"A" Fort and Battery Hill Redoubt-Camp Early, Civil War fort in Fairfax County, United States
"A" Fort and Battery Hill Redoubt-Camp Early is a fortified complex on about 25 acres with preserved Confederate earthworks and defensive trenches from the Civil War period. The site displays multiple layers of fortifications and embankments that trace the defensive position from the early 1860s.
Confederate troops under General Joseph E. Johnston built this fortification during winter 1861-1862 as part of a defensive line extending from Centreville to Dumfries. The position served as an important strategic point during the early stages of the war.
The fortification shows military building methods from the Civil War era and how soldiers constructed defensive positions across the landscape. Visitors can observe the earthworks and embankments that still reflect the strategic planning of that time period.
The fortification remains can be observed from public areas, though portions of the property may include private land that should not be entered. Visitors benefit from walking the grounds to follow the earthworks and understand the layout of the defensive position.
The site earned the nickname 'Measles Fort', likely from an outbreak of disease among the soldiers stationed there. This network of small redoubts helped slow Union advances, which influenced how Major General McClellan planned his military operations.
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