Commander James S. Ward,
well known as a scholar and an authority on tactics and gunnery, was
the first Union naval officer mortally wounded after the outbreak of
the Civil War. Ward well known because, among other accomplishments, he
was instrumental in establishing the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Union commanders understood that a
Confederate blockade of the Potomac was a serious threat to the main
supply line for Washington, D.C. As a result, a flotilla of seven navy
vessels under the command of James Ward were dispatched to protect the
waterway for shipping. In the earliest days of the war, that flotilla
was involved in an action to support the strategic redeployment of a
small Federal force at Mathias Point. During this action a Confederate
sniper shot Ward and he died shortly thereafter.
One of these forts was named after Commander Ward, and today Fort
Ward is the best preserved of this fort system. During the war, Fort
Ward was the fifth largest fort defending the Capitol and thus deterred
Confederate forces who never attacked its earthen walls. The Union Army
abandoned the Fort in December 1865, and shortly thereafter, any
salvageable materials were sold at auction.
The land is now owned by the City of Alexandria. During the time of
the war, the fort was a dusty (at times muddy) place, stripped of
vegetation and armed with cannons. Today, it is a manicured oasis of
greenery in the city of Alexandria.
On the grounds of old Fort Ward, Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site
serves as a park, educational center and cultural remembrance for those
who served here. The museum has exhibits on general Civil War topics as
well as interpretive programs specific to Fort Ward and Alexandria
during the Union occupation. Fort Ward can be entered at 4301 West
Braddock in Alexandria, Virginia.
The Fort is located relatively close to Inova Alexandria Hospital and Episcopal High School. The surrounding area is a mixture of very high end housing, middle class housing and is located not far from Skyline and the condos near I-395. To search the surrounding area check out West End Alexandria.
