Last updated: December 16, 2023
Place
Information Panel: Welcome to Fort Washington's Waterside Trail
NPS/ Claire Hassler
Quick Facts
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Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
"The garrison to our great surprise, retreated from the fort and a short time afterward Fort Washington was blown up, which left the Capitol of America and the populous town of Alexandria open to the squadron without the loss of a man."
Self-Destruction
Explosions at Fort WashingtonAugust 27, 1814 surprised British and Americans alike. A British squadron slowly making its way up the Potomac expected resistance from the well-positioned fort. Alexandrians, fearing they were next after Washington's fall three days before, expected protection from the fort.
Samuel Dyson, U.S. Army captain in command decided his 45-man garrison would be no match for the British. He ordered the fort destroyed and was later court martialed for his decision.
Defenseless Alexandria negotiated surrender, and the British confiscated tobacco and other property. As the enemy withdrew down the Potomac with their prizes, angry Americans shot from shore and dispatched fire-ships with little effect.
Welcome to Fort Washington's Waterside Trail
Living where the land meets the water gives us everything we need: shelter in the woods, food to eat, and clean water to drink. Our climate promises a good life for the 15 million people and the more than 3,000 types of plants and animals that live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Certain soils and plant roots soak up much of the 30-40 inches of rain we receive each year. Leaves also absorb water, and forests slow a hard rain’s fall to earth. Woodlands shade the streams, and their roots hold stream banks in place. Pine trees and hardwoods layered over flowering shrubs, berry bushes, and wildflowers provide food and shelter for birds, mammals, insects, and turtles- just to name a few. In the clean, cool water nearby, fishes and shellfish feast on aquatic plants, and become food for larger fish, birds- like the Bald Eagle -and people.
When rivers flood, or when rain hits land without woodlands, fast running water takes everything in its path to the bay. Pollutants from our homes, yards, cars, and work also flow into the bay. To protect the water, plants, and animals that live here, ribbons of waterside (or riparian) buffers of forests line the rivers and streams. These waterside woodlands slow the erosion of soil and absorb extra nutrients, while also providing shelter and food for wildlife. Preserving even small sections of riparian habitat helps protect our largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay.
As a river meets the ocean, a dynamic world of daily and seasonal changes in saltiness and temperature becomes the home to unique plants and animals. The rhythmic tidal changes work like an engine producing food, and decomposing matter. Winter storms tear wetland plants into food for fishes and all microscopic life. These tiny aquatic plants and single-cell animals grow in abundance when nutrients churn up from the bay floor and flow off the land. In the spring, many different types of ocean fishes swim up rivers to eat and lay eggs, and then return again to the salty ocean. In the warm waters of summer, crayfish and shellfish find food, and become food. Throughout the fall, millions of migratory birds come to the Atlantic Flyway to feed on the plants, nutrients, fishes, and shellfish. Throughout the year, each part of the ecosystem depends on another in a powerful dance of life. Walking on this trail, you will see some of the plants and Animals that make their home in waterside woodlands.
"The garrison to our great surprise, retreated from the fort and a short time afterward Fort Washington was blown up, which left the Capitol of America and the populous town of Alexandria open to the squadron without the loss of a man."
Self-Destruction
Explosions at Fort WashingtonAugust 27, 1814 surprised British and Americans alike. A British squadron slowly making its way up the Potomac expected resistance from the well-positioned fort. Alexandrians, fearing they were next after Washington's fall three days before, expected protection from the fort.
Samuel Dyson, U.S. Army captain in command decided his 45-man garrison would be no match for the British. He ordered the fort destroyed and was later court martialed for his decision.
Defenseless Alexandria negotiated surrender, and the British confiscated tobacco and other property. As the enemy withdrew down the Potomac with their prizes, angry Americans shot from shore and dispatched fire-ships with little effect.
Welcome to Fort Washington's Waterside Trail
Living where the land meets the water gives us everything we need: shelter in the woods, food to eat, and clean water to drink. Our climate promises a good life for the 15 million people and the more than 3,000 types of plants and animals that live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Certain soils and plant roots soak up much of the 30-40 inches of rain we receive each year. Leaves also absorb water, and forests slow a hard rain’s fall to earth. Woodlands shade the streams, and their roots hold stream banks in place. Pine trees and hardwoods layered over flowering shrubs, berry bushes, and wildflowers provide food and shelter for birds, mammals, insects, and turtles- just to name a few. In the clean, cool water nearby, fishes and shellfish feast on aquatic plants, and become food for larger fish, birds- like the Bald Eagle -and people.
When rivers flood, or when rain hits land without woodlands, fast running water takes everything in its path to the bay. Pollutants from our homes, yards, cars, and work also flow into the bay. To protect the water, plants, and animals that live here, ribbons of waterside (or riparian) buffers of forests line the rivers and streams. These waterside woodlands slow the erosion of soil and absorb extra nutrients, while also providing shelter and food for wildlife. Preserving even small sections of riparian habitat helps protect our largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay.
As a river meets the ocean, a dynamic world of daily and seasonal changes in saltiness and temperature becomes the home to unique plants and animals. The rhythmic tidal changes work like an engine producing food, and decomposing matter. Winter storms tear wetland plants into food for fishes and all microscopic life. These tiny aquatic plants and single-cell animals grow in abundance when nutrients churn up from the bay floor and flow off the land. In the spring, many different types of ocean fishes swim up rivers to eat and lay eggs, and then return again to the salty ocean. In the warm waters of summer, crayfish and shellfish find food, and become food. Throughout the fall, millions of migratory birds come to the Atlantic Flyway to feed on the plants, nutrients, fishes, and shellfish. Throughout the year, each part of the ecosystem depends on another in a powerful dance of life. Walking on this trail, you will see some of the plants and Animals that make their home in waterside woodlands.