Fort Greble (2)
Fort Greble (2) (1898-1946) - An Endicott Period Coastal Fort first established in 1898. Named in G.O. 59, 1898, after 1st Lt. John T. Greble, 2nd U.S. Artillery, the first regular Army officer killed in the U.S. Civil War. Abandoned in 1946.
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Endicott Period
Part of the Harbor Defense of Narragansett Bay.
Construction of the four Endicott Period gun batteries began in 1897 and was complete by 1904 at a total cost of $ 334,809.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Sedgwick | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1898-1900-1901-1942 | $ 140,837 | 4 Mortars removed 1918 |
| Battery Hale | 3 | 10" | Disappearing | 1897-1898-1898-1942 | $ 99,035 | |
| Battery Mitchell (2) | 3 | 6" | Pedestal | 1903-1904-1905-1917 | $ 85,360 | Guns to France 1917 |
| Battery Unnamed | 1 | 6" | Armstrong | 1898-1903 | $ ? | Destroyed for Mitchell |
| Battery Ogden | 2 | 3" | Balance Pillar | 1900-1900-1900-1920 | $ 9,577 | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
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. During the World War I conflict Fort Greble lost four of the eight mortars at Battery Sedgwick and all three of the 10" guns at Battery Hale to other locations.
After the war, a significant reduction was made in coastal armament and Battery Ogden was disarmed and the guns shipped off.
World War II
At the beginning of World War II only Battery Sedgwick and Battery Mitchell remained armed and they were both considered obsolete. Both of these batteries were outranged and too slow firing to be useful and they were scrapped in 1942 during the first large scale scrap drive of the war. Most of the remaining 12 inch coastal mortar batteries were also victims of the War Department's quota in this scrap drive. At the end of 1942 Fort Greble had none of the Endicott Period batteries armed and may only have had only two 3" anti-aircraft gun on post.
Current Status
Part of Dutch Island State Wildlife Management Area Park.
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Location: Dutch Island State Wildlife Management Area Park, Dutch Island, Newport County, Rhode Island. Maps & Images Lat: 41.5030556 Long: -71.4005556 |
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 702
- U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Narragansett Bay, (HDNARB-AP-45), 1 Feb 1945, CDSG
- Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library
Links:
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