Battery Ricketts Historical Marker

This historical marker is located just south of the still-visible earthworks of Battery Ricketts, a Civil War fortification that held artillery that protected nearby Fort Stanton. Both Fort Stanton and Battery Rickets were part of a system of defensive fortifications that protected Washington D.C. during the Civil War, and specific role played by these defenses were guarding the bridge that crossed the Anacostia River to the Washington Navy Yard and a bridge 2.5 miles upstream. Fort Stanton was the larger of the two and built first. Battery Rickets, which is also referred to as Fort Ricketts, was erected a few hundred yards to the west of Fort Stanton to cover a blind spot in the area's defensive line, which was called the Eastern Branch Line. The sites of both fortifications are covered by trees and are now part of Fort Stanton Park.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Washington D.C. was virtually unprotected. The sole fortification was Fort Washington twelve miles to the south. The Confederate state of Virginia was located across the Potomac River and Maryland, although it was part of the Union during the war, was a slave state.

Under the direction of General George B. McClellan, the commander of the Army of the Potomac and the Washington D.C. military district, fortifications started to be built surrounding Washington in 1861. This included Fort Stanton, which was named after the Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. It was a substantial fortification, featuring a perimeter of 322 yards, 18 artillery pieces, and two masonry magazine structures built in 1863-1864. It was manned by 483 soldiers. It appears battery Ricketts was built shortly after. It was smaller with a perimeter of 123 yards, four guns, and manned by 206 soldiers. By 1865, Washington D.C. was one of the most heavily fortified cities in the world. The defenses included 68 forts, 93 detached batteries, 20 miles of rifle pits, 32 miles of military roads, and 1,501 field and siege guns.

After the war, along with the other fortifications around the city, Fort Stanton and Battery Rickets were eventually decommissioned. Guns, equipment and construction materials were sold and over time nature reclaimed the land. Fort Stanton Park features a baseball field and recreation center.

"Battery Ricketts." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed January 18, 2023. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=10622.

"Fort Ricketts." National Park Service - Civil War Defenses of Washington. Accessed January 19, 2023. Last updated April 10, 2015. https://home.nps.gov/cwdw/learn/historyculture/-fort-ricketts.htm.

"Fort Stanton." National Park Service. Accessed January 18, 2023. Last Updated 20, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-stanton.htm.

"History and Culture." National Park Service - Civil War Defenses of Washington. Accessed January 19, 2023. Last Updated May 29, 2020. https://www.nps.gov/cwdw/learn/historyculture/index.htm.