Fort Morgan (1)
Fort Morgan (1) (1819-194?) - Construction began in 1819 and continued until 1834 on this Third System Masonry fort designed by Simon Bernard. Named after Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan in 1833. Abandoned after World War I and reactivated during
World War II it was returned to the State of Alabama after the end of World War II.
Fort Morgan (1) History
Established to defend the narrow entrance to Mobile Bay, Alabama.
Fort Morgan was constructed of brick as a regular pentagon with bastions at each of the five corners and a large ten sided citadel in the center. The three tiered citadel housed the troops and was the largest of any Third System fort. The sea coast batteries were mounted on the two primary and two secondary fronts of the fort. Other land batteries were placed to protect against assault from the landward side. The entrance to the fort was a tunnel under the gorge protected at both ends by large doors.
Endicott Period
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Duportail | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1898-1900-1900-1931 | $ 172,646 | |
| Battery Dearborn | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1900-1901-1901-1931 | $ 150,000 | 4 mortars removed in 1918 |
| Battery Bowyer | 4 | 8" | Disappearing | 1898-1898-1898-1917 | $ 187,812 | |
| Battery Thomas | 2 | 4.7" | Armstrong | 1898-1899-1899-1917 | $ 15,000 | |
| Battery Schenck (2) | 2 1 |
3" 3" |
Masking Parapet Pedestal Mount |
1900-1923 1900-1923 |
$ 9,000 $ 7,966 |
|
| Battery Experimental | 1 | 10" | Disappearing | 1916-1918 | $ ? | Test conducted 13-14 Mar 1916 |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
Current Status
State owned but operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.
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Location: Mobile Point, Alabama Maps & Images Lat: 30.228073 Long: -88.022944 |
Sources:
- Weaver, John R. II, A Legacy in Brick and Stone: America Coastal Defense Forts of the Third System, Redoubt Press, McLean, 2001, First Printing, ISBN 1-57510-069-X, page 171-175
- 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 10-12
Links:
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