Battery Tolles

Battery Tolles (1903-1945) - Battery Cornelius Tolles is a concrete Endicott Period Battery located on Fort Worden, Jefferson County, Washington. Named in G.O. 194, 27 Dec 1904, after Bvt. Colonel Cornelius W. Tolles, U.S. Volunteers (Captain 13th U.S. Infantry) who died 8 Nov 1864 from wounds received in action at Newton, Virginia 16 Oct 1864 during the U.S. Civil War. The Battery was begun in Jun 1903, completed in 1906 and transferred to the Coastal Artillery for use 21 May 1907 at a total cost of $104,500. The last of the guns were removed in 1945 after World War II.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

Part of the Harbor Defense of Puget Sound.

Battery Corelius Tolles was originally built with four 6" M1903 guns on M1903 disappearing carriages.

**Battery Tolles Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	6" Rifle	277"	M1903	66	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1903, #60, Detrick & Harvey	1907-1943	Rounds fired 47
2	6" Rifle	277"	M1903	58	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1903, #59, Detrick & Harvey	1907-1943	Rounds fired 46
3	6" Rifle	277"	M1903	50	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1903, #58, Detrick & Harvey	1907-1917	Rounds fired 36
4	6" Rifle	277"	M1903	39	Watervliet	Disappearing, M1903, #56, Detrick & Harvey	1907-1917	Rounds fired 35
Source: RCW Form 1, Aug 1921, RCB 31 Dec 1909

World War I (1917-1918)

The U.S. entry into World War I resulted in a widespread removal of large caliber coastal defense gun tubes for service in Europe. Many of the gun and mortar tubes removed were sent to arsenals for modification and mounting on mobile carriages, both wheeled and railroad. Most of the removed gun tubes never made it to Europe and were either remounted or remained at the arsenals until needed elsewhere. The guns in emplacements 3 and 4 were removed 31 Dec 1917 during World War I.

In Nov 1936 modifications to gun emplacements 3 and 4 were begun to accommodated the installation of two 6" M1900 guns with M1900 Barbette Carriages. The modifications included raising the gun platform with reinforced concrete pads, installing access stairs and converting a storeroom to a plotting room. The resulting changes to these two emplacements became known as a Battery Tolles-B. The original two disappearing guns were designated Battery Tolles-A.

The two guns and carriages for Battery Tolles-B were obtained from the installation at Willapa bay at Cape Disappointment Washington. These same guns had previously been installed at Battery Freeman on Fort Stevens, Oregon and moved to Willapa Bay in 1917. Modifications to Tolles-B were completed 30 Jun 1937 and transferred 23 Aug 1937.

World War II (1941-1945)

Additional modifications were made to Battery Tolles-B in 1943 that included the installation of an SCR 296 Radar southwest of the battery. The remains of the transmitter building can be see along side the road.

On 12 Aug 1943 the original two 6" disappearing guns in Battery Tolles-A were removed and in 1945 the two 6" guns in Battery Tolles-B were salvaged

**Battery Tolles-B Armament** (edit list)
Empl No	Caliber Type	Barrel Length	Model	Serial No	Manufacturer	Carriage	Service Dates	Notes
1	6" Rifle	310.4"	M1900	8	Watervliet	Barbette, M1900, # 25, Watervliet	1937-1945	Transferred from Willapa Bay 1937
2	6" Rifle	310.4"	M1900	4	Watervliet	Barbette, M1900, # 24, Watervliet	1937-1945	Transferred from Willapa Bay 1937
Source: RCW Form 1, 14 May 1942

Current Status

Part of the Fort Worden State Park Conference Center. The Battery is accessible to the public and the rooms are clean and dry, some graffiti. No guns or carriages are in place.

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Location: Fort Worden State Park Conference Center, Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington

Maps & Images

Lat: 48.142351 Long: -122.769985

Multi Maps from ACME
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Elevation: 188'

Sources:

Fort Worden Guide, The Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, 2005, page 23-24
U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project, Harbor Defenses of Puget Sound, (CCA-AN-PS), 12 Aug 1945, CDSG

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