Fort Scott (Arlington, Virginia)



Named for General Winfield Scott, who was then General-in-Chief of the Union Army, Fort Scott was a detached lunette constructed in May 1861 to guard the south flank of the defenses of Washington during the American Civil War. An historic marker and a small remnant of the fort are the only evidence of the site of the fort on the grounds of what is now the Fort Scott Park in Arlington County, Virginia. When originally built, the fort had a perimeter of 313 yards and emplacements for 8 guns. Construction of the defense of Alexandria to the west subsequently reduced the importance of the fort.

The fort is designated as a Historic District and is located in the Arlington Ridge community.