Category:Fort Adams
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Fort Adams (1793-1946) - Fort Adams was built on the site of an early Patriot and French fort from 1780. Rebuilt in 1798 with 17 guns by Major Louis Tousard, it was named for President John Adams and opened on 4 Jul 1799. The first commanding officer of Fort Adams was Capt. John Henry of the 2nd U.S. Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers. From 1 Apr 1802 to Jul 1814 the fort was unmanned.
The War of 1812
The War of 1812 made it necessary to garrison with three companies of Rhode Island militia who were released from duty Feb 1815. After the war the fort was usually garrisoned by a company of regular artillerymen and operated as a subpost of Fort Wolcott until 1821 when the garrison was removed.
Expansion
The current structure was built beginning in 1824 under the supervision of Lt. Andrew Talcott and, starting 22 Feb 1825, Lt. Col. Joseph Totten, it took over 30 years to complete.
Throughout Totten's tenure as superintendent of construction he was assisted by a number of lieutenants in the engineer corps who had recently graduated from West Point. These included John G. Barnard, who commanded the defenses of Washington during the Civil War, George W. Cullum, who would become the superintendent of West Point and Pierre G. T. Beauregard who would become a general in the Confederate Army and commanded the attack on Fort Sumter at the begining of the Civil War.
The Outer Redoubt was built in 1825. The Fort is a massive work with structural walls constructed of local shale and Maine granite. Alexander McGregor, a Scots mason and Newport resident, oversaw the stonework, which is still relatively intact.
Features of Fort Adams that are uncommon or unique in United States military architecture include galleries under the ditches, counterscarp galleries, underground listening galleries tunneled under the glacis, and extensive outer defenses including the redoubt and tenailles, massive earth-filled, masonry cribs designed to protect the outer face of the fort's crown work from battering by a besieger's artillery.
Fort Adams was mostly complete by 25 Aug 1841 when it was garrisoned by two companies (F and I) of the 2nd U.S. Artillery Regiment. The Fort was placed under the command of Major Matthew M. Payne.
Mexican War
n April of 1847 Fort Adams was designated a "rendezvous and recieving depot for all troops raised in the Eastern States". In realitity the fort was used in this capacity only by the 9th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Truman B. Ransom of Vermont.
The first troops of the 9th Infantry to arrive at Fort Adams were a company raised in Rhode Island commanded by Captain Pitman. They arrived on March 11th and departed for duty in Mexico on March 26th. Colonel Ransom attempted to delay their movement on the grounds that he had not given his ascent to the order but was unsuccessful.
Other units of the 9th Infantry began to arrive on April 26th and continued to arrive until May 12th. The regiment shipped out for Mexico between May 21st and 28th. The regiment would see action at the battle of Chapultepec, where Colonel Ransom was killed on September 13th. (Ironically, a captain in the 9th Infantry named John S. Slocum would become colonel of the 2nd Rhode Island regiment at the beginning of the Civil War. He, too, would die at the head of his regiment at the Battle of Bull Run on July 21st, 1861.)
Franklin Pierce
Circa 1847
On May 19th, 1847 Brigadier General Franklin Pierce stopped briefly at Fort Adams on his way to Mexico. While at the fort the bulk of the 9th Infantry regiment was there awaiting transport to serve in Mexico. Pierce departed Fort Adams on the 28th, along with the last detachment of the 9th Infantry, and would serve with distinction in Mexico. He was elected president of the United States in 1852 and served from 1853 until 1857. (Newport Mercury, May 29th, 1847.)
At 10PM on Monday, July 5th, 1847 Fort Adams saluted president James K. Polk as his ship stopped at Long Wharf in Newport while he was returning from Boston to Washington. (Newport Mercury July 10th, 1847.)
U.S. Civil War
The Fort was used by the U.S. Naval Academy during the U.S. Civil War, reverting back to the Army when the Naval Academy moved to Newport. During the U.S. Civil War Fort Adams was rearmed, with new Rodman guns, 10-inch pieces in the casemates and 15-inch guns in open batteries atop the southwest bastion of the crown work. Later, the army constructed permanent batteries for 10- and 15-inch Rodman guns on the island.
Eddicott Era
Endicott Era The high ground at Fort Adams adjacent to the redoubt provided room for four gun batteries, including Battery Reilly with two 10-inch disappearing guns. Two batteries of 12-inch mortars were also located at Fort Adams.
Endicott era batteries on the west side include
- Battery Belton (1907-1925)
- Battery Bankhead (1907-1913)
- Battery Reilly (1899-1917)
- Battery Talbot (1899-1917)
- Battery Edgerton (1898-1943)
- Battery Greene (1898-1943), which was renamed Battery Gilmore in 1940
- Unnamed battery from 1898 near Battery Bankhead
- Mobile 90mm guns were also here in WWII.
Location: Maps & Images
Lat: 41.48106 Long: -71.33555
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