American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents

BRADY, Mathew (1822-1896), photographer. Illustrations of Camp Life. Washington, DC: Mathew Brady. 2 1/2 x 3 3/8 in. albumen photograph on cardstock mount showing a Union artillery unit protecting Washington, DC (toning, some soiling, slight loss to top right edge of print and mount; mount trimmed). 

[With:] Uncredited 2 3/4 x 2 3/8 in. (visible) albumen photograph, matted and housed in 10 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. folk art carved frame (toning to print, unexamined out of frame). A manuscript label to verso identifies the scene as, "Interior of Fort Totten." 

Fort Totten was one of the forts constructed for the defenses of Washington and was named for Brigadier General Joseph Totten, Chief of Engineers. Construction of Fort Totten began in August 1861 and was finished by 1863. It was located on a ridge along the main road from Washington to Silver Spring, MD, about three miles north of the Capitol, and a half mile from the Soldier's Home, where President Lincoln spent his summers. It mounted 20 guns and mortars, including eight 32 pounders. The fort's 100 pounder Parrott rifle provided long-range support to Fort Stevens during Confederate General Jubal A. Early's attack on that fort on 11 and 12 July 1864. During the war, Fort Totten was manned by units of the 76th New York, the 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, the 136th and 137th Pennsylvania, Company A of the 4th US Artillery, the 150th Ohio National Guard, the 1st New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, and the 1st Vermont Heavy Artillery.