Walker Keith Armistead

From Wikipedia.

(1785-1845)  Served as Chief of Engineering for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Born in Virginia and graduated from West Point in 1803.  In 1812, promoted to Lt.Col. and served as chief engineer on the Niagara Frontier Army and later forces defending the Chesapeake Bay.  Died Upperville, Virginia.

He had four brothers serving during the War of 1812 and is buried at the Armistead Family Cemetery in Upperville, Fauguier County, Virginia.

I wrote about him as the chief engineer at Fort Washington, defending the nation's capital on the Potomac River.His brother commanded Fort McHenry during the famous attack almost 200 years ago.

His son was Gen. Lewis Addison Armistead, CSA, killed leading his men at Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863.

--Brock-Perry

Unearthing a Secret from the War of 1812

From the June 21, 2013, Hampton Roads (Va.) Daily Press by Mark St. John Erickson.

Another of those informative articles by the War of 1812 expert (also pretty good on the Civil War).

In 2004, Williamsburg archaeologist Alain Outlaw got a chance to probe a long-lost piece of Fort Norfolk just two weeks in advance of a downtown waterfront development project.

The City of Norfolk demolished a giant early 20th century warehouse that had covered the site.

Outlaw unearthed the remains of a defensive palisade thrown up by the Virginia militia to protect the fort from land attack.  The palisade was built by troops under the command of Captain Walker K. Armistead, and Army Corps of Engineers officer.  A c. 1780s well was also found.

Earlier fortifications dating to the War of 1812 have been destroyed, including the defensive works on Craney Island and Fort nelson, across the Elizabeth River from Fort Norfolk, which still remains.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Washington, Maryland

I mentioned this fort on a previous post this week, and having never heard of it, did a quick search for more information.

From Wikipedia.

Fort Washington borders Washington, D.C. and today has a town by the same name around it.  It was built in 1809 and on completion, was the only defensive fortification protecting the city. The fort is a stone structure and is on the Potomac River.  During the War of 1812, it was captured by the British three days after they burned Washington (they attacked from land).

The British soon left the fort and 12 days later, Major Pierre L'Enfant (the designer of D.C.) was sent to rebuild it, but a short time later was replaced by Lt.Col. Walker K. Armistead and the fort was completed in 1824.  Remodeled in the 1840s and had its first cannons installed in 1846.

Walker Armistead's brother George commanded Fort McHenry during the British attack that led to "The Star-Spangled Banner" and his son, Lewis was a Confederate general killed at the Battle of Gettysburg during Pickett's Charge.

Before the war, it was manned by the 1st, 3rd and 4th U.S. Artillery regiments.

Except for a few cannons at the Washington Armory, Fort Washington was the only defense of the city until the Civil War.

--Brock-Perry