Battery East

Battery East (1864-1896+) - Battery East was a masonry and earthworks, U.S. Civil War 42 pdr coastal gun battery on Fort Mason (2), San Francisco County, California. Battery construction started 1863, was completed in May 1864. Deactivated in 1896+.

U.S. Civil War (1861-1865)

Part of the Harbor Defense of San Francisco.

Originally built in 1864 as an U.S. Civil War coastal gun battery with six 42 pounder banded rifles mounted on Iron carriages. Battery East was connected to a similar Battery West that mounted six 10" Rodman smoothbore cannons. Both batteries were earthworks fortifications backed with masonry walls and using front pintle mounts on wood platforms. All of guns were mounted on iron carriages. The original threat was perceived to be Confederate raiders entering San Francisco Harbor.

In 1888 all six of the 42 pounders rifles, carriages and wooden platforms were removed.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)

In 1891 a single modified 10" Rodman cannon with a rifled 8" insert was mounted on an iron carriage in the #6 emplacement of Battery East. This gun is shown as mounted in the 1896 battery plan. By 1903, the gun is no longer listed.

Fort Mason 1896 Battery Plan, Battery West on left, Battery East on right

Current Status

Part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area (GGNRA) administered by the National Park Service. This battery was destroyed circa 1910-1911. No period guns or mounts in place.

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Location: Fort Mason (2), San Francisco County, California. Map point is approximate. Maps & Images Lat: 37.807709 Long: -122.427454 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....'

Sources:

• Hoke, Amy and Foulds, Eliot, Cultural Landscape Report for Fort Mason, National Park Service/Olmstead Center for Landscape Preservation, 2004.

Links:

• CDSG

Visited: 22 Aug 2009

Battery East Picture Gallery

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