Fort Massachusetts (1)

Fort Massachusetts (1) (1856-1875) - Construction began in Jun 1859 as an unnamed Third System brick fort and was incomplete when the U.S. Civil War began. Taken over by Confederate troops 20 Jan 1861 and named Fort Twigg for Confederate Maj. Gen. David E. Twiggs. In September 1861 Union troops reoccupied the fort and renamed it Fort Massachusetts, probably after the ship that recaptured the island. The last military units left the fort in 1875. Also known as Fort on Ship Island

Fort Massachusetts (1) History

After the recapture of Fort Massachusetts by Union forces in September 1861, Ship Island was used as a springboard for the capture of New Orleans in 1862. As many as 18,000 Union troops were stationed on Ship Island during the war.

Union ships used the island for repairs and to pick up supplies. Almost 40 buildings were constructed on the island during the war including a hospital, barracks, a mess hall, and a bakery. The Army Corps of Engineers resumed construction of the fort in 1862 but did not complete the work until the fall of 1866.

Upon completion the fort was turned over to civilian fort keeper C. H. "Pop" Stone who was to maintain the fort in a state of readiness. When cannons were mounted, an ordinance-sergeant was assigned to care for the fort's armament and he eventually assumed all responsibility for the upkeep of the fort. The last ordinance-sergeant was relieved of duty in 1903, and the Ship Island lighthouse keeper became the fort's caretaker.

Current Status

Part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

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Location: Ship Island, Mississippi

Maps & Images

Lat: 30.21209 Long: -88.97230

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 3'

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 446-447
Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W., Fortress America: The Forts That Defended America, 1600 to the Present, DaCapo Press, 2004, ISBN 0-306-81294-0, page 246, 244

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