Battery Powell (1)

Battery Powell (1) (1899-1943) - Battery James Powell is a concrete Endicott Period mortar battery located on Fort Worden, Washington. Named after Major James E. Powell who died on 6 Apr 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh during the U.S. Civil War. The Battery was begun in 1899, completed in 1901 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 16 Jun 1902 at a total cost of $81,051.06. The mortars were dismounted in 1942 during World War II.

Battery Powell Pit A

Battery Powell Pit B

Battery Powell (1) History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound. Designed to protect both the Straight of Juan De Fuca and the Admiralty Inlet to Puget Sound.

This Battery and Battery Brannan originally were built as one large mortar battery housing sixteen 12" M1890MI mortars on M1896MI carriages in a concrete battery with four mortar pits (A-D). The original battery was split into two batteries in 1908, mortar pits A and B became Battery Brannan and pits C and D became Battery Powell. Each of the mortars was capable of firing a seven hundred pound shell nine miles and proved accurate enough to hit a moving practice target seven miles away in 1913.

The plotting room for Battery Powell was located between mortar pits A & B in a separate building along the access road. An observation post was located at the top of the Battery on the left flank of pit B. Inside the walls of each pit is a "U" shaped corridor that was used to house the mortar projectiles and the separate powder bags used to propel them. Between Battery Powell and Battery Brannan was an underground complex that had various uses over the years but that was meant to contain the "war chest" of fuse materials for arming the projectiles. In May 1918 two mortars were removed from each pit leaving two mortars remaining in each pit. The mortars were removed because it proved difficult to load and fire four large mortars simultaneously and there was a requirement for mortars in the World War I European theater. Even with the removal of two mortars from each pit the rate of fire did not significantly drop.

The mortars were prepared for shipment and transported on U.S. Barge #5 towed by the U.S. Steamer Wilson to Seattle with the intent of shipping them to the war zone in Europe. This shipment arrived in Seattle on 30 May 1918 with sixteen 12" mortars, two mortars from each mortar pit of the following batteries:

• Battery Brannan, Fort Worden, 4 Total
• Battery Powell (1), Fort Worden, 4 Total
• Battery Seymour, Fort Casey (1), 4 Total
• Battery Bankhead, Fort Flagler, 4 Total

The four remaining mortars were removed in 1942, during World War II.

Battery Powell Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
A-1	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		16	Niles	Mortar M1896MI, 251, Rarig	1902-1942	See Note 1
A-2	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		1	Niles	Mortar M1896MI, 250, Rarig	1902-1918	See Note2
A-3	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		52	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 248, Rarig	1902-1942	See Note 1 Changed to A-2
A-4	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		15	Niles	Mortar M1896MI, 249, Rarig	1902-1918	See Note2
B-1	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		27	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 247, Rarig	1902-1942	See Note 1
B-2	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		105	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 246, Rarig	1902-1918	See Note2
B-3	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		22	Niles	Mortar M1896MI, 245, Rarig	1902-1942	See Note 1 Changed to B-2
B-4	12" Mortar	141.125"	M1890MI		20	Niles	Mortar M1896MI, 244, Rarig	1902-1918	See Note2
Source: RCW Form 1, Sep 1927, CDSG, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 140-145 Note 1: Guns and Carriages Ordered Salvaged 25 Oct 1942, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 2: Guns Sent from Fort Worden to Morgan 24 May 1918, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA

Battery Powell Plan

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 but empty. No guns or carriages are in place.

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Location: Artillery Hill, Fort Worden State Park Conference Center, Port Townsend, Washington Maps & Images Lat: 48.139502 Long: -122.769953 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 239'

Sources:

• Seacoast Defense Photos
• Fort Worden Guide, The Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, 2005, page 20-21
• Coast Defense Study Group, Press, Digital Library, Forums

Links:

Visited: 19 Jul 2008

Battery Powell (1) Picture Gallery

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  Battery Powell Pit B Fire Control Booth
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  Battery Powell Pit B Left Side