Fort Morgan (1)
Fort Morgan (1) (1819-1946) - 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 along with Fort Gaines.
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.
For several months in 1837 the fort housed over 3000 Indians who were being relocated from the Montgomery area to the Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma.
U.S. Civil War
At the beginning of the U.S. Civil War in 1861 the Alabama State Militia seized both Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan from Federal troops. Fort Morgan remained in Confederate hands until 23 Aug 1864 when it was surrendered after the Battle of Mobile Bay to a Union fleet commanded by Adm. David Farragut. The Confederate defenders managed to sink the Federal monitor Tecumseh in the battle and the fort sustained more than 3000 cannon ball impacts on 22 Aug before surrendering on 23 Aug. The Battle of Mobile Bay was the occasion for Adm. Farragut's famous order, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!", referring to torpedoes strung across the channel into Mobile Bay.
After the U.S. Civil War the garrison was withdrawn and the fort was placed in caretaker status 31 Dec 1867.
Endicott Period
In March of 1898 the fort was reactivated and garrisoned by Battery I, 1st U.S. Artillery in anticipation of the Spanish American War and as a result of the explosion that sunk the Battleship Maine in Havana Harbor 15 Feb 1898. Construction began on the first Endicott Period battery, Battery Bowyer in 1898. A total of six Endicott Period batteries were built between 1898 and 1901. Only Battery Duportail was built inside the Fort Morgan walls. The Spanish American War was quickly over but the strengthening of coastal defenses continued.
| 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 | ||||||
World War I
During World War I Fort Morgan was used as a training base. After World War I Fort Morgan was again deactivated and placed in caretaker status 1 Apr 1923. Subsequently abandoned 15 Oct 1931.
World War II
At the onset of World War II the fort was reactivated and manned by Battery F, 50th U.S. Coast Artillery Corps. In 1946, after the close of the War, the fort property was returned to the State of Alabama and became Fort Morgan State Park.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery 155 - Fort Morgan | 2 3 |
155mm 155mm |
Mobile on Panama Mount Mobile in Field Positions |
1942-1944 | $ ? | 1 Panama Mount Visible No Trace |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
Current Status
Fort Morgan State Park operated by the Alabama Historical Commission.
- U.S. Civil War Armament on display (from the CDSG Representative Site Report):
- one 32-pounder Columbiad on a seacoast carriage
- two 24-pounder flank howitzers on carriages
- one 100-pounder Parrott on a concrete pedestal
- one 7” Brooke rifle on a concrete pedestal
- one fieldpiece in the ordnance casemate
- two 20-pounder Parrott rifles temporarily mounted on concrete blocks
- No Endicott Period weapons on display
- World War II armament on display
- 1918M1 155mm gun on a Model 1918 carriage.
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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:
Visited: No
Fort Morgan (1) Picture Gallery
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Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |
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Fort Morgan -
View of Battery Schenck, located at Fort Morgan Ala -
View of Battery Thomas located at Fort Morgan Ala -
View of Battery Bowyer, taken at Fort Morgan Ala -
View of Battery Duportail located in Fort Morgan Ala -
View of Main Entrance to Fort Morgan from inside the fort, the Main door have been removed due to damage during Hurricane Katrina. the were mounted in the light area to the left, to the right shows the arches leading to the northeast bastion. -
Battery Bowyer from the East end with Fort Morgan toward the far west) -
Battery Thomas from the north at Fort Morgan Alabama)
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