Battery Clagett

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Battery Clagett (1901-1920) - Battery Clagett was a concrete Endicott Period 3" gun battery located on Fort Howard (1), Maryland. The Battery was named 11 Feb 1902 for Levi Clagett, who was killed in the defense of Fort McHenry in 1814. Battery construction started in 1900, was completed in 1900 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 15 Jan 1901 at a total cost of $ 10,460.00. Not armed until 1904. Deactivated in 1920.

Battery Clagett Panorama


History

Part of the Harbor Defense of Baltimore.

Battery Clagett was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 3" gun battery with two M1898MI guns mounted on M1898 masking parapet carriages. The battery consisted of two 3" gun emplacements 30' apart separated by the main battery structure with a separate magazine for each gun emplacement. In 1920 a C.R.F. station was built for Battery Clagett on the abandoned gun position #2 of Battery Harris. The C.R.F. station was completed 19 Nov 1920, after Battery Clagett had already been abandoned.

The carriages were sent to Fort Howard on 14 Mar 1904 from Driggs-Seabury. The guns were mounted sometime after the carriages arrived in 1904.


Battery Clagett Armament (edit list)
Empl
No
Caliber
Type
Barrel
Length
Model Serial
No
Manufacturer Carriage Service
Dates
Notes
1 3" Rifle 154.5 M1898MI 68 Driggs-Seabury Masking Parapet, M1898,
#68, Driggs-Seabury
1904-1920 See Note 1
2 3" Rifle 154.5 M1898MI 7 Driggs-Seabury Masking Parapet, M1898,
#50, Driggs-Seabury
1904-1920 See Note 1
Source: CDSG, RCW Form 1, 1 May 1920, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 70, 208
Note 1: CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA
Fort Howard Battery Clagett Plan.jpg


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. Battery Clagett was unaffected by the World War I redistribution but was caught up in the following 1920 disarmament program that saw all of the M1898 gun batteries deactivated and disarmed. The Battery was deactivated in 1920 and the guns were removed and later shipped on 11 Aug 1920 to Watervliet. The mounts were scrapped on 20 May 1920.

Current Status

On Fort Howard County Park, Maryland. No period guns or carriages are in place.


Location:On Fort Howard County Park, Maryland.

Maps & Images

Lat: 39.1987292 Long: -76.4400494

  • Multi Maps from ACME
  • Maps from Bing
  • Maps from Google
  • Elevation: 21.73'

Sources:

Links:

Visited: 3 Apr 2009

Battery Clagett Picture Gallery

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