Battery Ingalls

 (1904-1942) - Battery Ingalls was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort McKinley, Great Diamond Island. Cumberland County, Maine. The battery was named in G.O. 78, 25 May 1903 after Brevet Major General Rufus Ingalls, U.S. Army, who served with distinction in the Mexican War and the U.S. Civil War, and who died 15 Jan 1893, at New York City, New York. Battery construction started in 1898, was completed in 1903 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 18 Jan 1904 at a cost of $ 139,000.00. Deactivated in 1942.

Endicott Period
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal mortar battery with eight 12" M1890MI mortars mounted on M1896MI mortar carriages divided into two mortar pits (A-B) with four mortars in each pit (1-4).

Each mortar pit had a data booth at the rear that conveyed azimuth and elevation information to the gun crews and directed the firing. The data booth was connected to the plotting room via telephone. Between and on each flank of the mortar pits were concrete magazines that stored shells and powder. The magazines were protected with a 20' covering of earth. Shells and powder were wheeled from the magazines to the mortar loading platforms on shot carts.



World War I
On 3 May 1918 four mortars from Battery Ingalls were ordered to be dismounted and prepared for shipment. On 3 Jun 1918 the four selected mortars were transferred to Morgan leaving each mortar pit with two mortars in emplacements 1 and 3. The empty mortar carriages were ordered scrapped 26 May 1920.

World War II
Battery Ingalls was obsolete by the beginning of World War II and was deactivated on 15 Dec 1942. The remaining mortars and carriages were ordered salvaged on 15 Dec 1942.

Current Status
Private property. No period guns or mounts in place.

Sources:
 * U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FUDS Archives Search Report, Findings, Fort McKinley Military Reservation D01ME042402, December 1994, Portland, ME. Large pdf download

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