Fort Hancock (2)
Fort Hancock (2) (1857-1972) - Established in 1857 as the Third System Fort at Sandy Hook and renamed Fort Hancock in G.O. 57, 30 Oct 1895, after Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock. Fort Hancock was declared surplus by the Defense Department in 1972.
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Fort Hancock (2) History
Part of the Harbor Defense of Southern New York. Established to provide protection to U.S. shipping and to guard an important shipping channel into New York Harbor.
The original Third System Fort at Sandy Hook (1857-1885) was never completed. A new Endicott Period fort was established in 1892 and named Fort Hancock in 1895.
Endicott Period
The Endicott Period began at Fort Hancock with the construction of two prototype batteries beginning in 1890. Battery Reynolds was a 12" sixteen mortar battery originally known as Sandy Hook Mortar Battery built between 1891-1894. Battery Potter was the first 12" disappearing gun battery built in the U.S., originally known as Gun Lift Battery 1 built between 1890-1894. Both of these batteries featured some sort of land side defense features which were not adopted in later batteries. The next round of batteries built at Fort Hancock built upon the lessons learned from the initial batteries and reflected a shift of disappearing gun technology from the steam powered powered gun lift to the newer Buffington-Croizer counterweight carriages. Battery Halleck was begun in 1896 as a seven gun battery built on top of the east wall of the old U.S. Civil War fort. It was later expanded to a nine gun battery serving as a prototype of the main gun line concept and in 1904 was administratively divided into four batteries (Battery Halleck, Battery Alexander (2), Battery Bloomfield and Battery Richardson). Battery Granger was built between 1896-1898 as the second 10" gun battery with the newer Buffington-Croizer counterweight carriages. After the completion of the main gun line, the remaining batteries built were separate batteries, 6" caliber and under.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Dynamite (1) | 2 1 |
15" 8" |
Pneumatic | 1896-1902 | $ ? | USCG Shooting Range Mine Casemate 1921 |
| Battery Potter | 2 | 12" | Gun-lift | 1890-1894-1898-1907 | $ 357,100 | Advanced HECP #1 1943 |
| Battery McCook | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1891-1894-1898-1920 | $ 138,371 | HDCP 1943 |
| Battery Reynolds | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1891-1894-1898-1920 | $ 138,371 | |
| Battery Alexander (2) | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1898-1898-1899-1943 | $ 94,228 | |
| Battery Bloomfield | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1898-1899-1899-1943 | $ 94,228 | |
| Battery Richardson | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1902-1904-1904-1944 | $ 100,000 | |
| Battery Halleck | 3 | 10" | Disappearing | 1896-1899-1900-1942 | $ 73,843 | #1 removed 1918 |
| Battery Granger | 2 | 10" | Disappearing | 1896-1898-1898-1943 | $ 87,000 | |
| Battery Arrowsmith | 3 | 8" | Disappearing | 1905-1909-1909-1920 | $ 63,500 | Part destroyed |
| Battery Peck | 2 | 6" | Pedestal | 1901-1903-1903-1946 | $ 33,940 | Guns & Carriages relocated to Battery Gunnison in 1943 |
| Battery Gunnison | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1903-1905-1905-1943 | $ 45,000 | Rebuilt for Battery Peck guns |
| Battery Engle (1) | 1 | 5" | Balance Pillar | 1898-1917 | $ 4,700 | CRF built on emplacement |
| Battery Urmston | 6 | 3" | Masking Parapet Pedestal Mount |
1899-1903-1903-1944 | $ 25,400 | 2 guns replaced with M1903 |
| Battery Morris (1) | 4 | 3" | Pedestal | 1903-1904-1904-1946 | $ 23,000 | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
The initial plan for post buildings to support the garrison was developed by Capt. Arthur Murray in 1896 and by 1899 the first phase of post construction was complete. The post included four 80 man barracks, 38 officers quarters, a 50 bed hospital, a bakery, bachelor officers quarters, guardhouse and support buildings. The post was aligned around a parade ground with the 38 officers quarters along the west side of the parade ground, all facing the bay. The four barracks buildings were aligned along the east side of the parade ground also facing the bay. At the north end of the parade ground was the bachelor officers quarters (BOQ) and the administration building
The post was first garrisoned in early 1898 as the Spanish-American War began. The permanent buildings on the post were not yet complete and many of the units were housed in tents. The garrison began to occupy the new quarters at the end of 1898 and the beginning of 1899. Initially designed as a four company post, it was expanded in 1907 to six companies and a new 218 man double barracks was constructed to house the enlarged garrison. The capacity of the four original barracks were also expanded to 109 men by constructing a separate building for the mess hall and converting that space to quarters.
World War I
In early 1917 construction was started on two new 12" gun batteries on the bay side of Sandy Hook at Horseshoe Cove. Battery Mills and Battery Kingman were almost identical, open plan, 12" batteries with each having two open gun emplacements separated by a large earth covered concrete magazine. The open nature of the gun emplacements allowed a theoretical 360 degree field of fire with an ARF carriage and an elevation between zero and 35 degrees. This configuration gave the guns a higher arc trajectory and longer range than the same guns mounted in disappearing carriages. The drawback of the open plan was that the gun and crew are totally exposed to hostile fire and aircraft. These two batteries were not completed until well after the end of the war in 1921.
