Fort Hamilton (1)
Fort Hamilton (1) (1825-Current) - Originally designed as a Third System Coastal Defense fort constructed 1825-1831 to protect the New York Narrows from the Brooklyn side of the river. Named after Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.
Fort Hamilton (1) History
Originally established to protect the Narrows entrance to New York Harbor and later part of the Harbor Defense of Eastern New York:
Fort Hamilton was built as a small dual purpose fort providing seaward and landward defenses at the New York Narrows, the site of present day Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Construction was started 11 Jun 1825 with the laying of the cornerstone by the French engineer, Simon Bernard. The Fort was completed in 1831 and first garrisoned 1 Nov 1831 by Battery F, 4th U.S. Artillery.
Some distinguished military men served at the Fort including Capt. Robert E. Lee, post engineer from 1841 to 1846 and Capt. Abner Doubleday, post commander in 1861.
U.S. Civil War
Fort Hamilton's garrison expanded during the U.S. Civil War and in 1863 it was called upon to help put down the New York City draft riots.
Post U.S. Civil War
Endicott Period
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Piper | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1901-1942 | |
| Battery Harvey Brown | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1902-19?? | |
| Battery Doubleday | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1900-1943 | |
| Battery Neary | 2 | 12" | Barbette | 1900-1937 | |
| Battery Gillmore | 4 | 10" | Disappearing | 1899-1942 | Orig 7 Guns, 3 designated as Spear |
| Battery Spear | 3 | 10" | Disappearing | 1898-1917 | |
| Battery Burke | 4 | 6" | Pedestal | 1903-1917 | 2 guns to Fort Tilden, Battery Fergusson |
| Battery Livingston (2) | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1905-1920? | Guns to West Point |
| Battery Livingston (2) | 2 | 6" | Pedestal | 1905-1948 | |
| Battery Johnston | 2 | 6" | Pedestal | 1902-1943 | |
| Battery Mendenhall | 4 | 6" | Disappearing | 1905-1917 | |
| Battery Griffin | 2 | 4.7" | Pedestal | 1899-1913 | British Armstrong Guns |
| Battery Griffin | 2 | 3" | Masking Parapet | 1902-1920 | |
| Battery Griffin | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1946 | |
| Source: CDSG | |||||
World War I
Current Status
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Location: Maps & Images Lat: 40.6086584 Long: -74.0325308 |
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 377
- 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 111-113
- American Forts Network
- North American Forts
- Fort Hamilton
- Coast Defense Study Group, CDSG Press, CDSG Digital Library
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Fort Hamilton (1) Picture Gallery
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