Fort Belvoir, Va. (Sept. 11, 2014) - Two hundred years ago, part of the Battle of the White House was fought on Fort Belvoir. You might not know it because it's not written in the history books, said Patrick O'Neill, a former Fort Belvoir historian and independent researcher, historian and archaeologist.
O'Neill hosted a tour, Friday at the Belvoir Ruins trail and told the story of the longest battle of the War of 1812. Friday marked exactly 200 years, as the battle took place Sept. 1-5, 1814, he said. More than 15 people attended the tour.
"There is the trite (saying) that if you don't know history, you are doomed to repeat it," said retired Col. John Kelsey, a member of the Archaeological Society of Virginia, along with O'Neill. "I just think it's fun. I'm very interested in how people used to live and finding out more about major events from the past like the War of 1812."
O'Neill's book, "To Annoy or Destroy the Enemy: The Battle of the White House After the Burning of Washington," details what happened on the Potomac River as seven British warships made their way upriver to continue the attack on Washington in August 1814.
O'Neill said he immersed himself in learning about Fort Belvoir while working as interim historian on post, and learned more about the Battle of the White House, which started at Belvoir Neck, a bluff that is now part of the Belvoir Ruins trail.
"In 1814, this bluff physically overlooked the river and the deep channel comes right next to the bottom of the bluff. Not on the other side … right here," he said, standing at the top of the bluff now heavily covered by vegetation. "So the American's knew, going up to Washington, that if Fort Washington wasn't there, this was the best place to protect the river from anybody."
O'Neill said Americans, comprised of Virginia militia and military, fought against the British on the bluff.
"For over five days, these brave American citizen-soldiers and seamen fought against war-seasoned British seamen and marines at batteries erected on the bluffs at White House landing, almost at point blank range," he said. "The battle also included the first use of a torpedo device on the Potomac River, personally built by Robert Fulton. Their effort was America's first response to the attack on the nation's capital. Plus the battle also helped shape the attack on Fort McHenry one and a half weeks later, leading to the penning of 'The Star Spangled Banner' by Francis Scott Key."
Karen Connair, Defense Technical Information Center, said although she's worked at Fort Belvoir for 20 years, she was unaware of the battle that occurred at Belvoir Neck.
"I was unaware that there was a substantial battle -- probably the (longest) battle in Virginia, during the War of 1812 -- right near my workplace," she said. "Standing right here on the very location of that battle on its 200th anniversary, and knowing more about the events that took place here, brings that history to life and makes it very real to me."
Knowing what happened at Belvoir Neck brings awareness and respect to those who fought at the bluff in 1814, O'Neill said.
"(This place) has more significance than historians tend to give it," Kelsey said.
For more information about the Battle of the White House, read O'Neill's book, "To Annoy or Destroy the Enemy: The Battle of the White House After the Burning of Washington."
For a brief look at the War of 1812 and the fall of Fort Washington, visit www.nps.gov/fowa/historyculture/the-fall-of-fort-washington-and-the-battle-of-white-house-landing.htm.
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