|
In 1808, Fort Warburton was built on the Maryland side
of the Potomac River, less than 10 miles south of
Washington, DC. The fort was built to protect the capital
from an approaching enemy navy. Completed in 1809,
the fort lasted only five years. British forces
landed at Benedict, MD on August 19, 1809, and entered
Washington, DC on August 24. With British forces in
Washington, and a British fleet approaching from the
south, fort commander Capt. Samuel Dyson evacuated his
men and detonated the fort's powder to keep it out
of enemy hands. Dyson was later court-martialed for
abandoning the fort.
After the fort was destroyed, acting secretary of war James
Monroe hired Pierre Charles L'Enfant - architect of
Washington DC - to rebuild the fort. Due to differences in
opinion over the plans, L'Enfant was replaced by Lt. Col.
Walker Armistead (brother of Major George Armistead, who
led the defense at Fort McHenry). The new Fort Washington
was completed in 1824.
In 1856, a small light was constructed on the wharf at Fort
Washington. The light was built with the provision that
"the light shall be placed upon the wharf and not within
any of the fortifications; and that the light keeper shall be
subordinate to the military command of the post and public ground
in all that relates to police and discipline."
The original light was an 18.5-foot cast-iron column with
a small light on top. The light was so poor that it was replaced
with a sixth-order lens in 1869. A fog bell tower was constructed
in 1882, and a keeper's residence completed in 1885.
By 1900, the light was deemed approximately 6-8 feet too short.
With no funding forthcoming, a platform for a lantern was placed
atop the fog bell tower. In 1902, the light stood at 28 feet.
Fort Washington served until 1939, when it was transferred to
the Department of the Interior. The Department of War used the fort
during World War Two, after which fort management reverted to
the Department of the Interior. Today the fort is administered
by the National Park Service and is open to the public.
A light is still displayed from the fog bell tower.
Bay Beacons, Turbyville pp. 84-87
The Lighthouses of the Chesapeake, de Gast p. 51
Lighting the Bay: Tales of Chesapeake Lighthouses, Vojtech p. 168
Fort Washington flyer, National Park Service
|
