First, Second, and Third System Fort List
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Reference Guide 15 Harbor Defense Works of the First and Second Systems Derived from the article “Early Coast Fortification,” Coast Artillery Journal 70 (1929), pp. 134-144. In 1812 the results of the three programs— 1794, 1798, and 1807—were about as follows, all works being in good condition unless otherwise stated: Passamaquoddy: Fort Sullivan, erected on Moose Island in 1808-1809, was a circular battery of stone, mounting four heavy guns, covered by a blockhouse. Machias: Under the project of 1807 there was erected a circular battery of stone, mounting four heavy guns, covered by a blockhouse. Penobscot: Under the project of 1807 there was erected a small inclosed battery, mounting four heavy guns. Fort St. Georges, at Robinson’s Point, on the east side of St. Georges River, erected in 1808-1809, was a small inclosed battery, mounting three heavy guns. Damariscotta: On the southeastern angle of Narrow Island, and in the town of Boothbay, on the Damariscotta River, there was erected, under the project of 1807, a small inclosed battery, mounting three heavy guns, covered by a blockhouse. Edgecomb: On Davis’ Point, on the east side of Sheepscot River, there was erected a small inclosed battery, with six heavy guns, covered by a blockhouse, as a part of the project of 1807. Georgetown: On Shaw’s Point, on the west side of the mouth of Kennebec River, there was erected in 1808 an inclosed work, with a battery of six heavy guns. Portland: Fort Sumner, authorized in 1794, was built on the hill formerly occupied by Fort Allen as a small inclosed work with parapets supported by stone walls and sod; largely rebuilt in 1798-1799, and kept in repair until 1802; comprised also a blockhouse and a detached battery for heavy cannon near the water; rebuilt in 1808 as a battery of five guns, with a brick gunhouse containing four and eighteen-pounders on traveling carriages. Fort Preble (1808), on Spring Point, at the entrance to the harbor, was an inclosed star fort of stone and brick masonry, with a circular battery with flanks, mounting fourteen heavy guns. Fort Scammel (1808), on House Island, opposite Fort Preble, was a circular battery of masonry, mounting fifteen heavy guns covered in the rear with a wooden blockhouse mounting six guns. Portsmouth: Fort Constitution, on the eastern point of Newcastle Island, at the entrance to Piscataqua River, three miles below Portsmouth, was begun in 1794 as a fort of masonry and sods, with a citadel; practically rebuilt in 1800-1801, it was com- pleted under the project of 1807 as an irregular work of masonry, mounting thirty-six heavy guns. Fort McClary (1808), on Kittery Point, opposite Fort Constitution, was a circular battery of masonry, inclosed by earth and palisades, mounting ten heavy guns. In Portsmouth, a brick arsenal (1808) contained three 24-pounders and three 18-pounders on field carriages. Newburyport: On the east point of Plum Island, at the mouth of Merrimac River, an inclosed battery of timber and earth, mount- ing five heavy guns, was built as part of the project of 1807. Gloucester (Cape Ann): In 1794 a battery and a blockhouse were erected at the head of the harbor on the site of an old fort. Omitted from the project of 1798. An inclosed battery, mounting seven heavy guns, covered with a blockhouse, was erected under the project of 1807. Salem: Fort Pickering, situated on the west side of the harbor entrance, was erected in 1794 on the site of old Fort William as an inclosed work of masonry and sods; repaired in 1800 and improved in 1808 to mount six heavy guns. Marblehead: Fort Sewall, situated on the west point of the entrance to the harbor, erected in 1794 on the site of an old fort, was an inclosed work of masonry and sods, covered with a blockhouse; rebuilt in 1799 and improved in 1808 to mount eight heavy guns. Boston: Boston Harbor was included in the project of 1794, but delay in securing State approval of the plans prevented any work except a limited amount of repairs among the ruins of Castle William, on Castle Island, on the south side of the inner harbor. Fort Independence, a regular pentagon, with five bastions of masonry, mounting forty-two heavy guns, and two batteries for six guns, was begun in 1800, practically completed in 1803, and extensively repaired under the project of 1807. Fort Warren, on the summit of Governor’s Island, opposite Fort Independence, a star fort of masonry, mounting twelve guns, was erected under the project of 1807. On the south point and the west bead of the island, circular batteries of masorny, mounting ten guns each, were also constructed. Charlestown: Near the Navy Yard, on the point formed by Charles and Mystic Rivers, a circular battery of earth, on a stone foundation, mounting eight heavy guns, was erected in 1808. Plymouth: On Gurnet Point, at the entrance to the harbor, an old inclosed fort, mounting five guns, was repaired with stone and sod in 1808 New Bedford: On Eldridge Point, at the entrance to the inner harbor, an inclosed work of masonery, mounting six guns, was erected in 1808. 