Battery House (1)

Battery House (1) (1910-1942) - Battery House (1) was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period coastal gun battery on Fort Getty, Newport County, Rhode Island. The battery was named in G.O. 194, 27 Dec 1904, after Bvt. Brigadier General James House, U.S. Army (Colonel 1st U.S. Artillery), who served from 1799 to 1834, and who died 17 Nov 1834. Battery construction started in September 1901, was completed in February 1905 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 7 Jun 1910 at a cost of $ 35,282.02. Moved to Fort Varnum in 1942. Endicott Period Part of the Harbor Defense of Narragansett Bay. Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with two 6" M1900 guns mounted on M1900 Barbette carriages. This was a two story battery with the guns on the upper level and the magazines below. Shells were moved from magazine level to the gun loading platform by electric back delivery Hodges shell hoists. Electric power was furnished from the power plant at Battery Tousard. Battery House (1) Armament (edit list) Empl No Caliber Type Barrel Length Model Serial No Manufacturer Carriage Service Dates Notes 1 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 30 Watervliet Barbette, M1900, #28, Watertown 1910-1942 See note 1 2 6" Rifle 310.4" M1900 32 Watervliet Barbette, M1900, #29, Watertown 1910-1942 See note 1 Source: RCW Form 1, 15 Jun 1925, Coast Defense Study Group, Berhow, Mark A. ed, American Seacoast Defenses: A Reference Guide, 2nd Edition, CDSG Press, McLean, VA, 2004, ISBN 0-9748167-0-1, pages 96-97, 205 Note 1: CDSG Gun Card Collection from NARA Battery House Plan World War I 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. On 24 Aug 1917 the gun tubes of Battery House were ordered dismounted for use abroad but as the war drew to a close in 1918 they were ordered remounted. Battery House CRF Station Plan In 1922 a concrete C.R.F. station was built 150' north of the battery to house a 15' Barr & Stroud coincident rangefinder for Battery House. The C.R.F. station was accepted for service 8 Aug 1922. In 1923 a plotting room was built into a room in emplacement #1 with a Whistler Hearn M1904 plotting board installed. The plotting room was accepted for service on 6 Jul 1923. World War II The guns and carriages of Battery House were transferred to Fort Varnum, Battery House (2), in July of 1942. Current Status Part of Fort Getty City Park. No period guns or mounts in place. Location: Fort Getty City Park, Newport County, Rhode Island. Maps & Images Lat: 41.49063 Long: -71.399723 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 20.84' Sources: U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Narragansett Bay, (HDNARB-AP-45), 1 Feb 1945, CDSG Links: CDSG Visited: 29 May 2012