A new Union Navy exhibition opened at Fort Ward Museum (4301 W. Braddock Road) on Oct. 2, and will be on display through 2026.
The “Aboard Ship with the Jack-Tars of the Union Navy” exhibition is being held in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy on Oct. 13, 1775, according to the city. Thousands of sailors, nicknamed jack-tars, helped blockade the 3,500 miles of Confederate coastline, catapulting the unit into the largest navy in the world. Hallmarks of the exhibition include examples of tools, clothing, weapons and personal items from the sailors. It also features a profile on Commander James Harmon Ward, the namesake of the fort, who was the first Union Naval officer to die in the war.
“A typical ship’s crew included men and boys of various ages and ethnic backgrounds, including a significant number of Black seamen who served on integrated crews,” the city said in a release.
Fort Ward was built in July 1861, after the Union army’s defeat at the first Battle of Bull Run.
The fort was completed in September 1861 and was named for Commander James H. Ward, the first Union naval officer to die in the Civil War. The initial earthwork fort had a perimeter of 540 yards and emplacements for 24 guns. After the Battle of Second Bull Run, Fort Ward was scheduled for rebuilding beginning in 1863. When the war ended in April 1865, the enlarged fort had a perimeter of 818 yards and emplacements for 36 guns. Throughout the Civil War Fort Ward served as a deterrent and never came under Confederate attack. It was abandoned in December 1865, and salvageable materials were sold at auction.
