|Fort Calendar||Fort Blogs||
Fayetteville Arsenal (1838-1865) - A U.S. Army arsenal established in 1838 in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. Surrendered to North Carolina militia forces as the U.S. Civil War began and turned over to the CSA in 1861. Destroyed by Union General William T. Sherman in 1865. Also known as North Carolina Arsenal.
Fayetteville Arsenal History
The cornerstone for the U.S. arsenal at Fayetteville was laid 9 Apr 1838. The arsenal was built with a surrounding wall that had octagonal towers at each corner and a central iron main gate. The main arsenal building was centered in the compound while most of the shop buildings, officer's quarters and barracks lined the inside of the arsenal's walls. The arsenal was completed in 1853 but not equipped until 1857.
The arsenal was surrendered to North Carolina militia forces as the U.S. Civil War began and turned over to the CSA in May 1861. Equipment from the captured Harper's Ferry Arsenal was used to supplement the existing equipment. Under CSA control the arsenal produced about 10,000 rifles, 900,000 rounds of ammunition along with signal rockets and friction primers.
The arsenal was destroyed by Union General William T. Sherman in March 1865 during his Carolinas campaign. The stores and equipment had all been removed to other locations by the time Sherman's troops arrived. Sherman destroyed the remaining property and buildings reducing them to rubble and burning the remains.
Some of the arsenal building foundations can be seen in Arsenal Park in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. Several interpretive panels detail some of the buildings including the Southwest Tower, the Gun Carriage and Turning Shop, Engine House, and the Forging and Casting Smith's Shops.
Location: Arsenal Park, Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina.
Maps & Images
Lat: 35.054027 Long: -78.894402
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 614
- North American Forts - Fayetteville Arsenal
- Wikipedia - Fayetteville Arsenal
- Waymarking - Fayetteville Arsenal
Fayetteville Arsenal Picture Gallery
Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!