Battery Butler

 (1898-1942) - Battery Pierce Butler was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Moultrie, South Carolina. The battery was originally named Fort Capron in G.O. 112, 6 Aug 1898 after Capt. Allyn K. Capron, 1st Regiment, U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (2nd Lt. 7th U.S. Cavalry, U.S. Army), who was killed at the battle of Las Guasimas, 24 Jun 1898, during the Spanish-American War. Renamed Battery Capron in G.O. 134, 1899. In 1906 the battery was administratively split into two batteries and the new battery was designated Battery Butler in G.O. 20, 25 Jan 1906, after Col. Pierce M. Butler, Palmetto Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers, who was killed in action at Churubusco, Mexico, 20 Aug 1847, during the Mexican-American War. Battery construction started in 1897, was completed in 1898 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 28 Jun 1898 at a cost of $ 92,678.76. Deactivated in 1942.



Endicott Period
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal mortar battery with sixteen 12" M1886 mortars mounted on M1891 mortar carriages. Originally the battery was divided into four mortar pits with four mortars in each pit. After a series of reconfigurations and mortar replacements Battery Butler ended up after World War I with two mortar pits with two M1890MI mortars in each pit, all mounted on M1896MI mortar carriages.

World War I
None of the mortars at Battery Butler were involved in the World War I redistribution but all of the mortars and carriages were caught in the 1920 Disarmament Program and were ordered scrapped on 26 May 1920. Four newer mortars were shipped in to replace the eight that were salvaged and they were placed in the two front emplacements of each pit. The two rear emplacements in each pit were filled with sand and capped with 6" of concrete. The reduction of two mortars in each pit improved efficiency and reduced manpower requirements without significantly reducing the rate of fire.



World War II
All four of the remaining mortars and carriages were ordered salvaged on 6 Dec 1942.

Current Status
Destroyed.

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