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    Fort Myer
    Fort Myer
    Fort Myer
    Ebook184 pages1 hour

    Fort Myer

    By John Michael

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    About this ebook

    Overlooking Washington, DC, Fort Myer holds a commanding view of America s capital. Built in 1863 from the Custis-Lee estate, one of 70 defensive Civil War fortifications of the capital, this historic US Army post was known as Fort Whipple. As the war ended and reconciliation began, only this fort remained and was later renamed to honor the US Army s first signal officer, Brig. Gen. Albert J. Myer. These acres of Arlington Heights are distinguished by unique events, including the beginnings of military aviation, the Army Cavalry showcase, The Three Sisters, and the National Weather Bureau. During World War I, Army officers trained here to fight Over there, and today two units call Fort Myer home: the Army Band ( Pershing s Own, since 1942) and the 3rd Infantry ( The Old Guard, since 1948). Photographs and text present the evolution of this national landmark in its first 100 years, including its buildings, people, and events.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateJun 13, 2011
    ISBN9781439642344
    Fort Myer

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    • 5/5
      A wonderful book about an army installation steeped in military tradition, pomp and circumstance. I was surprised to learn about the Soldiers Circus formed by then COL George S. Patton.
    • 5/5
      A comprehensive display in over 200 historical photographs of the first 100 years of this US Army Post with a special treat of a note from Abraham Lincoln

    Book preview

    Fort Myer - John Michael

    Michael.)

    INTRODUCTION

    At Fort Myer today, the history-makers are the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard; the US Army Band, Pershing’s Own; and Headquarters Company of the US Army. Yet Fort Myer’s history goes back all the way to the US Civil War. Built in June 1863, it was first named Fort Whipple after Maj. Gen. Amiel Weeks Whipple, who was killed in the battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863. Some say that the location was chosen because that is where the general ordered an observation balloon launched to spy on the Confederates. The area of the present-day installation also includes where Fort Cass, a lunette, was built in August 1861 as the first line of defense and part of the Arlington Line.

    On April 12, 1861, the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter, and the US Civil War began. On May 24, 1861, Union troops crossed the Potomac and commanded the high ground surrounding and including the Custis-Lee mansion. After the defeat at Bull Run, given the closeness of the Confederates, Union general George B. McClellan became concerned about the safety of the nation’s capital. Although several forts were constructed in early 1861—the first at the two bridges that crossed the Potomac, Fort Jackson at Long Bridge and Fort Haggerty at Aqueduct Bridge—additional fortifications were planned and built. These included several lunettes such as Fort Cass, which was carved from the acreage of the original Custis-Lee estate.

    In 1862, Maj. Gen. John Gross Barnard was named chief engineer of the Army of the Potomac. He has also been called the Father of the Defenses of Washington, DC. General McClellan conceived where to place the capital’s defenses, and Major General Barnard designed and oversaw the construction. By the end of the war, a network of nearly 70 fortifications and over 90 batteries would be built to surround and defend the US capital. Around each fort and battery, the land was clear-cut for two miles in all directions to provide a clear line of sight and fire for the artillery. Most of the wood collected from the clear-cutting was used to construct these military compounds. The forts were earthworks with bombproofs and very few permanent buildings.

    Upon inspection of the defenses, it was determined that additional fortifications were needed. In augmenting the Arlington Line that was built in 1861, several fortifications were added, one of them on Arlington Heights to redouble the presence of Fort Cass. This was Fort Whipple, which was completed in June 1863. Facing west, it stood on the high ground to the northeast, a bastioned earthwork. It had a perimeter of 658 yards and emplacements for 43 guns.

    From July 1861 to October 1862, Maj. Gen. Amiel Weeks Whipple, the fort’s namesake, was involved with the defenses of Washington, ultimately as a brigadier general commanding a division of volunteers headquartered at the Custis-Lee mansion. On August 28, 1861, he ordered a balloon aloft to survey the Confederates from a spot where the fortification bearing his name would be built. General Whipple died in Washington on May 7, 1863. President Lincoln attended his funeral and said that he was there as a friend of the family and not as president of the United States. The president not only gave his autographed photograph to the widow, but he gave a presidential appointment to the older son of his friend—as referenced in a note found on page 15 of this book. After Lincoln was assassinated, another note was found on his desk asking his successor, if anything happened to him, to appoint the younger son of General Whipple to Annapolis. This was duly done by Pres. Andrew Johnson.

    The first occupants of the fort belonged to the 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment under the command of Lt. Col. L.P. Wright. In July 1864, Lt. Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie was promoted to colonel; he became the commander of the garrison and of the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery Regiment. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant proclaimed that Mackenzie was the most promising officer of the Army. Mackenzie would go on to command the famed Buffalo Soldiers of the 24th Infantry and ultimately achieve the rank of brevet brigadier general.

    When the Civil War ended, the fortifications around Washington, DC, were abandoned. Only Fort Whipple would survive to the present day. In 1881, it was renamed for the US Army’s first signal officer, Maj. Gen. Albert J. Myer. The installation was the first headquarters of the US Army’s Signal Corps School.

    As the last one standing, Fort Myer is still an active duty US Army post today that has the distinction of hosting many unique events and historic firsts. Names such as Myer, Sheridan, Barnard, Greely, Henry, Hatfield, Wainwright, Joyce, and Patton have contributed greatly to molding the Arlington Heights acres that have become present-day Fort Myer. Among them are the beginnings of military aviation, the first aviation fatality, a showcase for the US Army Cavalry (both cavalry regiments of the famed Buffalo Soldiers had troopers who were posted here), the first location of The Three Sisters (three radio towers erected by the US Navy, one 600 feet and the other two 450 feet tall, that were the first wireless communications towers, built in 1913), the Society Circus, the first application of the telephone, and origin of the National Weather Service. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. would especially leave his mark on Fort Myer, since he was posted here four times during his career: the first from 1911 to 1913, the second from 1920 to 1922, the third from 1932 to 1935, and the fourth from 1938 to 1940, when he was both post commander and commander of the 3rd Cavalry.

    In 1883, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan considered Fort Myer to be a strategic location to continue to defend the capital and also showcase the US Army’s cavalry. By an act of Congress in 1886, Fort Myer was redesignated as a military station. General Sheridan petitioned the secretary of war to establish it as a cavalry post. The Signal Corps School moved out, and the 6th Cavalry under the command of Maj. James Biddle moved in to occupy the post and defend Washington. It was formally designated a cavalry post in July 1887

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