New Guns for an Old Fort
Remnants of former gun emplacements are the reminders of the three generations of armaments that occupied this V-shaped Water Battery. Each generation reflects the latest technologies and precision in the manufacture of armaments.
1830 - The first guns to be positioned were considered adequate to sink the wooden-hulled ships of a passing naval flotilla.
1872-1898 - The fort was redesigned after the Civil War and made larger; more powerful guns were installed. New technology in casting from cannon made it possible to produce powerful 15-inch Rodman Cannon capable of hurling a 434-pound, 15-inch explosive sphere three miles. These guns were installed in 1896.
1898-1920 - A pair of rapid fire 4-inch guns of the Endicott period were placed on top of the thick concrete emplacement known as Battery White. The principal role of these two smaller guns was to protect the minefield in the river channel. These guns were part of a large and elaborate 341-acre fort system designed to sink heavily armored naval ships.
Marker can be reached from Fort Washington Road, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
