Battlefield Works, Dictionary of CW Terms

There was also a gun emplacement as a part of the Fort Fisher defenses known as Battery Robinette. So maybe the Southern defenders saw a fort as a larger complex and batteries as parts of that.

My general rule of thumb is a fort is a position that can provide 360 degree security whereas a battery generally faces in one direction such as the batteries along the James River meant for the defense of Richmond against Union ships moving up river or batteries located all along the Confederate coast for coastal defense purposes like those at Charleston or Cape Fear.
 
My general rule of thumb is a fort is a position that can provide 360 degree security whereas a battery generally faces in one direction such as the batteries along the James River meant for the defense of Richmond against Union ships moving up river or batteries located all along the Confederate coast for coastal defense purposes like those at Charleston or Cape Fear.
Sounds like a good rule of thumb. Forts also usually have works for infantry to fight from. Outer and inner.
 
A fixed position for guns is often refered to as a battery.......for example, the CSS Georgia, while designed as an Ironclad casemate gunboat, was o underpowered and unmaneuverable, that she was anchored in the Savannah River as an Ironclad floating battery
 
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Civil War Era Seacoast Batteries

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12 inch Mortar battery, Endicott Period (1885-1941)

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Battery Cooper, Pensacola from the front, an innocent sea scape
and from the rear, a six inch rifle on a disappearing carriage

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Model of Battery Randolph, Fort DeRussy, Honolulu Hawaii. Endicott battery
 
There are some good youtube videos about the 1683 Siege of Vienna, arguably the most well-fortified city in Europe at the time. Lacking a lot of arty, the Turks relied on mining with 5,000 sappers, blowing one bastion at a time. They almost succeeded in a very close run, down to the wire, last battle with the relief army on Sept 12. Somehow, the Austrians found the last mine and snuffed the fuse within seconds of it blowing a main bastion, while the relief force routed the Turks by attacking down the surrounding heights. A real nail-biter of a siege.
 
A fixed position for guns is often refered to as a battery.......for example, the CSS Georgia, while designed as an Ironclad casemate gunboat, was o underpowered and unmaneuverable, that she was anchored in the Savannah River as an Ironclad floating battery
Not to be confused with the floating battery in place during the initial bombardment.
 
Oh, but I do.........ESSAYONS!!!!

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Republican Blues- 12B? Essayons brother! If you are ever near the Western NY area or are on the field with Co. A US Engineers- you have an invitation to step in with us. We always have a home for an old Engineers here- hell, I am one too. Its why we started this unit.
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No sir, 62E and 21W (whole unit got reclassed when the old battalion I was in the USAR got deactivated, and reflaggd as a company of the 411th....)I guess the NEW MOSs for those two are now 12N (Horizontal Construction Engineer) and 12W (Carpentry and Masonry Specialist) I was also branched Field Artillery on Active duty, so this thread REALLY gives me goosebumps LOL
 
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civil-war-058.jpg


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Civil War Era Seacoast Batteries

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12 inch Mortar battery, Endicott Period (1885-1941)

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Battery Cooper, Pensacola from the front, an innocent sea scape
and from the rear, a six inch rifle on a disappearing carriage

4564288729_5735c3b0b0.jpg

Model of Battery Randolph, Fort DeRussy, Honolulu Hawaii. Endicott battery

Those mortars look like they could lay the HURT on something......
 
The battery located at Fort DeRussy is now a museum down in Waikiki. Cool little place to visit if you're ever visiting Oahu. Located right along the beach amongst the high rise resorts.

The batteries at Fort De Soto are some other relatively unknown batteries to see if you're on a vaction to the greater Tampa/St. Pete area. Batteries Laidley and Bigelow at Fort De Soto are located at the mouth of Tampa Bay. It is very well kept up and has mortars in place in both loading and firing postions. The park also features a museum on site. Great beaches and has restrooms so pack a lunch and you could make an afternoon of it to explore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_De_Soto_Park

Not to mention you have Battery Huger constructed on top of the original parade ground of Fort Sumter and various batteries on Sullivan's Island if you're in the Charleston Area.

Also, you can explore whats left of Battery Buchanan which is located to the south of the remnants of Fort Fisher if you're ever in that area.
 
I enjoyed several picnics on the grounds of Fort de Soto. There is a very nice beach but part of the park is semi-jungle like Florida used to be.

The Disappearing or Scissor guns are impressive. There is another fort with similar guns downriver from Philadelphia.
 
I enjoyed several picnics on the grounds of Fort de Soto. There is a very nice beach but part of the park is semi-jungle like Florida used to be.

The Disappearing or Scissor guns are impressive. There is another fort with similar guns downriver from Philadelphia.

Apparently there was some kind of mosquito infestation or something along those lines and thats one of the reasons the post was abandoned but I'd have to go back and find the info I have tucked away somewhere about the reservation.
 
I hope you realize that to the Engineers this is like a centerfold model! I have the digital version of this and have had to make my own plates for it as the digital does not have them. Great post.

People would do well to look at this carefully. We've noticed that in most reenactments and conversations the idea of trenches is often confused with a simple rifle pit. The parapet is actually a very large and serious build. I read in one of Gibbons' written works (I think) that a 3" ordnance round would penetrate 12 feet of earthworks. Any soldier thinking that hiding behind less is OK is preparing to be a statistic. There is some great info about the penetrating power of a .58 cal round too. Serious power there.
 
Personally, I think this is excellent for education, as the re-enactment field focuses on the Infantry but not so much concerning the artillery and the earthworks that engineers were seriously employed.

Keep up the thread men...excellent discussion and revelations are happening here.

Engineers...keep a watch and do place your input into this discussion. Perhaps more forts, earthworks, batteries and such will be saved if more people knew what they are.

Just my opinion.

M. E. Wolf
 
Here are some quick shots from our presentation PowerPoint about Civil War Engineering. We'll be presenting it in May for a Civil Engineers Conference in Rochester, NY.
 

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