A Brief History of Fort Monroe
1819 - Present
Fort Algernourne (1609 - 1667), which was rebuilt in 1632, was first located here. It was a triangular stockade containing seven cannons and fifty people in 1614. Later, Fort George (1727 - 1749) was built on the site, but it was destroyed by a hurricane. In 1802, the Old Point Comfort lighthouse was built. The British occupied this area during the War of 1812 and used the lighthouse as a watch tower. The current moated irregular hexagon-shaped stone fortress is the largest in the United States. (Fort Jefferson in Florida is bigger in height and potential armament). This National Historic Landmark was named after President James Monroe, and was designed to hold 200 guns (380 were originally called for). With the addition of the Water Battery casemates the number increased to 412. It was garrisoned in 1823 and has been continuously occupied since then. Prior to 1832 the official name was Fortress Monroe. Construction was completed in 1834. This is one of four southern permanent forts that was never taken by the Confederacy.
Learn more about Old Point Comfort Lighthouse.
Construction of the fortress was led by the French military engineer, Brigadier General Simon Bernard. During the Civil War the fort's population exploded from 400 to 6,000 troops. It was secure enough even for President Lincoln who visited during the height of the war in this region.The Casemate Museum was built inside a row of casemates. One such casemate was used as the prison cell of former Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Others were used as living quarters for soldiers and their families until World War II. Robert E. Lee was stationed here from 1831 to 1834 when he was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Edgar Allan Poe was also stationed here in 1828 as a Sergeant Major of Artillery. He sold his enlistment the following year for $75. The first artillery school was established here in 1824. Several cannons are on display by the Casemate Museum. The 49,000-pound Lincoln Gun is on display at the Parade Ground. The remnants of the Water Battery can be seen just outside the fortress. The casemates of that battery were demolished in 1901 to make way for Battery Parrott. However, three 1890's gun emplacements are still present. The Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) continues to use the fortress for offices and housing.
The Endicott and World War Periods
The Coast Artillery School was here from 1907 to 1948, and the Coast Artillery Corps had a dominant presence at the fort. During the World Wars, Fort Monroe served as the headquarters for the Defenses of the Chesapeake Bay. It commanded Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Fort Wool, which is just offshore from here, Little Creek Mine Base (now known as Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base), and Fort John Custis on Virginia's Eastern Shore. In addition, the defenses of Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina (Fort Macon) fell under the umbrella of Fort Monroe's command. Even after some landfilling of the island, conditions at Fort Monroe became overcrowded. Camp Eustis (now known as Fort Eustis) was established as the training grounds. Camp Pendelton was also established. The harbor defense headquarters moved to Fort Story near the end of World War II. A submarine and anti-motor torpedo boat net was linked between Fort Monroe and Fort Wool, and further on to Willoughby Spit. Another anti-motor torpedo boat net was set up at the York River entrance. A minefield was laid offshore around Thimble Shoals. Anti-aircraft guns were also set up.
BATTERIES & BUNKERS:
Battery Robert Anderson: eight 12-inch M1890 M-I mortars on M1896 carriages (1898-1943)
Battery George D. Ruggles: eight 12-inch M1890 M-I mortars on M1896 carriages (1898-1943)
Battery Albert E. Church (Redoubt B): two 10-inch M1888 M-I guns on disappearing carriages (1898/99-1942)
Battery Gustavus A. DeRussy (Battery 15): three 12-inch M1895 guns on M1897 disappearing carriages (1901-1944)
NOTE: Battery DeRussy originally named Rene E. DeRussy until 1909.
Battery Robert P. Parrott: two 12-inch M1900 guns on disappearing carriages (1905-1943); changed to AMTB 23
AMTB Battery 23: two 90mm guns on fixed mounts (1943-1946); one gun replaced 1970's from Fishermans Island
Battery Douglas S. Irwin: four 3-inch rapid-fire guns on masking parapet mounts (1902-1920's); two pedestal
mounted guns from Fort Wool emplaced in 1946; one 3-inch AA gun (1940's) on a converted emplacement
Parapet: four 8-inch rifles (1898 - 1915) on barbette carriages, one in Bastion 3, two on Front 3, one in
Bastion 4 (now site of HECP); two rifles were removed within a year; battery no longer exists.
