Siege and Mortar Battery - West Point
Siege and Mortar Battery - West Point (1836-1910) - A Siege and Mortar Battery first established between 1836 and 1859 at West Point, Orange County, New York. Probably abandoned between 1906 and 1910. The site was overbuilt with the amphitheater at West Point.
History of Siege and Mortar Battery
Established sometime between 1836 and 1859 as a training battery for West Point cadets. Really two different batteries side by side. The left side of the battery emplaced mortars while the right side emplaced siege guns on field carriages on platforms. All of the guns faced north up the Hudson River. Live firing took place with sub-caliber munitions and/or partial powder charges. The batteries were armed with what would have been armement in use at the time and the armament set changed as the times and technology changed.
Described by the Board of Visitors in their 1897 report as used for the instruction of cadets in heavy gun drill. The armament in 1897 included:
| No. | Type |
|---|---|
| 2 | 5-inch steel breech-loading rifles on field carriages |
| 4 | 4.5-inch cast-iron rifled siege guns on field carriages (obsolete) |
| 4 | 5-inch steel breach-loading siege guns on field carriages (New to replace above) |
| 2 | 7-inch steel breach-loading siege howitzers on field carriages (new) |
| 6 | 10-inch smooth-bore mortars (obsolete) |
| 4 | 7-inch steel breach-loading siege mortars (to replace obsolete above) |
| 2 | 3.6-inch steel breach-loading siege mortars (to replace obsolete above) |
Probably abandoned between 1906 and 1910. The battery is shown fully armed and in use for training in 1905 pictures. By 1909 only two guns are shown on the siege gun side of the battery while the mortar side is still armed with small mortars. The site was later overbuilt with the amphitheater at West Point.
Current Status
The site was overbuilt with the amphitheater at West Point. No remains and no marker.
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Location: West Point, Orange County, New York. Maps & Images Lat: 41.39538 Long: -73.95735 |
See Also:
Sources:
- Report of the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy for the Year 1897, GPO, Google Books].
Links:
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