Battery Mount Vernon

Battery Mount Vernon (1898-1917) - Battery Mount Vernon was a three gun concrete Endicott Period 8" gun battery located on Fort Hunt, Fairfax County, Virginia. The Battery was named on 14 Mar 1900 for Gen. George Washington's nearby home at Mount Vernon. Battery construction started 16 Dec 1896, was completed 15 Aug 1898 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 13 Jan 1900 at a total cost of $81,848.00. Deactivated in 1917.

Battery Mount Vernon Panorama

History

Part of the Harbor Defense of the Potomac.

Battery Mount Vernon was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 8" gun battery with one M1888MII and two M1888MI guns mounted on M1894 Carriages.

The battery consisted of three 8" gun emplacements 143' apart separated by the main battery structure with a separate shell room and cartridge room to the left of each gun emplacement. The shells were stored on the lower level and moved to three Raymond Taylor shell hoists which moved the shells from the lower level to the loading level

The carriages were sent to Fort Hunt in late 1897 and early 1898 from the Watertown Arsenal and the guns were mounted by 1 Apr 1898. The Battery was deactivated in 1917 and the guns were removed on 21 Dec 1917 and shipped to Watervliet. The carriages were all scrapped in May of 1918.

**Battery Mount Vernon Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	8" Rifle	278.5"	M1888MII	53	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1894, #15, Watertown	1900-1917	See Note 1 Rounds fired 29
2	8" Rifle	278.5"	M1888MI	35	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1894, #17, Watertown	1900-1917	See Note 1 Rounds fired 37
3	8" Rifle	278.5"	M1888MI	31	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1894, #19, Watertown	1900-1917	See Note 1 Rounds fired 33
Source: Coast Defense Study Group, RCW Form 1 1 Feb 1919, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 108, 209 Note 1: Guns removed to Watervliet 21 Dec 1917 CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA, carriages scrapped May 1918 CDSG gun carriage card collection from NARA.

Current Status

On Fort Hunt National Park, Fairfax County, Virginia. No period guns or carriages are in place.

Location:On Fort Hunt National Park, Fairfax County, Virginia.

Maps & Images

Lat: 38.7149997 Long: -77.0518988

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Elevation: 62.7'

Sources:

Links:

CDSG

Visited: 4 Apr 2009