War Defenses of Washington D.C. helped preserve the Union.