Fort Terry
Fort Terry | |
---|---|
Part of Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound | |
Plum Island, Southold, New York | |
Coordinates | 41°10′48″N 72°11′42″W / 41.18000°N 72.19500°W |
Type | Coastal Defense |
Site history | |
Built | 1897-1906 |
Built by | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
In use | 1898-1946 (as coastal fort) 1952-54 (as military research facility) 1954-?(as civilian research facility) |
Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Fort Terry was a coastal fortification on
History
Early history
First “owned” by the
Endicott period (1895-1916)
Fort Terry, named for Major General Alfred Terry,[6] began construction in 1897 under the Endicott Program as part of the Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound, and was expanded several times from the time of the Spanish–American War through World War II.[4][7][8] The initial federal purchase was for 150 acres; however, the rest of the island was turned over to the federal government in 1901.[6]
In 1898, before any of Fort Terry's batteries were completed, the Spanish–American War broke out. It was feared the Spanish fleet would bombard the US east coast. A number of weapons were purchased from the UK and hastily mounted to give the nascent fort system some modern armament. By March 1898 a
Between 1897 and 1906 the following batteries were constructed at Fort Terry:[10][11][12][13]
Name | No. of guns | Gun type | Carriage type | Years active | Latitude | Longitude |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stoneman | 8 | 12-inch coast defense mortar M1890 | barbette M1896 | 1901–1943 | 41.18889 | -72.16472 |
Steele | 2 | 10-inch gun M1888 |
disappearing M1896 | 1900–1942 | 41.185 | -72.18083 |
Bradford | 2 | 6-inch gun M1897 | disappearing M1898 | 1901–1944 | 41.18944 | -72.16333 |
Floyd | 2 | 6-inch gun M1903 |
disappearing M1903 | 1906–1917 | 41.16778 | -72.19722 |
Dimick | 2 | 6-inch gun M1903 | disappearing M1903 | 1905–1917 | 41.18861 | -72.16389 |
Kelly | 2 | 5-inch gun M1900 |
pedestal M1903 | 1898–1917 | 41.18833 | -72.16444 |
Hagner | 2 | 3-inch gun M1903 | pedestal M1903 | 1906–1932 | 41.17111 | -72.20361 |
Eldridge | 2 | 3-inch gun M1903 | pedestal M1903 | 1906–1946 | 41.1688889 | -72.1961111 |
Dalliba | 2 | 3-inch gun M1903 | pedestal M1903 | 1905–1946 | 41.18861 | -72.16222 |
Greble | 2 | 3-inch gun M1903 | pedestal M1903 | 1905–1932 | 41.18917 | -72.16556 |
Campbell | 2 | 3-inch gun M1903 | pedestal M1903 | 1905–1934 | 41.18972 | -72.16167 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Vintage_colorized_postcard_View_of_Fort_Terry%2C_N.Y.jpg/220px-Vintage_colorized_postcard_View_of_Fort_Terry%2C_N.Y.jpg)
Battery Stoneman was named in honor of Brevet (Bvt.) Major General (MG) George Stoneman, who served with distinction during the U.S. Civil War, died 5 Sep 1894. Battery Steele was named in honor of Bvt. MG Frederick Steele, U.S. Army, who served with distinction during the Mexican–American War and the U.S. Civil War, and who died on 12 Jan 1868. Battery Bradford was named on March 13, 1902, in honor of Captain James Bradford, U.S. Artillery, who was killed on November 4, 1791, in action with hostile Indians at Fort Recovery, Ohio.[14] Battery Floyd was named in honor of 2nd Lt. Robert Floyd, 3rd US Artillery, mortally wounded in the Battle of Chickamauga, GA, died on 23 Sep 1863.[15] Battery Dimick was named in honor of Justin E. Dimick, an artillery officer mortally wounded in the Battle of Chancellorsville, VA, died on 5 May 1863. Battery Eldridge was named in honor of Capt. Bogardus Eldridge, U.S. Infantry, who was killed in action at Bocoor, Philippine Islands, 2 Oct 1899. Battery Dalliba was named in honor of Bvt. Major James Dalliba, assistant commissary of ordnance, who served 1811-1824 and died 8 Nov 1832.[16] Battery Greble was named in honor of 1st Lt. John Greble, 2nd US Artillery, killed in action at the Battle of Big Bethel, 10 Jun 1861.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Vintage_colorized_postcard_of_10-inch_cannon_firing_at_Fort_Terry%2C_N.Y.jpg/220px-Vintage_colorized_postcard_of_10-inch_cannon_firing_at_Fort_Terry%2C_N.Y.jpg)
Battery Steele was unusual in that the two 10-inch gun emplacements are on different levels on a hillside.
