Battery Church

 (1901-1901) - Battery Church was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 10‑inch coastal gun battery on Fort Monroe, Virginia. The battery was named in G.O. 105, 9 Oct 1902, after 1st Lt. Albert E. Church, who, when 1st Lt. of the 3rd U.S. Artillery, was appointed a professor of mathematics at the Military Academy at West Point, and who died 30 Mar 1878, at West Point, New York. Battery construction started on 1 Dec 1897, was completed in December 1900 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 3 Jan 1901 at a cost of $ 90,473.33. Deactivated in 1942.

Endicott Period
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal gun battery with two 10" M1895MI guns mounted on M1896 disappearing carriages. This battery was a two story battery with the guns mounted on the upper level and the magazines on the lower level. Each gun emplacement had a separate magazine, shell room and hoist. The hoist moved the heavy 10" shells from the lower level to the loading platform on the upper level where carts moved the shells and powder bags to the guns.



World War I
The guns of Battery Church were apparently slated for use abroad because they were ordered retained and remounted in 1918.

World War II
Both guns and carriages were declared obsolete and scrapped 7 may 1942.

Current Status
No period guns or mounts in place. All of the protective sand and earth from the sides and front of the battery has been removed and the battery stands fully exposed. The battery itself is deteriorating and off-limits to all personnel.

Sources:

Links: