Battery Freeman

Battery Freeman (1902-1920) - Battery Freeman was built at Fort Stevens between Jul 1900 and Dec 1901 and was transferred for service 12 Nov 1900 at a total cost of $39,936.42. The battery was named on 27 Dec 1904 for Bvt.Col. Constant Freeman, Corps of Artillery, who served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

View of the site of Battery Freeman inside the Earthworks Fort

Battery Freeman History

A concrete Endicott Period battery facing the mouth of the Columbia River with two, 6" guns in barbette carriages and one 3" gun in a barbette carriage. The two, 6" guns were mounted in a concrete emplacement on the left side of the interior of the earthworks fort and the single 3" gun was mounted in a concrete emplacement on the right side.

The carriages were not available until Dec 1905 and the guns were mounted after the carriages were installed. The 6" guns were removed in 1917 and sent to Willapa Bay on the North Coast of Cape Disappointment, Washington. The 3" gun remained in place until 1920.

Current Status

No traces remain, destroyed in 1941 to make way for a parade ground.

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Location: On Fort Stevens, Oregon Maps & Images Lat: 46.206975 Long: -123.963 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 15'

Sources:

• Coastal Defense Study Group
• Hanft, Marshall, Fort Stevens: Oregon's defender at the river of the West, Your Town Press, 1980, page 161-165

Links:

Visited: 18 May 2008

Battery Freeman Picture Gallery

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