Battery Bagley

 (1903-1926) - Battery Bagley was a reinforced concrete, Endicott Period 12 inch coastal mortar battery on Fort Caswell, Brunswick County, North Carolina. The battery was named in G.O. 138, 1899, after Ensign Worth Bagley, U.S. Navy, who was killed at Cardenas, Cuba, 11 May 1893. Battery construction started in 1898, was completed in 1899 and transferred to the Coast Artillery for use 5 Mar 1903 at a cost of $ 115,787.65. Guns and carriages removed in 1926.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)
Originally built as an Endicott Period concrete coastal mortar battery with eight 12" M1890 mortars on M1896 mortar carriages.

Around 1911 the mortars and carriages were swapped with a set of eight older 12" M1886M mortars mounted on M1891 carriages from Battery Lincoln at Fort Banks (2).



World War I (1917-1918)
The mortar tubes and carriages of Battery Bagley were not affected by the World War I redistribution but the older M1886 mortars and their M1891 carriages were approved for scrapping on 30 Sep 1918 and ordered scrapped 26 May 1920 as a part of the post-war disarmament program. The eight scrapped mortars were replaced with four newer M1890MI mortars and M1896MI mortar carriages from an unnamed battery at NAS Rockaway, Fort Tilden. These newer mortars were transferred to Battery Bagley, 30 Jul 1920, and placed two per pit. The exact match of mortars and carriages to positions is unknown but the list below identifies the mortar tubes and carriages.

As Fort Caswell transitioned from caretaker status to private ownership, all four of the mortar tubes and the two Rarig carriages were transferred to the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Jul-Aug 1926, the remaining two carriages were abandoned in place.

Current Status
No period guns or mounts in place.

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