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Description

This fine panoramic lithographic view of Fort Federal Hill in Baltimore Maryland offers a clear depiction of the fort's architectural and strategic prominence. Positioned by the Patapsco River, the fort, garrisoned by the 7th Regiment National Guard under Colonel Marshall Lefferts, stands as an emblem of the Civil War-era defense mechanisms in the border state of Maryland.

Constructed in the early months of 1861, the fortification was a direct response to the mounting tensions of the Civil War. The Union recognized the necessity to secure strategic locations, especially in Maryland, a state that held divided loyalties. Fort Federal Hill played a significant role in this defensive strategy, ensuring the Union's stronghold over the vital port city of Baltimore.

The lithograph vividly illustrates the fort's design, from its robust earthen walls housing numerous cannons to the two-story structures within its interior courtyard. A conspicuous watchtower on the Patapsco River indicates its surveillance function, emphasizing the fort's role in overseeing the city's maritime activities. Beyond the fort's confines, Baltimore's waterfront bustles with steamships and sailboats, highlighting the city's maritime significance during the 1860s.