Battery Izard

 (1898-1943) - Battery Izard was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Crockett, Galveston County, Texas. The battery was named in G.O. 194, 27 Dec 1904, after BG George Izard, U.S. Army, veteran of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Battery construction started 17 Sep 1898, was virtually completed by 8 Sep 1900 when the Galveston hurricane struck. The battery was repaired and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 21 Aug 1911 at a cost of $ 152,576.87. Deactivated in 1943.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal mortar battery with eight 12" M1890MI mortars mounted on M1896MI carriages. The mortars were configured into two mortar pits of four mortars each. At the time of the Galveston hurricane the battery was virtually complete. The carriages and guns were in place but had not been mounted. After the hurricane both the guns and the carriages were scattered about the battery and buried in sand. They were recovered, cleaned up and placed in storage. The battery was restored and the sand ramparts rebuilt between 1901 and 1906 and the mortars mounted. Fort Crockett was not re-garrisoned until 1911 when instability in Mexico made Fort Crockett a major staging area. The battery was not accepted for service until 21 Aug 1911.

World War I (1917-1918)
In May of 1918 Fort Crockett was first directed to dismount and prepare for shipment four of the Battery Izard 12" mortars. That directive was modified on 25 May 1918 to dismount and prepare for shipment all eight of the 12" mortars and that four of the mortars would be replaced with four mortars from Battery Mercer at Fort San Jacinto when transport was available. The mortar carriages all remained at Fort Crockett.

The reduction of mortar battery pits from four mortars to two mortars was part of a large program that affected most coastal mortar batteries. The reduction reduced crowding in the pits and improved firing rates so that no loss of capability was experience but the number of people required in each pit was cut in half.

The four mortars from Battery Mercer on Fort San Jacinto were transferred to Battery Izard 10 Apr 1922 so Battery Izard was unarmed from 1918 to 1922.



World War II (1941-1945)
By the start of World War II the mortar batteries were obsolete and the first large scrap drive in late 1942 provided an opportunity to deactivate the mortar batteries and scrap the massive mortars and their carriages.

Current Status
No remains. No period guns or mounts in place.

Sources:

Links: