Battery Stotsenburg

Battery Stotsenburg (1900-1942) - Battery Stotsenburg is a concrete Endicott Period 12" mortar battery located on Fort Winfield Scott (2), San Francisco County, California. Named after Col. John Stotsenburg, 6th U.S. Cavalry, a veteran of the Spanish-American War who was killed in the Philippines 23 Apr 1899. Work began on the Battery 6 Jul 1897, completed in 1898 and transferred for service 27 Apr 1900 at a cost of $130,188. Battery deactivated 1942.

Battery Stotsenburg Data Booth	Battery Stotsenburg Magazine Doors
Battery Stotsenburg Mortar Pit B

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.

Battery Stotsenburg was originally built with sixteen 12" M1890MI rifled steel mortars on M1896MI mortar carriages in a concrete battery with four mortar pits (A-D) in a straight line. In 1906 mortar pits C and D were renamed Battery McKinnon and pits A and B retained the Battery Stotsenburg name. This was a single level mortar battery with the mortar loading platforms on the same level as the magazines. Shells were brought from the magazines by shot carts. No shell or powder hoist were provided or needed. The concrete magazines were built between the mortar pits and covered with some 20' of earth. Electrical power was furnished from a central power plant and a backup emplacement power plant.

Battery Stotsenburg Armament (edit list)

Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model		Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
A-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		22a	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 62, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
A-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		33	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 60, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
A-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		47	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 63, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
A-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		35	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 61, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
B-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		31	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 66, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
B-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		30	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 64, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
B-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		49	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 67, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
B-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		6	Niles	Mortar M1896MI, 65, Southwark	1900-1942	See note 2
C-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		34	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 91, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2 & 3
C-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		36	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 95, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 2 & 3
C-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		23	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 94, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 1 & 3
C-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		28c	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 96, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1 & 3
D-1	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		39	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 85, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2 & 3
D-2	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		46	Watervliet	Mortar M1896MI, 79, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1 & 3
D-3	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		28d	Builders	Mortar M1896MI, 86, Robert Poole	1900-1942	See note 2 & 3
D-4	12" Mortar	140"	M1890MI		22b	Bethlehem	Mortar M1896MI, 80, Robert Poole	1900-1918	See note 1 & 3
Source: RCW Form 1, 1 Mar 1920, 1 Sep 1923 Note 1: Mortars and Carriages transferred to Battery Howe (2), Fort Funston 18 Jun 1918 Note 2: Mortars & carriages salvaged 19 Nov 1942 Note 3: Pit C & D redesignated Battery McKinnon 25 Jan 1906

Battery Stotsenburg Plan 1920

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. As of 18 Jul 1918, four 12" mortars and carriages from Battery Stotsenburg were listed for transfer to Grays Harbor Military Reservation (j19). This listing was suspended on 30 Apr 1919 pending further study of the use of railroad artillery in the defenses of Grays Harbor Military Reservation (m10). The mortars were never shipped to Grays Harbor Military Reservation and Battery Stotsenburg seems to have kept all eight mortars until the start of World War II.

World War II (1941-1945)

The mortars of Battery Stotsenburg were obsolete at the beginning of World War II. They were all ordered scrapped 19 Nov 1942 during the first large scale World War II scrap drive.

Current Status

No period guns or carriages in place.

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Location: Fort Winfield Scott, San Francisco County, California Maps & Images Lat: 37.795292 Long: -122.473789 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 339'

Sources:

• Kent, Matthew W., Harbor Defenses of San Francisco - A Field Guide 1890 to 1950, Copyright 2009, Blurb, ISBN 978-1-61584-163-9, page 40-41
• U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project Harbor Defenses of San Francisco, (CCA-P-SFB), 15 Nov 1945, CDSG

Links:

• Angelfire
• California Military Museum
• National Park Service
• CDSG

Visited: 22 Aug 2009

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