Battery Tolles

Battery Tolles (1903-1945) - Battery Cornelius Tolles is a concrete Endicott Period Battery located on Fort Worden, Jefferson County, Washington. Named in G.O. 194, 27 Dec 1904, after Bvt. Colonel Cornelius W. Tolles, U.S. Volunteers (Captain 13th U.S. Infantry) who died 8 Nov 1864 from wounds received in action at Newton, Virginia 16 Oct 1864 during the U.S. Civil War. The Battery was begun in Jun 1903, completed in 1906, and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use on 21 May 1907 at a total cost of $104,500. The last of the guns were removed in 1945 after World War II. Battery Tolles-A, Gun Emplacement #2 Battery Tolles-B, Gun Emplacement #2 Battery Tolles-B, Magazine Endicott Period (1890-1910) Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound. Battery Cornelius Tolles was originally built with four 6" M1903 guns on M1903 disappearing carriages. Battery Tolles Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 6" Rifle 277" M1903 66 Watervliet Disappearing, M1903, #60, Detrick & Harvey 1907-1943 Rounds fired 47 2 6" Rifle 277" M1903 58 Watervliet Disappearing, M1903, #59, Detrick & Harvey 1907-1943 Rounds fired 46 3 6" Rifle 277" M1903 50 Watervliet Disappearing, M1903, #58, Detrick & Harvey 1907-1917 Rounds fired 36 4 6" Rifle 277" M1903 39 Watervliet Disappearing, M1903, #56, Detrick & Harvey 1907-1917 Rounds fired 35 Source: RCW Form 1, Aug 1921, RCB 31 Dec 1909 Battery Tolles Plan World War I (1917-1918) 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. The guns in emplacements 3 and 4 were removed on 31 Dec 1917 during World War I. In Nov 1936 modifications to gun emplacements, 3 and 4 were begun to accommodate the installation of two 6" M1900 guns with M1900 Barbette Carriages. The modifications included raising the gun platform with reinforced concrete pads, installing access stairs, and converting a storeroom to a plotting room. The resulting changes to these two emplacements became known as Battery Tolles-B. The original two disappearing guns were designated Battery Tolles-A. The two guns and carriages for Battery Tolles-B were obtained from the installation at Willapa Bay at Cape Disappointment Washington. These same guns had previously been installed at Battery Freeman on Fort Stevens, Oregon, and moved to Willapa Bay in 1917. Modifications to Tolles-B were completed on 30 Jun 1937 and transferred on 23 Aug 1937. World War II (1941-1945) Additional modifications were made to Battery Tolles-B in 1943 that included the installation of an SCR 296 Radar southwest of the battery. The remains of the transmitter building can be seen alongside the road. On 12 Aug 1943, the original two 6" disappearing guns in Battery Tolles-A were removed and in 1945 the two 6" guns in Battery Tolles-B were salvaged Battery Tolles-B Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 8 Watervliet Barbette, M1900, # 25, Watervliet 1937-1945 Transferred from Willapa Bay 1937 2 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 4 Watervliet Barbette, M1900, # 24, Watervliet 1937-1945 Transferred from Willapa Bay 1937 Source: RCW Form 1, 14 May 1942 Current Status Part of the Fort Worden State Park Conference Center. The Battery is accessible to the public and the rooms are clean and dry, with some graffiti. No guns or carriages are in place. Location: Fort Worden State Park Conference Center, Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington Maps & Images Lat: 48.142351 Long: -122.769985 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 188' GPS Locations: 48.142351, -122.769985 Battery Tolles Sources: Fort Worden Guide, The Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, 2005, pages 23-24 U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project, Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound, (CCA-AN-PS), 12 Aug 1945, CDSG Links: Seacoast Defense Photos Battery Tolles Virtual Tour CDSG Fortification ID: WA0063 - Battery Tolles Visited: 19 Jul 2008 Picture Gallery Battery Tolles-A Battery Tolles-A, Gun Position #2 Battery Tolles-A, Gun position #2 Battery Tolles-A, Magazine Building Battery Tolles-B, Gun Position #1 Battery Tolles-B, Gun Position #2 Battery Tolles-B, Plotting Room Fort Worden, Battery Tolles-B, Room Battery Tolles-B, Store Room Battery Tolles-B SCR296 Radar Transmitter Building