Battery Montgomery (2)

Battery Montgomery (2) (1904-1948) - Battery Montgomery (2) was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 6 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Monroe, Hampton City, Virginia. The battery was named in G.O. 78, 25 May 1903, after Maj. Lemuel P. Montgomery, 39th U.S. Infantry, who was killed 27 Mar 1814, in action at Horse Shoe Bend, Alabama. Battery construction started 17 Sep 1901, was completed in May 1903 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 30 Jun 1904 at a cost of $ 24,000.00. Deactivated in 1948. Endicott Period Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay. Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" M1900 guns mounted on M1900 pedestal carriages. This was a two-story gun battery with the guns located on the upper level and a common magazine and shell room on the lower level. Two manual Hodges back delivery shell hoists moved the projectiles from the magazine level to the gun loading level. The battery had two C.R.F. stations, one on each flank. Battery Montgomery (2) Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 15 Watervliet Pedestal, M1900, #33, Builders 1904-1917 See note 1 2 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 42 Watervliet Pedestal, M1900, #34, Builders 1904-1917 See note 1 1 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 39 Watervliet Pedestal, M1900, #39, Builders 1919-1941 See note 2 2 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 41 Watervliet Pedestal, M1900, #38, Builders 1919-1941 See note 2 Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Jul 1919, RCB, 1910, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 96-97, 209 Note 1: Guns transferred to Cape Henry 1917. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 2: Guns came from Battery Merrill, Fort St. Philip. Guns transferred to Watervliet 22 Nov 1941. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery Montgomery (2) Plan World War I The U.S. entry into World War I resulted in a widespread removal of large caliber coastal defense gun tubes for service in Europe. Many of the gun and mortar tubes removed were sent to arsenals for modification and mounting on mobile carriages, both wheeled and railroad. Most of the removed gun tubes never made it to Europe and were either remounted or remained at the arsenals until needed elsewhere. On 6 Feb 1917 the transfer of Battery Montgomery guns and carriages was authorized to an emergency battery at Cape Henry. On 18 Jul 1918, the guns and carriages were reported as having been transferred. In February 1919 two different sets of guns and carriages were transferred back to Battery Montgomery from Cape Henlopen and Cape May. World War II The two 6" guns of Battery Montgomery (#39 & #41) were transferred to Watervliet on 22 Nov 1941. It is unclear which guns were emplaced during the remainder of World War II. The battery is shown on the 1 Nov 1945 HD Supplement as lined out, probably indicating that it had been deactivated after the previous edition of the HD Supplement. In that same supplement, the battery is shown as active on the Tabulation of Seacoast Armament (dated 15 Nov 1943) as Tactical Battery #17 with two 6" guns M1900 on M1900 mounts. The supplement also shows the ammunition allowance for the battery as follows: Tactical Battery #17 Ammunition Allowances (as of 1 Nov 1945) Shells War Reserve Battle Allowance Central Reserve Notes HE 90 300 200 100 High-Explosive AP 108 900 600 300 Armour-Piercing Current Status This battery has been destroyed and no trace remains. Location: Fort Monroe, Hampton City, Virginia Maps & Images Lat: 37.014513 Long: -76.299834 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 27.7' GPS Locations: 37.01451, -76.299834 Battery Montgomery (2) Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Chesapeake Bay, (HDCB-AP-45), 1 Nov 1945, CDSG Links: Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library Visited: 22 Jul 2010