Battery Halleck

 (1900-1942) - Battery Halleck was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period, 10‑inch coastal gun battery on Fort Hancock (2), New Jersey. The battery was named in G.O. 43, 4 Apr 1900, after MG Henry W. Halleck, U.S. Army, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Army, 1862-1864. The three gun emplacements of his battery were part of the nine gun emplacements of the main gun line built at Fort Hancock (2) and originally called Battery Halleck and defined as the "Seven-gun battery in the old stone fort at Sandy Hook". The main gun line was later divided into four named batteries by G.O. 194, 27 Dec 1904 (Battery Halleck, Battery Alexander (2), Battery Bloomfield and Battery Richardson). Battery construction started in 1896, was completed 1899 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 6 Jan 1900 at a cost of $ 73,843.08. Deactivated in 1942.

Endicott Period
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with three 10" M1888 guns mounted on M1896 disappearing carriages. This was a two story battery with the guns on the upper level and a separate magazine for each emplacement on the lower level. Shell and powder hoists moved the ammunition from the lower level to the gun loading platform. The original hoists were accepted 6 Jul 1905 and were upgraded and re-accepted 17 Aug 1911. Battery Halleck ended up with three Taylor-Raymond back delivery hoists and three Type A powder hoists. Electric power was furnished by the fort power plant or Battery Bloomfield or Battery Alexander.

A concrete BC station was added to the rear of the center traverse and was accepted for service 20 Sep 1907 at a cost of $6,000.



World War I
Gun #1 was transferred to Watervliet 25 Jun 1918 for service abroad as a railway gun but the war ended before the gun actually made it to France. Gun #1 was not replaced and the carriage was scrapped in 1920 as a part of the disarmament program. Guns #2 and #3 were listed for service abroad but were retained.

World War II
The two remaining guns and carriages in Battery Halleck were declared obsolete and were directed to be salvaged on 12 Nov 1942. This action coincided with the first large scale, quota driven, scrap drive of World War II and a total of seven batteries on Fort Hancock (2) were caught up in this first drive.

Current Status
Part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, Fort Hancock Unit. No period guns or mounts in place.

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