Fort H.G. Wright

Fort H.G. Wright (1898-1948) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1898 in Suffolk County, New York. Named in G.O. 43, 4 Apr 1900, after MG Horatio G. Wright, U.S. Volunteers, a distinguished officer of the U.S. Civil War, and Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army, 1879-1884. Abandoned in 1948. Fort H.G. Wright 1902 Barracks 120 man Fort H.G. Wright 1902 Field Grade Quarters Endicott Period Part of the Harbor Defense of Long Island Sound. Fort H.G. Wright 1908 PX Construction on the coastal gun batteries of Fort H.G. Wright began in 1898 with three disappearing gun batteries, Battery Butterfield, Battery Barlow (2) and Battery Dutton These three batteries were all accepted for service on the same day, 7 Mar 1901. This first round of Endicott Period batteries was expanded to include Battery Clinton, a 12" mortar battery started in 1900 and completed in 1902. The second set of batteries was begun in 1902-1903 and completed in 1904-1906. These included smaller caliber batteries, Battery Hamilton (2), Battery Marcy, Battery Hoffman and Battery Hoppock. Initial post construction began in earnest in 1900 and by 1902 the small two-company coastal fort was essentially complete with two enlisted 109-man barracks, seven sets of officer quarters, four sets of NCO quarters, and numerous support buildings. The second round of post construction took place in 1908-1911 that expanded the post to accommodate a total of six companies by adding two large double 218-man barracks, seven additional sets of officer quarters, five sets of NCO quarters, and additional support structures including a PX and a larger hospital. In 1913 Fort H.G. Wright was designated the Headquarters of the Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound. Fort H.G. Wright Endicott Period Battery (edit list) Battery Click on Battery links below No. Caliber Type Mount Service Years Battery Cost Notes Battery Dynamite (4) 1 15" Pneumatic Unknown $ ? Battery Clinton 8 12" Mortar 1900-1902-1902-1943 $ 114,895 Battery Butterfield 2 12" Disappearing 1898-1900-1901-1945 $ 110,000 Battery Barlow (2) 2 10" Disappearing 1898-1900-1901-1939 $ 110,000 Battery Dutton 3 6" Disappearing 1898-1900-1901-1945 $ 78,000 Battery Hamilton (2) 2 6" Disappearing 1903-1905-1905-1917 $ 52,250 Battery Marcy 2 6" Disappearing 1903-1906-1906-1917 $ 50,000 Battery Hoffman 2 3" Pedestal 1902-1904-1904-1946 $ 13,471 Battery Hoppock 2 3" Pedestal 1903-1905-1905-1946 $ 17,250 Source: CDSG Fort H.G. Wright 1921 Plan World War I 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. In 1917 Battery Marcy, Battery Hamilton (2) and Battery Barlow (2) were all directed to dismount their guns for service abroad. In 1918 Battery Barlow was ordered to remount its guns but the guns for the two 6" batteries were shipped to Watervliet Arsenal and then to France. Battery Marcy and Battery Hamilton (2) were not rearmed. In May of 1918 four of Battery Clinton mortars were ordered dismounted and prepared for shipment. This left each mortar pit with the two rear mortars, reducing crowding in the pits and the manpower required to salvo the battery. The post expanded during World War I but with temporary buildings. The expansion can be seen in the 1921 plan above. By 1930 most of the temporary WWI buildings were gone. World War II Fort Wright HECP Drawing Fort H.G. Wright World War II Battery (edit list) Battery Click on Battery links below No. Caliber Type Mount Service Years Battery Cost Notes Battery 111 2 16" Casemated Barbette (CBC) 1943-1944-1944-1947 $ 1,782,001 Wilderness Point Battery 214 2 6" Shielded Barbette (SBC) 1943-1944-1944-1947 $ 236,354 Wilderness Point Battery 215 2 6" Shielded Barbette (SBC) 1942-1942-1943-1946 $ 228,769 Race Point Battery Hackleman (2) 2 3" Pedestal 1942-1942-1944-1946 $ 11,801 North Hill Battery AMTB 913 2 2 90mm 90mm Fixed Mobile 1943-1943-1943-1946 $ 7,458 Battery AMTB 914 2 2 90mm 90mm Fixed Mobile 1943-1943-1943-1946 $ 14,251 Goshen Point Battery AMTB 915 2 2 90mm 90mm Fixed Mobile 1943-1943-1943-1946 $ 20,615 Pine Island Battery AMTB 916 2 2 90mm 90mm Fixed Mobile Not Built $ 0 East Point Source: CDSG Fort H.G. Wright Partial Commanders List (edit list) Assumed Relieved Rank Name Cullum Notes 1906-08 1909-03-10  Lt. Col. Parkhurst, Charles Dyer 2422 Period in command overlaps that of next commander, according to the entry in Cullum's Register. 1908-10 1909-10  Lt. Col. Slaker, Adam 2652 Period in command overlaps that of previous commander, according to the entry in Cullum's Register. 1912-05-08 1913-10-07  Lt. Col. Davis, Richmond Pearson 3179 Dates are formatted in yyyy-mm-dd to sort correctly. The Cullum Number is the graduation order from the United States Military Academy by year and class rank and links to a page for the officer on the website version of the Cullum Register. Listings without a Cullum Number indicate that the person was not a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Current Status Fishers Island, Suffolk County, New York. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Fishers Island, Suffolk County, New York. Maps & Images Lat: 41.2536111 Long: -72.0302778 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 10' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 599 U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Long Island Sound, (HDLIS-AN-45), 15 Feb 1945, CDSG Links: North American Forts - Fort H.G. Wright Wikipedia - Fort H.G. Wright Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library Visited: No