As an artillery post, Fort Terry was heavily armed as part of the
Fort Terry served as an
World War I
Following the American entry into World War I in April 1917, changes were made at the stateside forts with a view to putting some coast artillery weapons into the fight on the Western Front. The Coast Artillery Corps manned almost all US heavy and railway artillery in that war, with stateside forts reduced to a minimum garrison to provide gun crews in France. The forts were also important as mobilization and training centers. The four 6-inch guns of Batteries Floyd and Dimick were dismounted in 1917, to be mounted on field carriages for service in France. The pair of 5-inch guns of Battery Kelly were apparently remounted at Fort H. G. Wright until scrapped in 1919.[10][22] The 6-inch guns appear to have arrived in France, but for lack of training time none of the 5-inch or 6-inch batteries saw action in that war.[23] The guns were never returned to Fort Terry.[10] In 1918 four of Battery Stoneman's mortars were removed; this was to improve reloading time as reloading four mortars simultaneously in one pit was cumbersome.[10] Many of the mortars removed under this program became railway artillery, but none of these were shipped to France during the war.
Between the wars
Following the end of World War I, Fort Terry was declared surplus and put under the control of personnel at
World War II
During World War II, the post was put to use as a training facility and supply depot.
During World War II the following batteries were built at Fort Terry:[10][12]
Name | No. of guns | Gun type | Carriage type | Years active |
---|---|---|---|---|
Battery 217 | 2 | 6-inch gun M1 |
shielded barbette M4 | 1944-Never armed |
AMTB 911 | 4 | 90 mm gun |
two fixed T3/M3, two towed | 1943-1946 |
155mm | 4 | 155 mm gun M1918 |
Panama mount | 1942–1943, on Battery Steele |
After World War II it was determined that gun coast defenses were obsolete. In 1948, the fort was once again declared surplus and disarmed with all guns scrapped.[7]
Animal disease center
Beginning April 15, 1952, it served as a
Fort Terry's Chemical Corps installation covered three acres and included many of the amenities traditionally associated with U.S. military installations.[31] Included on the grounds were various administration buildings, laboratories, a dock, a motor pool, a commissary, a hospital, a fire station, staff housing and animal housing.[31]
When the Chemical Corps took control of Fort Terry, in 1952, it required the remodeling of 18 original buildings on post.
In 1954, the
2000-2016
As of August 2001, the fort and all of Plum Island was listed for sale with the
In June 2003, the responsibility for Plum Island facilities was transferred from the USDA to the
A 2008 DHS report recommended that the remnants of Fort Terry, its buildings and batteries, be opened to the public and preserved.[36] The Town of Southold, New York formed a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) which noted that many of the island's structures, including those at Fort Terry, could qualify for listing on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[36]
On 16 May 2016, the House unanimously passed “Save, Don’t Sell Plum Island”, Bill H.R. 1887 reversing the 2008 decision to put the island up for sale which would have led to future development and, ultimately, the destruction of the island.[37]
Biological warfare research
The original anti-animal biological warfare research mission at Fort Terry was "to establish and pursue a program of research and development of certain anti-animal biological warfare agents".
