Fort Independence (1)

Fort Independence (1) (1801-1960) - Fort Independence began as a First System fort built in 1801 on the rubble of previous forts, and in particular that of Castle William, a Revolutionary War post home to the Massachusetts State Guard. Located on Castle Island, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Initially abandoned 25 Nov 1879 it was regarrisoned briefly during the Spanish American War and saw service in World War I and World War II. Finally declared surplus in 1960. Fort Independence Sallyport Fort Independence 15" Rodman Cannon Fort Independence South Side Fort Independence on Castle Island First System (1794-1808) Fort Independence circa 1852 at Completion Established on Castle Island in Boston Harbor to protect the main ship channel into Boston. Construction of the star shaped fort began in 1800 and was almost complete in 1803. Planned to mount 42 guns with two outer batteries each mounting six guns. Second System (1808-1816) Fort Independence was extensively repaired under the Second System plan. Third System (1816-1867) In 1833 construction began on a Third System granite fort built on the foundation of the Second System Fort. The new fort was pentagonal with a bastion at each corner. The fort walls were 30 feet high and 5.5 feet thick. Construction was first supervised by Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, a top military engineer and early graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point who had then become its Superintendent and true founder, then by Charles H. Bigelow (Cullum 787), Edward H. Courtenay (Cullum 262). The fort was completed in 1851, although further modifications were made in 1865‑1867 under the superintendence of Charles E. Blunt (Cullum 1247) and Henry W. Benham (Cullum 891). U.S. Civil War (1861-1865) At the start of the U.S. Civil War in 1861, Fort Independence was garrisoned by the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. During the war the fort mounted as many as 96 cannon, including some 15 inch Rodman guns, capable of firing a 450 pound shot more than 3 miles. The fort was placed in caretaker status in 1879. In the Spanish-American War the fort was re-occupied as a mine and torpedo station. Endicott Period (1890-1910) Fort Independence Plan 1914 Fort Independence (1) Partial Commanders List (edit list) Assumed Relieved Rank Name Cullum Notes 1813 1815 Captain Gates, William 11 1863-08-15 1863-10-28 Major Floyd-Jones, DeLancey 1316 1865-12-08 1866-03-20 Major Neill, Thomas H. 1357 1866-08-01 1866-09-24 Lt. Col. Haskin, Joseph A. 995 1867-02-28 1867-04-19 Lt. Col. Hunt, Henry J. 1004 1875-05-29 1875-11-30 Major Arnold, Richard 1462 Dates are formatted in yyyy-mm-dd to sort correctly. The Cullum Number is the graduation order from the United States Military Academy by year and class rank and links to a page for the officer on the website version of the Cullum Register. Listings without a Cullum Number indicate that the person was not a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Current Status Opened to the public as a Boston City Park in 1975. {"selectable":false,"height":"-500","width":"-500"} Location: Castle Island in Boston Harbor, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, now attached to the mainland. Maps & Images Lat: 42.338333 Long: -71.011111 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 36' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 402-404 Weaver, John R. II, A Legacy in Brick and Stone: America Coastal Defense Forts of the Third System, Redoubt Press, McLean, 2001, First Printing, ISBN 1-57510-069-X, page 86-87 U.S.Army, Supplement to the Harbor Defense Project of Boston, Massachusetts, (HDB-AN-45), 31 Jan 1945, CDSG Links: North American Forts - Fort Independence Wikipedia - Fort Independence Fort Website Visited: 18 May 2012