Fort Caswell
Fort Caswell (1826-1865) (1894-1926) (1941-1946) - A masonry Third System Fort named for the first Governor of North Carolina, Richard Caswell. Used during the U.S. Civil War by the Confederates, outfitted with Endicott Period reinforced concrete batteries at the turn of the 19th century and used as a Navy Depot during World War II. Declared surplus in 1946.
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Fort Caswell History
Part of Harbor Defense of Cape Fear River.
U.S. Civil War
Fort Caswell was captured by Confederate forces 8 Jan 1861 just before the start of the U.S. Civil War. The fort was heavily fortified and remained in Confederate hands until abandoned and blown up by it's own garrison on 17 Jan 1865.
Post U.S. Civil War
After the U.S. Civil War Fort Caswell was abandoned by the government and remained that way until it was selected for reactivation as a part of the Endicott Board's recommendations for rebuilding coastal defenses.
Endicott Period
The Endicott Board recommended that Fort Caswell be armed with seven modern reinforced concrete coastal batteries. These batteries were built between 1895 and 1902.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Bagley | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1898-1899-1903-1926 | $ 115,788 | 3 sets of mortars, 1 gun replaced 1903 |
| Battery Caswell | 2 | 12" | Barbette | 1898-1899-1899-1926 | $ 125,993 | |
| Battery Swift | 8 | 8" | Disappearing | 1896-1898-1898-1917 | $ 121,171 | |
| Battery Madison (2) | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1906-1907-1907-1917 | $ 44,972 | |
| Battery McDonough (1) | 1 | 5" | Balanced Pillar | 1901-1902-1903-1905 | $ ? | Gun to Battery Shipp |
| Battery Shipp | 1 1 |
5" 5" |
Balanced Pillar Balanced Pillar |
1905-1907-1907-1917 1898-1901-1901-1917 |
$ 21,500 | Gun from Battery McDonough (1) |
| Battery Madison (1) | 1 | 4.7" | Pedestal | 1898-1899-1899-1904 | $ 6,510 | Gun to Battery Backus, Fort Screven |
| Battery McKavett | 2 | 3" | Masking Pedestal | 1901-1902-1903-1920 | $ 14,489 | |
| Battery McDonough (2) | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1904-1906-1924 | $ 15,450 | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
World War I
Fort Caswell served through World War I with minimal loss of weapons to the war in Europe. Only three Batteries had their weapons dismounted for the war effort. Soon after the war was over Fort Caswell was placed in caretaker status and the disarmament began. By 1925 all seven of the batteries were deactivated and the Fort was sold to private interests in 1926.
World War II
Fort Caswell was reacquired by the U.S. Government at the beginning of World War II and became a U.S. Navy depot. At the end of the war, the Fort Was declared surplus and sold to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in 1949.
Current Status
Purchased by the Baptist State Convention in 1949 who then established the North Carolina Baptist Assembly on the property.
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Location: Oak Island, North Carolina Maps & Images Lat: 33.8928968 Long: -78.0172634 |
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 611
Links:
Visited: 27 Jan 2010
Fort Caswell Picture Gallery
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