See also
- Building 101
- Building 257
- Fort Detrick
- Plum Island Animal Disease Center
- 11th Coast Artillery Regiment
- 242nd Coast Artillery Regiment
- Seacoast defense in the United States
- United States Army Coast Artillery Corps
References
- ^ "Weekly listing". National Park Service.
- ^ Alexandra Cella, “An Overview of Plum Island: History, Research and Effects on Long Island,” Long Island Historical Journal 16, no.1-2 (2003- 4): 176-181.
- ^ Plum Island Case Statement at HuntingtonAudobon.org
- ^ a b Bleyer, Bill. "Plum Island Animal Disease Center[permanent dead link]", from Newsday, via The Baltimore Sun, April 26, 2004, accessed January 10, 2009.
- ^ a b "USCG Aids to Navigation Team, Long Island Sound".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Cella, Alexandra. "An Overview of Plum Island: History, Research and Effects on Long Island", Long Island Historical Journal, Fall 2003/Spring 2004, Vol. 16, Nos. 1 and 2, pp. 176-181 (194-199 in PDF), accessed January 10, 2009.
- ^ a b c "Fort Terry", New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs, accessed January 9, 2009.
- ^ Grossman, Karl. "Target: Plum Island", The New York Times, September 11, 2005, accessed January 10, 2009.
- ^ Congressional serial set, 1900, Report of the Commission on the Conduct of the War with Spain, Vol. 7, pp. 3778–3780, Washington: Government Printing Office
- ^ a b c d e f Fort Terry at FortWiki.com
- ^ "Fort Terry at NY State Military Museum".
- ^ a b c "New York Forts at American Forts Network: page 8".
- ^ Plum Island topo map at Topozone.com
- ^ Lineage and Honors, 1/5 Field Artillery Regt
- ^ "Fourth Regt of Artillery at history.army.mil". Archived from the original on 2010-11-06. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
- ^ "James Dalliba • Cullum's Register • 61".
- ^ "Fort Terry - Plum Island Railway - Military Railroads of the New York Metropolitan Area".
- ^ brown, bob. "U.S.Army Air Defense Artillery Brigades Patches History Page 1".
- ^ "Error".
- ^ "Coast Artillery Journal, April 1930 at Sill-www.army.mil" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
- ^ Berhow, p. 208
- ^ History of the Coast Artillery Corps in WWI
- ^ Stanton, p. 466
- ^ "A History of Portsmouth Armory".
- ^ "1930 Census :: FREE 1790–1930 Census Resources for Genealogy & Family History".
- ^ "Page Not Found : USDA ARS". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
{{cite web}}
: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ "What's Ahead for Plum Island?". The New York Times. 25 January 2009.
- ^ "United States Army, Dec 7 1941".
- ^ Stanton, pp. 456, 470
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wheelis, Deadly Cultures, p. 225-228.
- ^ ISBN 8176487325).
- ^ Pg 13132 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 52 / Thursday, March 18, 2010 / Notices
- ^ New York: Properties Identified for Potential Inclusion in FUDS Cleanup Program Archived 2011-06-29 at the Wayback Machine. Government Accounting Office n.d. retrieved 25 May 2016
- General Accounting Office, September 19, 2003, accessed January 10, 2008.
- ^ Department of Homeland Security, February 2008, pp. 3-8 to 3-9 (pp. 27-28 in PDF), accessed January 10, 2009.
- ^ Mike Shelter (21 May 2016). "Congress Votes to Protect Plum Island! by". New York League of Conservation Voters. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ ISBN 0060011416).
- vesicular stomatitis. See, Wheelis, p. 226.
- Berhow, Mark A., ed. (2015). American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide (Third ed.). McLean, Virginia: CDSG Press. ISBN 978-0-9748167-3-9.
- Lewis, Emanuel Raymond (1979). Seacoast Fortifications of the United States. Annapolis: Leeward Publications. ISBN 978-0-929521-11-4.
- Stanton, Shelby L. (1991). World War II Order of Battle. Galahad Books. ISBN 0-88365-775-9.
- ISBN 0674016998).