The Tragedy Of Arsenal: Lost 21 Mothers, Sisters, And Daughters: Washington Arsenal Civil War Bullet

In 1864, residents of Washington, D.C., mourned together at the largest funeral the district had ever seen. In the midst of the Civil War, the poor Irish neighborhood of the Island lost twenty-one mothers, sisters, and daughters. On June 17, dangerous working conditions and a series of unfortunate events led to the deadly explosion of a Federal arsenal at Fort McNair, where the young women made cartridges to assist the war effort. In the wake of the horrific event, a monument was erected at Congressional Cemetery to honor those who were lost. The author similarly memorializes these women through his book, detailing the poor working conditions, the investigation into the avoidable events leading to the tragedy, and the reaction of a community already battered by the Civil War.

For all readers of Washington history, this book is all. The Arsenal tragedy tells us so much about the city, its neighborhoods, the war effort and toll it took on the city and the nation, Lincoln as both parent and President, and how Washingtonians responded to a tragic event with courage and assistance. And the monument? Still there, recently restored, a site where the hands and heart can touch the past.