1870s System

1870s System (1870-1876) - Began with the end of the U.S. Civil War in 1865 and extended to the cutoff of Congressional funding for Seacoast fortifications in 1876. Followed by the Endicott Period. Little or no Congressional funding for seacoast defenses was provided in the years between the periods (1876-1890). Fort Baker, Battery Ridge Facing Alcatraz Fort Alcatraz Rodman Guns Battery Cavallo Built in 1870s, Armed in the 1890s, Shown here in a 1938 Aerial Photograph. Originally on Fort Lime Point later renamed as Fort Baker. The technological changes during the U.S. Civil War clearly obsoleted the Third System coastal defenses. The masonry Third System coastal fortifications could not stand up to large caliber rifled shipboard guns and ironclad vessels. These forts could be besieged and reduced to rubble in a short span of time with little cost to the attackers. Temporary fortifications surrounding major cities during the war had been constructed of earth and log works providing a relatively cheap and easily constructed defense. Earth and especially sand proved to have much more stopping power than masonry walls and any damage done could be repaired overnight. After the war these lessons were applied to coastal defenses so that instead of constructing large masonry forts, dispersed gun batteries with protective earthworks backed with stone or concrete instead of logs were built. The old forts were retained but only to provide strong points and suport for outlying batteries with occasional guns mounted on the barbette tier. In places where there was no Third System fort the batteries provided their own defense. See Also: Battery Cavallo Battery Ridge Fort Alcatraz Sources: Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 3rd Edition - PDF, CDSG ePress, McLean, VA, 2012, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, page 54-55 Links:

Coastal Forts of the United States in 1879 (edit list)

East Coast

Florida & Gulf Coast & West Coast

Fort Sullivan (1), Eastport, ME Fort Knox, Bucksport, ME Fort Popham, Parker's Head, ME Fort Gorges, Portland, ME Fort Scammel, Portland, ME Fort Preble, Portland, ME Portland Head Battery, Portland, ME Fort McClary, Kittery, ME Fort Constitution (2), Newcastle, NH Jerry's Point Battery, Portsmouth, NH Fort Independence (1), Boston, MA Fort Lee, Salem, MA Fort Warren (2), Boston, MA Fort Winthrop (1), Boston, MA Long Point Battery, Provincetown, MA Long Island Battery, Provincetown, MA Fort Andrew, Plymouth, MA Fort Standish, Plymouth, MA Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven, MA Clark's Point Fort, New Bedford, MA Fort Adams (1), Newport, RI Fort Wolcott, Newport, RI Dutch Island Fort, Jamestown, RI Fort Griswold, New London,CT Fort Trumbull, New London, CT David's Island, New Rochelle, NY Fort Schuyler (1), Long Island, NY Willett's Point, Long Island, NY Fort Columbus, New York Harbor, NY Fort Wood, New York Harbor, NY Fort Wadsworth, Narrows, New York Harbor, NY Fort Hamilton (1), Narrows, New York Harbor, NY Fort Lafayette, Narrows, New York Harbor, NY Sandy Hook Fort, Sandy Hook, NJ Finn's Point Battery, Salem, NJ Fort Mifflin, Philadelphia, PA Fort Delaware, Pea Patch Island, DE Fort McHenry, Baltimore, MD Lazaretto Point Fort, Baltimore, MD Fort Carroll (1), Baltimore, MD Fort Washington, Fort Washington, MD Fort Foote (1), Opposite Alexandria, VA Fort Monroe, Old Point Comfort, VA Fort Wool (1), Old Point Comfort, VA Fort Whipple (1), Georgetown, VA Washington Arsenal, Washington, DC Fort Macon, Beaufort, NC Fort Caswell, Smithville, NC Fort Johnston (2), Smithville, NC Fort Sumter, Charleston, SC Fort Moultrie, Charleston, SC Fort Johnson (1), Charleston, SC Castle Pinckney, Charleston, SC Charleston Barracks, Charleston, SC Fort Jackson, Savannah, GA Fort Pulaski, Savannah, GA Oglethorpe Barracks, Savannah, GA

Fort Clinch (1), Fernandina, FL Fort Marion, St. Augustine, FL St. Francis Barracks, St. Augustine, FL Fort Jefferson, Key West, FL Fort Taylor, Key West, FL Key West Barracks, Key West, FL Fort Brooke, Tampa, FL Fort Pickens, Warrington, FL Fort Barrancas, Warrington, FL Fort McRee, Warrington, FL Fort Gaines (1), Mobile, AL Fort Morgan (1), Mobile, AL Ship Island, Mississippi City, MS Fort Macomb (1),Lake Borgne, LA Fort Livingston, Barataria Bay, LA Battery Bienvenue, New Orleans, LA Tower Dupre, New Orleans, LA Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, LA Fort Jackson, Below New Orleans, LA Fort Pike (1), Below New Orleans, LA Fort St. Philip, Below New Orleans, LA Fort San Diego, Corpus Christi, TX San Diego, San Diego, CA Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA Angel Island, San Francisco, CA Fort Point (3), San Francisco, CA Lime Point Fort, San Francisco, CA Point San Jose MR, San Francisco, CA Presidio, San Francisco, CA Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco, CA Fort Stevens, Astoria, WT Fort Canby, near Astoria, WT Fort Townsend, Port Townsend, WT Vancouver Barracks, Vancouver, WT