Battery Ash
Battery Ash (1902-1942) - Battery Ash was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 12 inch gun battery on Fort Worden, Washington. The battery was named after Joseph Ash. Battery construction started in 1898, was completed in 1900 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 16 Jun 1902. Deactivated in 1942.
Battery Ash History
Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound.
As originally built, Battery Quarles, Battery Randol and Battery Ash were a part of a larger seven gun unnamed battery that contained five 10" and two 12" guns, all in Barbette carriages.
This was the original "main gun line" located on the top of Artillery Hill. These batteries were all accepted for service on 16 Jun 1902 shortly after the Fort was first garrisoned. The total cost for the three batteries came to $ 232,554.97 (not including guns and carriages).
The batteries were all named in 1904. In 1909 a significant structural upgrade was undertaken on the main gun line. The original 4-2-1 configuration of four 10" guns, two 12" guns and one 10" gun had been changed by swapping the last 10" gun with the first 12" gun to produce a 5-2 configuration. The final configuration had the emplacements as Battery Randol with two 10" guns, Battery Quarles next with three 10" guns and Battery Ash last with two 12" guns. The cost of modifications to the three batteries had reached $50,215.00 by the end of 1909.
Battery Benson was added to the "main gun line" located on the top of Artillery Hill in 1908 with two more 10" guns. These guns were more modern and had disappearing carriages not the Barbette mounts of the initial emplacements. The addition of Battery Benson (and several other batteries) improved coverage of the Straight of Juan de Fuca to the North and West.
| Emp1 | Emp2 | Emp3 | Emp4 | Emp5 | Emp6 | Emp7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10" M1888MII #39 | 10" M1888MII #6 | 10" M1888MII #36 | 10" M1888MII #37 | 12" M1888MII #10 | 12" M1888MII #9 | 10" M1888 #11 |
| Source: Puget Sound RCB dtd 10 Oct 1903, CDSG Digital Library | ||||||
| Battery Randol | Battery Quarles | Battery Ash | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emp1 | Emp2 | Emp1 | Emp2 | Emp3 | Emp1 | Emp2 |
| 10" M1888MII #39 | 10" M1888MII #6 | 10" M1888MII #36 | 10" M1888MII #37 | 10" M1888 #11 | 12" M1888MII #10 | 12" M1888MII #9 |
| Source: Puget Sound RCB dtd 31 Dec 1909, CDSG Digital Library | ||||||
| Empl No |
Caliber Type |
Barrel Length |
Model | Serial No |
Manufacturer | Carriage | Service Dates |
Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12" Rifle | 440" | M1888MII | 9 | Bethlehem | Barbette, M1892, #27, Watertown | 1902-1942 | Rounds fired: 73 See Note 1 | |
| 2 | 12" Rifle | 440" | M1888MII | 10 | Bethlehem | (1) Altered Gun Lift, M1897, #2, Watertown (2) Barbette, M1892, #9, Watertown |
1902-1942 | Rounds fired: 71 See Note 1 | |
| Source: RCW Form 1, Aug 1921, RCB, 10 Oct 1903, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 146-147, 136, 217 Note 1: Guns & Carriages ordered salvaged 24 Oct 1942, CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA | |||||||||
On 31 Mar 1915 a B.C. Station was added to the building behind Battery Ash that contained the plotting room, tool room and latrine.
Current Status
No gun or mounts in place.
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Location: Artillery Hill, Fort Worden, Washington Maps & Images Lat: 48.141542 Long: -122.766665 |
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Visited: 17 Jun 2009, 19 Jul 2008
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