Battery Stoneman

 (1901-1942) - Battery Stoneman was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Terry, Suffolk, New York. The battery was named in G.O. 30, 19 Mar 1902 after MG George Stoneman, U.S. Volunteers (Bvt. MG, U.S. Army), who served with distinction during the U.S. Civil War, and who died on 5 Sep 1894. Battery construction started on 1 Jul 1898, was completed in October 1900 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 2 Mar 1901 at a cost of $ 112,000.00. 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. The battery was organized into two mortar pits (A and B) of four mortar each. The shell rooms and powder magazines were built into rooms between the mortar pits and rooms on either flank. All of these rooms were covered on top with about 25' of earth. The mortars in each pit were surrounded with the 12' concrete walls on 3 sides and on top of that was another 25' of earth. In back of mortar pit A was the emplacement power plant. At the rear of each pit was a telephone and data booth used to set and issue the firing commands. The data booths were accepted for service 15 Jun 1906 at a cost of $ 1,800.00.



World War I
During the war two mortars were removed from the front of each mortar pit and transferred 31 May 1918 to the Watertown Arsenal for modification and possible use as railroad mortars. None of these mortars made it overseas and they were not returned to Battery Stoneman. The four empty carriages were ordered scrapped during the 1920 disarmament program on 26 May 1920.

World War II
The four remaining mortars and carriages were ordered scrapped 12 Oct 1942 during the first large scale scrap drive of World War II.

Current Status
Now on Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) operated by U.S. DHS. No period guns or mounts in place.

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