Watervliet Arsenal (1813-Present) - The Watervliet Arsenal was founded in 1813 during the War of 1812 and has been manufacturing guns for America's defense ever since. In 1887, the arsenal became America's "Cannon Factory." It is the only U.S. Army manufacturing facility for large caliber cannon in volume. (Watervliet is pronounced water-vuh-leet)
Watervliet Museum Large Gun Display, 16", 12" and 8" Naval Gun Tube Ends
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Watervliet Museum Large Gun Display, 16", 12" and 8" Naval Gun Tubes
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Watervliet Museum Bldg. 38, the Cast Iron Building
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Watervliet Arsenal 16" M1895 No. 1
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Watervliet Arsenal Quarters No. 2
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Guns of Interest
Watervliet Museum, 13" Siege Mortar
- Model 1888MII - 10" Caliber, 367.25" Long
- Model 1895MI - 12" Caliber, 442.56" Long
- Model 1897MI - 6" Caliber, 277.85" Long
- Model 1890MI - 12" Caliber Mortar, 129.25" Long
- Model 1900 - 6" Caliber, 310.4" Long
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- Model 1900 - 10" Caliber, 420.6" Long
- Model 1903 - 3" Caliber, 154.5" Long
- Model 1905 - 6" Caliber, 309.8" Long
- Model T2 - 6" Caliber, 309.90" Long
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Watervliet Arsenal Partial Commanders List (edit list)
Assumed
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Relieved
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Rank
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Name
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Cullum
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Notes
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1851
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1857
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Maj.
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Symington, John
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126
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1857
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1861
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Maj.
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Mordecai, Alfred
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326
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1861-05-14
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1863-12-17
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Maj.
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Thornton, William A.
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403
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Promoted Lt.‑Colonel Mar. 3, 1863
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1861-05
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1861-07
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1st Lt.
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Strong, George C.
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1764
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Temporary commander, apparently during the absence of the preceding.
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1863-12-25
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1866-08-12
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Lt. Col.
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Hagner, Peter V.
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866
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1880-12-03
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1881-09-29
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Maj.
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Buffington, Adelbert R.
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1894
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Promoted Lt.‑Colonel June 1, 1881.
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1881-11-02
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1886-05-24
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Lt. Col.
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Mordecai, Alfred
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1941
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1886-06-05
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Lt. Col.
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Whittemore, James M.
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1854
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Cullum's Register gives no indication of when he relinquished command. He was promoted Colonel Jan. 3, 1887.
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1889-11-21
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1892-12-12
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Lt. Col.
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Parker, Francis H.
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1952
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1893
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1898
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Maj.
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Arnold, Isaac
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1979
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Promoted Lt.‑Colonel Feb. 22, 1897.
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1898-02-23
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1899-05-05
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Col.
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Mordecai, Alfred
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1941
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1899-05-26
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1903-02-18
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Col.
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Farley, Joseph P.
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1953
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1905-04
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1907-10-31
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Maj.
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MacNutt, Ira
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2329
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Promoted Lt.‑Colonel June 25, 1906.
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1908-01
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1918-02-15
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Lt. Col.
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Gibson, William Wesley
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2765
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Promoted Colonel Sep. 2, 1912.
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1919-03-10
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1921-07-16
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Lt. Col.
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Benét, J. Walker
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2860
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1929-09-29
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1932-02-28
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Col.
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Schull, Herman W.
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3886
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1945-04-01
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1946-04-30
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Col.
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Partridge, Clarence E.
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4766
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Dates are formatted in yyyy-mm-dd to sort correctly. The Cullum Number is the graduation order from the United States Military Academy by year and class rank and links to a page for the officer on the website version of the Cullum Register. Listings without a Cullum Number indicate that the person was not a graduate of the United States Military Academy.
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Current Status
Watervliet Arsenal Marker
Active Military Installation. The Watervliet Museum is on post and is undergoing renovation, it will be closed through July 2012. It may have reopened, but is reported as having been closed in the fall of 2013.
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Location: On the Hudson River, just a few miles north of the New York State Capital at Albany.
Maps & Images
Lat: 42.719194 Long: -73.706717
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Sources:
- Swantek, John, Watervliet Arsenal: A History of America's Oldest Arsenal 1813-2009, Watervliet Public Affairs Office, January 2009, 590 pages
Links:
Visited: 3 May 2012
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