Fort Monroe
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Fort Monroe (1819-Active) - Designed as the first Third System Fort by Brig. Gen. Simon Bernard and officially named for President James Monroe in 1832. Construction on Fort Monroe began in 1819 and was completed in 1834. First known as Fortress Monroe.
Early History
The first fortification built on this site was Fort Algernourne built in 1609 by Captain John Smiths settlers. Other fortifications were built here during the colonial period but did not last. After the war of 1812 it was decided that a system of coastal defenses were needed and Fort Monroe was the first of those to be built.
Construction
Fort Monroe was built as a seven front, brick and masonry, fort with 10' thick walls and a surrounding 8' deep wet moat. It was first designed for 380 guns, later expanded to a 412 gun capacity, but was never fully armed. The fort was planned for a peacetime garrison of 600 men and a wartime garrison of 2,625 men.
Fort Monroe was first garrisoned 25 Jul 1823 by Company G, 3rd U.S. Artillery and by 1825 the garrison was the largest in the United States. In 1824 it became the first U.S. Army "Artillery School of Practice".
U.S. Civil War
During the U.S. Civil War Fort Monroe was one of the few forts in the south that remained in Union hands for the duration. It proved to be a major factor in the war by limiting the significance of the naval yard at Norfolk and by serving as a staging point for attacks on Richmond.
Spanish American War
| Battery | No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 8 | 12" | Mortar Carriage | 1898-1943 |
| Ruggles | 8 | 12" | Mortar Carriage | 1898-1943 |
| DeRussy | 3 | 12" | Disappearing Carriage | 1904-1944 |
| Parrott | 2 | 12" | Disappearing Carriage | 1906-1943 |
| Humphreys | 1 | 10" | Disappearing Carriage | 1897-1910 |
| Eustis | 2 | 10" | Disappearing Carriage | 1901-1942 |
| Church | 2 | 10" | Disappearing Carriage | 1901-1942 |
| Bomford | 2 | 10" | Disappearing Carriage | 1897-1940 |
| N.E. Bastion | 1 | 10" | Disappearing Carriage | 1900-1908 |
| Barber | 1 | 8" | Barbette Carriage | 1898-1915 |
| Parapet | 4 | 8" | Barbette Carriage | 1898-1915 |
| Water | 1 | 8" | Barbette Carriage | 1897-1898 |
| Montgomery | 2 | 6" | Pedestal Mount | 1904-1948 |
| Gatewood | 4 | 4.7" | British Armstrong Pedestal Mount | 1904-1948 |
| Irwin | 4 | 3" | Masking Pedestal Mount | 1903-Present |
| Source: Coastal Defense Study Group | ||||
World War I
World War II
| Battery | No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMTB #23 | 2 | 90 mm | Fixed Pedestal | 1943-1946 |
| #124 | 2 | 16" | Long Range Barbette Carriage Navy Gun (1940 Program) | Not Built |
| Source: Coastal Defense Study Group | ||||
Current
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Location: Old Point Comfort, Hampton, Virginia. Maps & Images Lat: 37.004129 Long: -76.307237
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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 815-818
- Lewis, Emanuel Raymond, Seacoast Fortifications of the United States: An Introductory History, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD, 7th printing, 1993, ISBN 1-55750-502-0, page 41-43
- 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 216-217, 293
- Robinson, Willard B., American Forts: Architectural Form and Function, University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1977, ISBN 0-252-00589-9, page 99
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