Battery Anderson

Battery Anderson (1898-1942) - Battery Anderson was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Monroe, Virginia. The battery was named in G.O. 105, 9 Oct 1902 after BG Robert Anderson, U.S. Army, who commanded Fort Sumter in the defense of Charleston, South Carolina, during the U.S. Civil War, and who died 26 Oct 1871, at Nice, France. In 1906 mortar pits C and D were re-designated Battery Ruggles which was named in G.O. 20, 25 Jan 1906, in honor of BG George D. Ruggles, Adjutant General, U.S. Army, who served with distinction during the U.S. Civil War and who died 19 Oct 1904. Mortar pits A and B retained the Anderson designation. Battery construction started on 2 Apr 1896, was completed in November 1898 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use on 3 Dec 1898 at a cost of $ 48,670.06. Deactivated in 1943.

Battery Anderson-Battery Ruggles Data Booth	Battery Anderson-Battery Ruggles Magazine Entrance
Fort Monroe, Battery Anderson Mortar Pit D, Battery Ruggles Pit B

Battery Anderson History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Chesapeake Bay.

Endicott Period

Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal mortar battery with sixteen 12" M1890MI mortars mounted on M1896MI mortar carriages.

Battery Anderson Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
Mortar Pit A
A1	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		21	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #1, Robert Poole	1898-1917	See note 1
A2	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		25	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #7, Robert Poole	1898-1917	See note 1
A3	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		26	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #4, Robert Poole	1898-1918	See note 3
A4	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		5	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #3, Robert Poole	1898-1944	See note 2
Mortar Pit B
B1	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		6	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #12, Robert Poole	1898-1918	See note 3
B2	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		18	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #11, Robert Poole	1898-1942	See note 2
B3	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		4	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #10, Robert Poole	1898-1943	See note 2
B4	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		4	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #9, Robert Poole	1898-1942	See note 2
Mortar Pit C Renamed Battery Ruggles Pit A
C1	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		2	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #2, Robert Poole	1898-1917	See note 1
C2	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		12	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #5, Robert Poole	1898-1917	See note 1
C3	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		1	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #8, Robert Poole	1898-1943	See note 2
C4	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		10	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #6, Robert Poole	1898-1942	See note 2
Mortar Pit D Renamed Battery Ruggles Pit B
D1	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		7	Watervliet	Mortar, M1896MI, #306, Rarig	1898-1917	See note 1
D2	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		24	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #305, Rarig	1898-1917	See note 1
D3	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		17	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #304, Rarig	1898-1942	See note 2
D4	12" Mortar	142"	M1890MI		20	Bethlehem	Mortar, M1896MI, #303, Rarig	1898-1944	See note 2
Source: RCB 10 Oct 1903, RCW Form 1, 1 Jul 1919, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 140-143, 209 Note 1: Guns transferred out 22 Dec 1917. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 2: Ordered salvaged 1942-1944. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Note 3: Ordered dismounted 24 May 1918. CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA

Battery Anderson 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. The mortars of Battery Anderson-Battery Ruggles were impacted by the World War I redistribution but other factors contributed to the loss of eight of the sixteen mortars from the two batteries in 1917-1918. There was already a program in place to reduce the number of 12" mortars in each seacoast mortar pit to only two. This program was designed to reduce the number of men required to service the mortars and to improve efficiency by reducing crowding in the pit during salvos. In late 1917 and early 1918 Fort Monroe was ordered to dismount and prepare eight mortars for use abroad. Five of the dismounted mortars actually made it to France and the three others were shipped to storage. The end result was that each mortar pit contained two mortars.

World War II

The battery was declared obsolete on 29 Dec 1942 and the guns and carriages were ordered scrapped shortly after that.

Current Status

No period guns or mounts in place. Only mortar pit D of Battery Anderson (pit B of Battery Ruggles) is open to public access, all of the other pits are behind a barbwire fence.

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Location: Fort Monroe, Hampton City, Virginia Maps & Images Lat: 37.0188754 Long: -76.2982464 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 14.5'

Sources:

• Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library

Links:

Visited: 22 Jul 2010

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