Note: Other Parapet guns (ca.1885) were converted Rodman rifles and 100-pounder Parrott rifles
Water Battery: one 8-inch rifle (1897 - 1898) on a barbette carriage; previously three 15-inch Rodmans (ca.1890)
Note: Water Battery Casemates held 10-inch Rodmans (ca.1890)
N.E. Bastion: one experimental 10-inch depressing gun (1900-?)
Battery Charles B. Gatewood: four 4.7-inch .50 calibre M1898 British Armstrong guns on pedestal mounts (1898-1914) along Front 4; battery no longer exists
Harbor Entrance Control Post
Harbor Defense Command Post
Mines Casemates
Fire Control & Signal Towers
In addition, there was also:
Battery Charles Humphreys: one 10-inch M1894 gun on an experimental disappearing carriage (1897-1910); demolished
Note: previously the site of an earthen redan (ca.1870s-97)
Battery Abraham Eustis (Redoubt C): two 10-inch M1888 M-II guns on disappearing carriages (1898-1942); demolished
Battery George Bomford (Redoubt A): two 10-inch M1888 M-II guns on disappearing carriages (1897-1940); demolished
Note: previously this site was a rearward-facing stone and earth redoubt for small guns and infantry - converted in 1874 to carry six 15-inch guns. Demolished by 1892
Battery Thomas H. Barber: one 8-inch M1892 gun on an ARF barbette carriage (1898-1915); demolished
Note: the gun at Barber, along with a 12-inch M1891 mortar, was previously mounted in 1895 on a temporary platform somewhere at the northern end of the Water Battery.
Battery Lemuel P. Montgomery (Battery 16): two 6-inch M1900 guns on barbette carriages (1904-1948); two replaced in 1941; demolished
Battery Taylor: four 155-mm GPF guns from Fort Eustis (1920's - 1930's)
Battery Ashbridge: two 12-inch railway mortars and 8-inch railway guns from Fort Eustis (1920's - 1930's)
unnamed: three 3-inch Anti-Aircraft machine guns (1940's)
unnamed: two 3-inch Anti-Aircraft guns (1940's)
Saluting battery: two 2.24-inch rapid-fire guns on wheeled carriages at the Flag Bastion (1902-?)
Battery 124 (Battery 17) was planned but never built. It was to have two casemated 16-inch Navy guns on long range barbette carriages.
USGS Satellite Images of the fort
courtesy of Microsoft TerraServer
Proceed to Fortress Photo Gallery
Proceed to Coastal Batteries Photo Gallery
* Official link to Fort Monroe *
http://web.archive.org/web/20090808232130/http://geocities.com/hrforts/Fort_Monroe/history.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20090722060732/http://www.npl.lib.va.us/history/history44.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20100527150531/http://www.norfolk.gov/Planning/comehome/Neighborhood_Histories_nonhistoric.asp
http://web.archive.org/web/20090808232130/http://geocities.com/hrforts/Fort_Monroe/bphotos1.htm">Photographys of Fort Monroe Seacoast Batteries
Photographs of Fort MonroeSeacoast Batteries
Water Battery
N 37.265 W076.230
Built in 1832 and consisted mostly of brick casemates to compliment the fort.
The outerworks contained three 15-inch Rodmans (ca.1890) and the
Water Battery Casemates held 10-inch Rodmans (ca.1890).
Located just north, where the Wherry housing starts, is the spot where
one 8-inch rifle (1897 - 1898) was located prior to moving to Battery Barber.
Also located here in 1895 was a 12-inch mortar.
This temporary platform was only used for target practice.
These emplacements are from the Civil War or Post Civil War era.
On the right side is the magazine. You can also see what remains
of the brick casemates.
Vintage photo of the Water Battery.
Vintage photo of the water battery.
Vintage photo of inside the water battery.
Vintage photo of a mortar emplaced just outside the Water Battery.
