Battery Ripley

Battery Ripley (1901-1943) - Battery Ripley was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Revere, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. The battery was named in G.O. 78, 25 May 1903, after Major General Eleazer W. Ripley, U.S. Army, who served with distinction in the War of 1812 and who died 2 Mar 1839 at West Feliciana, Louisiana. Battery construction started in 1898, was completed in 1900 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 26 Jan 1901 at a cost of $ 110,645.58. Deactivated in 1943. Endicott Period (1890-1910) Part of the Harbor Defense of Boston, Massachusetts. Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with one 12" M1888MI gun and one 12" M1888MII gun both mounted on M1892 Barbette carriages. This was a two story battery with the guns located on the upper level and the magazines below. Shells were moved from the magazine level to the gun loading platform by two Hodges back delivery shell hoists. No powder hoists were provided. The Hodges shell hoists were replaced with Taylor-Raymond shell hoists 6 Sep 1918. Electrical power was furnished by the emplacement power plant and the Battery Sanders power plant. Battery Ripley Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 12" Rifle 440" M1888MII 8 Bethlehem Barbette, M1892, #25, Morgan 1901-1943 See note 1 2 12" Rifle 440" M1888MI 18 Watervliet Barbette, M1892, #26, Morgan 1901-1943 See note 1 Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Apr 1928, RCB 31 Dec 1909, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 136-137 Note 1: Guns and carriages ordered salvaged 14 Jun 1943. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery Ripley 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 of Battery Ripley were not affected by the World War I redistribution or the following 1920 disarmament program. World War II (1941-1945) Battery Ripley was a part of the Harbor Defenses of Boston plan until it was declared obsolete and no longer required on 27 May 1943. The guns and carriages were ordered salvaged on 14 Jun 1943. Current Status Buried on private property, Hull, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. No period guns or mounts in place. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Hull, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Maps & Images Lat: 42.306203 Long: -70.908911 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 98.4' See Also: Fort Revere Sources: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FUDS Archives Search Report, Findings, Fort Revere, Project No. D02MA021502, September 1995. Large PDF Download U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Boston, Massachusetts, (HDB-AN-45), 31 Jan 1945, CDSG Links: CDSG Visited: 9 may 2018