Battery Walbach

 (1908-1936) - Battery Walbach was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 10‑inch coastal gun battery on Fort Wetherill, Newport County, Rhode Island. The battery was named in G.O. 78, 25 May 1903, after Colonel John Baptiste DeBarth Walbach, 4th U.S. Artillery, Bvt. Brigadier General, U.S. Army, who served with distinction in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Mexican-American War, and who died 10 Jun 1857, at Baltimore, Maryland. Battery construction started in May 1901, was completed in June 1904 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 7 May 1908 at a cost of $ 119,170.70. Deactivated in 1936.

Endicott Period
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with three 10" M1888MII guns mounted on two M1896 Disappearing carriages and one M1901 Disappearing carriage. This was a two story battery with the guns mounted on the upper level and three magazines on the lower level. Shells were moved from the magazine level to the gun loading platform originally by three back delivery Hodges shell hoists. The Hodges hoists were later upgraded to back delivery Taylor-Raymond electric shell hoists that were accepted for service on 17 Jul 1916. Electrical power was furnished by an emplacement power plant.

Battery Wheaton, Battery Walbach, Battery Dickenson, Battery Zook, and Battery Crittenden were all accepted for service on the same day, 7 May 1908.



World War I
All three of Battery Walbach's guns were ordered dismounted for use abroad on 24 Jul 1917. Two of the guns were later ordered retained and remounted. The third gun was shipped to Fort Greble (2) on 13 Dec 1918.

On 2 Dec 1936 the two remaining 10" guns were transferred to Fort H.G. Wright and the battery was disarmed.

World War II
The remaining two M1896 disappearing carriages were ordered scrapped on 4 Nov 1942 as a part of the first large scale scrap drive of World War II.

Current Status
Part of Fort Wetherill State Park, Jamestown, Conanicut Island, Newport County, Rhode Island. No period guns or mounts in place.

See Also:
 * Fort Wetherill
 * Endicott Period
 * Harbor Defense of Narragansett Bay
 * 1942 Scrap Drive

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