North East Bastion & Battery Gatewood
Bastion N 37.270 W076.279 - Gatewood N 37.231 W076.301
N.E. Bastion, also known as Redoubt E, originally held one M1896 experimental 10-inch
depressing gun (1898 - 1908). Later the site was converted into multiple observaton stations.
It is currently marked incorrectly as Battery Gatewood.
Battery Gatewood consisted of four 4.7-inch .50 calibre M1898 British Armstrong guns
on pedestal mounts (1898-1914). Named after Charles B. Gatewood and located along the parapet
between the Experimental Battery and the HECP.
{see "American Seacoast Defenses" 2nd Ed. page 86}
Experimental Battery.
The old gun emplacement of the experimental battery.
Located at this spot, after the gun was removed, was the wooden
2-room Gun Group Primary Station (1914).
Also located here was a fire command station for Battery Ruggles
(a 1-room frame building built in 1914).
Two more instrument stands next to the experimantal battery.
The wooden Mine Group Double Primary Station (1914) was here.
It consisted of two instrument rooms and two plotting rooms.
Originally an unassigned observing station, but later used for the
Meteorlogical Station. (USCGS "Fort")
Site of Battery Gatewood.
The square foundation is the site of the wooden
two-story Signal Station (1934).
Notice the concrete remains of a gun mount in foreground.
Interior room of the Experimental Battery. |
Battery Barber & Mine Casemate 1
N 37.409 W076.351
Battery Barber held one 8-inch M1892 gun on an ARF (360) barbette carriage
(1898-1915). Located near the PX and named after Thomas H. Barber.
Mine Casemate #1 was also here.
Note: the gun at Barber, along with a 12-inch M1891 mortar, was previously mounted in
1895 on a
temporary platform just outside the Water Battery where the Wherry Housing starts.
Former site of Battery Barber and the Mine Casemate.
Batteries Bomford, Humphreys & Eustis
Bomford N 37.472 W076.329 - Humphreys N 37.340 W076.318
Eustis approx N 37.582 W076.099 (USCGS "Tall Square Tower")
All of these were demolished, but I felt it necessary to include them.
Battery Bomford was originally known as Redoubt A. It was stone and earth fortification
for small guns and infantry and mostly faced backwards toward Mill Creek. It was converted in
1874 to carry six 15-inch guns seacoast guns, but this construction was never completed.
In 1891, this redoubt was demolished and the concrete battery, named after George Bomford, was built.
It was completed in 1897 and carried two 10-inch M1888-M2 guns on M1894 disappearing
carriages. The battery was modernized in 1913 which included widening the loading
platforms and adding an open BC Station and a Plotting Room. The battery was disarmed
in 1942 and demolished. A credit union and PX are now at this location.
{see "American Seacoast Defenses" 2nd Ed. page 122}
Battery Humphreys was located on the site of the earthen Redan (ca.1870's-1897). This
redan was built into the northern segment of the Water Battery next to the moat sleuce.
This area is now only an empty field. The concrete battery was built in 1897 and named
after Charles Humphreys. It was armed with one 10-inch M1894 gun on an experimental
disappearing carriage. The gun was removed in 1910. However, in 1914 a new structure
was built on the loading platform. Consisting of five tall concrete pedestals, this
Fire Control Station served as the Primary Stations to Batteries Parrot, Eustis, and
Anderson in addition to the Secondary Stations for Batteries DeRussy and Church.
The lower level served as the Signal Corps Switchboard Room. In 1946 only one of the
Primary Stations was used, presumably for Battery Montgomery.
Battery Eustis was originally called Redoubt C. This concrete batttery was built
between 1898 and 1900 with the Coast Artillery using it in 1901. It was armed with
two 10-inch M1888-M2 guns on M1896 disappearing carriages. It was modernized in 1908
which included widening the loading platforms and adding an elevated two-story BC
Station and Plotting Room. In 1933, Eustis was used only for training. The guns were
removed in 1942, and the battery was demolished.
{see "American Seacoast Defenses" 2nd Ed. page 124}
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http://web.archive.org/web/20081228134836/http://www.nnsy1.navy.mil/History/Q_K.HTM