Battery Harris (1900-1917) - Battery Harris was a concrete Endicott Period 5" rapid fire gun battery located on Fort Howard (1), Maryland. The Battery was named 11 Feb 1902 for Col. David Harris, commander of an artillery regiment during the attack on Baltimore in 1814. Battery construction started in 1897, was completed in 1898 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 27 Oct 1900 at a total cost of $ 17,400.00. Deactivated in 1917.
Battery Harris Gun Emplacement #1Battery Clagett C.R.F. Station in Battery Harris Gun Emplacement #2
Battery Harris was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period rapid fire 5" gun battery with two M1897 guns mounted on M1896 balance pillar mounts.
The battery consisted of two 5" gun emplacements 56' apart with a separate magazine for each gun emplacement.
The carriages were sent to Fort Howard on 6 Apr 1900 from Detrick & Harvey. The Battery was deactivated in 1917 and the guns were removed on 5 Oct 1917 and shipped to Morgan Engineering Company for shipment to the war in France. The mounts were scrapped on 12 Dec 1918.
After the deactivation of Battery Harris a C.R.F. Station for Battery Clagett was built over the #2 gun emplacement. It was accepted 19 Nov 1920 at a cost of $ 2,285.
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 88, 208 Note 1: CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA, CDSG gun carriage card collection from NARA.
Current Status
On Fort Howard County Park, Maryland. No period guns or carriages are in place.
