Battery Irons
Battery Irons (1900-1913) - Battery Irons was a concrete Endicott Period 4.7" gun battery located on Fort Armistead (1), Maryland. Battery construction started 2 Apr 1898, was completed in July 1898 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 5 Jan 1900 at a total cost of $10,616.08. The Battery was named inG.O. 78, 15 May 1903, for 1st Lt. Joseph F. Irons, 1st U.S. Artillery, who died 26 Aug 1847, of wounds received at the battle of Churubusco, Mexico, while reconnoitering the Tete-du-Pont Battery, during the Mexican-American War. Deactivated in 1913.
HistoryPart of the Harbor Defense of Baltimore. Battery Irons was a reinforced concrete Endicott Period 4.7" Armstrong gun battery with two British Armstrong guns mounted on Armstrong Barbette Carriages. The carriages arrived at Fort Armistead (1) on 12 Aug 1898 and presumably the gun tubes arrived with them. The guns and the carriages were removed and shipped to Fort Ruger in the Hawaiian Islands on 24 Jul 1913.
Current StatusOn Fort Armistead Baltimore City Park. No period guns or carriages are in place. The Battery is covered with graffitti and a bit overgrown.
Sources: Links: Visited: 2 Apr 2009 Battery Irons Picture Gallery
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