The six company capacity of Fort Hancock was quickly exceeded in the run up to World War I and by the end of 1917 seven additional cantonments were completed to providing housing for 1,792 enlisted men and 42 officers. The quarters and support buildings included twenty seven , 66 man barracks and 28 sets of officer quarter all of temporary batten and tar paper construction. Even before these temporary cantonments were complete an additional regiment was posted to Fort Hancock for training prior to shipment overseas and the post quickly exceeded it's capacity and additional structures were built.
The crowding at Fort Hancock continued even after the end of the war as the post processed returnees for discharge through March 1919. Demobilization was rapid and by June 1919 the post was reduced to caretaker status.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Kingman | 2 | 12" | Casemated Barbette (CBC) | 1917-1921-1921-1946 | $ 297,933 | Casemated 1943 |
| Battery Mills | 2 | 12" | Casemated Barbette (CBC) | 1917-1921-1921-1946 | $ 297,933 | Casemated 1943 |
| Battery Railway | 2 | 12" | Railway Mortar | 1930-1941 | $ ? | From Fort Eustis - 1930 To Salvage - 1941 |
| Battery Railway | 2 | 8" | Railway | 1930-1941 | $ ? | From Fort Eustis - 1930 To Bermuda - 1941 |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
No permanent buildings were built during the 1920s which was a period of austerity for the military. The 1930s saw the creation of the WPA and several new buildings were added to the post including a post theater.
World War II
In 1940 the War Department issued a $ 100,000,000 upgrade plan for coastal defense that included a combination of new 16" and 6" shore batteries, 3" AMTB and anti-aircraft batteries, upgrades to existing rapid fire 3" batteries by shielding them and finally a casemate program for most of the open plan 12" batteries. Battery Mills and Battery Kingman were both selected to be casemated and construction began in 1942 and continued into 1943. The new 16" and 6" batteries were placed in the Highlands Military Reservation and designated Battery 116 - Battery Lewis (2) and Battery 219. Even before the new batteries came on line, the old batteries were declared obsolete and scrapped. By 1944, the only Endicott batteries remaining active were Battery Gunnison (New Peck), Battery Urmston and Battery Morris, all 3" batteries. Battery Mills and Battery Kingman were casemated, two AMTB batteries had been installed and the batteries in the Highlands Military Reservation were completed.
In 1940 the buildup toward World War II began at Fort Hancock with the federalization of the National Guard and the call up of reserve units. Later that year the draft began and draftees began arriving at Fort Hancock. the Word War I temporary structures were long gone and a new set of temporary buildings was rushed to completion. During the war the post population varied from 7,000 to over 18,000. During the demobilization after the war the population grew to over 18,000 as personnel returned home from overseas.
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery AMTB 7 - Hancock | 2 2 |
90 mm 90 mm |
Fixed Pedestal Mount Mobile |
1943-1943-1943-1946 | $ 8,124 | |
| Battery AMTB 8 - Peck | 2 2 |
90 mm 90 mm |
Fixed Pedestal Mount Mobile |
1943-1943-1943-1946 | $ 5,876 | On Battery Peck |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
| No. | Name | Guns | Model | Mount | Range | Location | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battery 219 | 2 | 6" Rifle M1903 | M1 | 27,500 | Highlands Military Reservation | |
| 2 | Battery 116 - Battery Lewis (2) | 2 | 16" Rifle MarkII-M1 | M4 | 44,000 | Highlands Military Reservation | |
| 3 | Battery Mills | 2 | 12" Rifle M1895 | M1917 | 29,300 | Fort Hancock | |
| 4 | Battery Kingman | 2 | 12" Rifle M1895 | M1917 | 29,300 | Fort Hancock | |
| 5 | Battery Gunnison | 2 | 6" Rifle M1900 | M1900 | 17,000 | Fort Hancock | |
| 6 | Battery Urmston | 2 | 3" Rifle M1903 | M1903 | 11,000 | Fort Hancock | |
| 7 | Battery AMTB 7 - Hancock | 2 2 |
90mm Rifle M1 | T3 M1A1 |
8,000 | Fort Hancock | Fixed Mobile |
| 8 | Battery AMTB 8 - Peck | 2 2 |
90mm Rifle M1 | T3 M1A1 |
8,000 | Fort Hancock | Fixed Mobile |
| 9 | Battery Morris (1) | 2 | 3" Rifle M1903 | M1903 | 11,000 | Fort Hancock | |
| Source: Coast Defense Study Group | |||||||
Current Status
The historic fort is now managed as part of the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, part of the National Park System. Battery Gunnison has two display guns and carriages, one of which has a functional breech block and traversing mechanism. The plotting room for the examination battery years has been recreated with much of the communications equipment operational. Battery Potter, although empty, is a great tour and well worth the time. Check with the park for times when these batteries are open for tours.
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Location: Sandy Hook, New Jersey Maps & Images Lat: 40.463889 Long: -74.002778 |
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 117-119
- 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 516-518
Links:
Visited: 12 Aug 2010
Fort Hancock (2) Picture Gallery
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