16 American Seacoast Defenses Newport: In 1794, a fort on Goat Island, a guard house on Tammany Hill, and a battery at Howland’s Ferry were erected. Fort Adams, on Briton (Brenton) Point, on the east side of the entrance to the harbor, was an irregular fort of masonry, with an irregular indented work of masonry adjoining it, mounting seventeen heavy guns, begun in 1798 and repaired and extended in 1808. Fort Wolcott, on Goat Island, in the center of the harbor, was a small inclosed irregular work, with open batteries, extending from two opposite flanks, of stone and earth, mounting thirty-eight heavy guns; principally built in 1798 on the site of the 1794 fort, and repaired and extended in 1808. On Rose Island, situated to defend the north and south passages of the harbor, a regular work of masonry with four bastions (two of them circular), to mount sixty guns, was begun in 1798, but was left unfinished. On a bluff of rocks called the Dumplins, on Conanicut Island, nearly opposite Fort Adams, a circular tower of stone, with casemates, was begun in 1798, but was left unfinished. On Eaton’s Point, at the north point of the town, an elliptical stone battery had been erected, but was in ruins by the end of 1811. In Newport were some guns on traveling carriages. Bristol: Ten guns on traveling carriages protected this town under the project of 1807. Stonington: A brick arsenal, with four 18-pounders on traveling carriages, was provided by the project of 1807. New London: Fort Trumbull, situated on the west side of the harbor, was an inclosed irregular work of masonry and sod, mounting eighteen heavy guns, erected during the Revolutionary War, repaired in 1794-1795, restored in 1799, and further improved in 1808. Groton: A fort of earth and sods was begun in 1794, but was left unfinished. New Haven: Fort Hale, on the eastern side of the harbor, was an elliptical inclosed battery, mounting six heavy guns, erected in 1808-1809. New York: Fort Jay, on Governor’s Island, within half a mile of the city, was a regular inclosed work, with detached batteries for heavy cannon and mortars. The first fort, of earth, with two detached batteries, which had been built in 1794-1795, was rebuilt in 1798-1801 at considerable expense; but in 1806 the whole was demolished except walled counterscarp, grate, sallyport, magazine, and two barracks) and removed as rubbish to make room for a new work of the same shape. Fort Columbus, built on the site of Fort Jay, was a regular inclosed pentagonal work of masonry, with four bastions and a ravelin, mounting sixty heavy guns. Castle William, on a projecting point of rocks at the western extremity of the island, begun in 1808, was a stone tower, with fifty-two 42 and 32-pounders, mounted in two tiers, under a bomb-proof roof with a terrace above intended to mount twenty-six 50-pounder Columbiads. Bedloe’s Island, nearly opposite Governor’s Island, was provided with a battery in 1794. Fort Wood, a star fort of masonry, mounting twenty-four heavy guns, with a brick arsenal, was erected in 1809-1810. Ellis (Oyster) Island, opposite Fort Columbus, was also provided with a battery in 1794-1795. Fort Gibson, an inclosed circular battery of masonry, mounting fourteen heavy guns, was erected in 1809 to cover the entrance to North River. In New York, a formidable battery of heavy cannon and mortars, erected at the southwest point of city in 1794-1795, was in ruins by 1806. Castle Clinton, an inclosed circular battery of stone, mounting twenty-eight heavy guns, was erected in 1809 about a hundred yards in front of the west head of the grand battery. Humbert Battery, an inclosed circular stone battery, mounting sixteen heavy guns, was built in 1809 one mile up North River. Within the city was a brick arsenal, with one brass 24-pounder, seven 12-pounders, 4 brass howitzers, and twenty-two iron 18-pounders, all on traveling carriages; and three miles above the city was a brick arsenal and laboratory. Sagg Harbor: Under the project of 1807, a brick arsenal, with four 18-pounders on field carriages, was provided. West Point: Fort Putnam was repaired and altered in 1794-1795. Philadelphia: A fort on Mud Island, seven miles below Philadelphia, was begun in 1794, and a large pier, as a foundation for a battery, was laid on a sand bar opposite the island.