photo by Kenneth Maxam, from a copy by Douglas Armsden
Battery Farnsworth, circa 1915.(click for larger version)
Beginning in 1897, a new system of defenses was built outside the fort proper. A concrete battery was built into the hill under Walbach Tower, which was equiped with two 8-inch breach-loading rifles, Model 1888MII, serials 38, 43 (Watervliet Arsenal), on disappearing carriages, Model 1894, serials 23, 22 (Providence Steam Engine Co.), with hand-operated platform ammunition hoists. The battery was armed and operational in 1898 during the Spanish-American War, but was not fully completed until 1899. It was named Battery Elon Farnsworth (in honor of Brigadier General Elon John Farnsworth, killed in action in Pennsylvania in 1863). (Read a sidebar piece from Gettysburg National Battlefield.) The battery continually suffered from extreme dampness, and was never electrified. Due to structural problems that were never completely fixed, it was also never modernized prior to World War I. This area is currently fenced off from the public, due to its deteriorating condition. (See Battery Farnsworth photos.) In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the harbor was planted with 21 underwater mines, each loaded with 101 pounds of gun-cotton, and anchored by 1000-pound anchors. The U.S. Lightship Lilac laid buoys to mark the locations of the mines. The buoys served as daymarkers to warn local boaters. The Lighthouse Board then ordered that all lights and fog signals at Fort Constitution and on Seavey's Island be turned off at night. The minefield was electrified at night from 8PM to 4AM. The crisis ended after about two months, but the mines remained in place until 1899. A small concrete mine casemate was completed in 1898 under the left flank of Battery Farnsworth to control the detonation of the mines in the harbor. However, this casemate was never afterwards used due to wetness problems. (NOTE: This casemate may or may not have been actually used in 1898 for mining operations. Sources are not clear as to if there was a temporary casemate built during the war, because of the stated wetness problems.) Harbor mining operations were conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, not the Coast Artillery, until about 1901. A new mine casemate was later built at Fort Stark in 1907. Battery K, 2nd U.S. Artillery, commanded by Captain Curtis, was posted here from 1898 to 1900, then replaced by a 20-man detachment from Battery M, 4th U.S. Artillery, which was based at Fort Strong in Boston, Mass..
Of historical note, Tom Mix, the famous Hollywood Westerns actor during the 1920's, was stationed here in 1898 for several months, serving in Battery M, 4th U.S. Artillery.
See a special collection of old photographs, circa 1900, donated by Bolling Smith of the Coast Defense Study Group.
The 124th Company, U.S. Coast Artillery Corps was headquartered here from 1902 to 1907 before being transferred to Fort Andrews in Boston. The 156th Company (Mines), U.S. Coast Artillery Corps was posted here from 1907 to 1924. In 1901 a large brick mine-storage building (or torpedo storehouse) was built on the granite pavement between the 1808 and 1863 outer walls, to supply the mines for the defense of the harbor. A small pier was built on the north side of the fort, near the mine-storage building, to load the prepared mines onto boats (mine planters) for planting in the harbor. The boat assigned to Portsmouth Harbor during this time was the USAMP General Royal T. Frank, which was also used in Boston and Portland Harbors. A wooden cable tank building was built in 1901 in front of the old fort's gatehouse. A wooden loading room and service dynamite room were built in 1907 in front of the torpedo storehouse, near the wharf. A rail system (tramway) of hand-pushed cars was devised to transport the mines from the storage and loading rooms to the "mine wharf". An additional 8.15 acres of land was purchased by the federal government in 1902 to accommodate several new garrison buildings planned for construction. In 1904 a two-story wooden-frame primary fire-control station (B') for Battery Farnsworth was built behind the ruins of Walbach Tower.
In 1904 a second battery was completed between Battery Farnsworth and the old fort, consisting of two shielded 3-inch rapid-fire guns, Model 1903, serials 88, 89 (Watervliet Arsenal), on barbette carriages, Model 1903, serials 63, 64 (Watertown Arsenal), to supplement the fire of the 8-inch guns. This battery was named Battery Pleasant Adam Hackleman (in honor of Brigadier General Pleasant Adam Hackleman, killed in action in Mississippi in 1862). The four remaining mounted 100-pounder Seacoast Parrott guns were then removed from the old fort and scrapped in 1905.
In 1917 the harbor was again planted with mines. Also, the guns of Battery Farnsworth were removed and sent to Watertown Arsenal, Mass. for the intended purpose for remounting as railway guns to be used in France by the American Expeditionary Force. The carriages were removed in 1918. The battery was never rearmed. Later, the battery would be used for storing mine cable and other equipment. It was proposed in 1938 to have a 60-inch searchlight position built on emplacement #2. During the war wooden barracks were erected on concrete pilings inside of the old fort. These housed the battery gunners, as well as serving as the receiving quarters for new National Guard troops up until 1945.
In 1920 a Coincidence Range Finder (CRF) Station was built atop the 1808 bastion of the old fort to direct the fire of Battery Hackleman, similar to those at Forts Foster and Stark, but without the roof. A large modern concrete mine casemate was constructed behind Battery Farnsworth, just below the hill under Walbach Tower, replacing the mine casemate at Fort Stark. Electrical cables ran from here to a "cable hut" (junction box) at Fort Stark, which then went to each of the mines in the harbor. Control and firing of the mines were operated from the casemate. The cable tank building was enlarged to accommodate the extra cable lengths for the mines. The earthen berm behind the central traverse of Battery Farnsworth was removed, and an electrical power plant was completed in 1921. Also in 1921 the former B' station for Battery Farnsworth was redesignated as the new M' mine station for the harbor, replacing the old M' station at Fort Stark. The fort was placed on caretaker status from 1922 to 1940, under Battery E, 8th Coast Artillery Regiment (Harbor Defense), U.S. Army, which was based in Portland, Maine. The granite seawall on both sides of the old fort was built in 1938, using many of the blocks taken from the Civil War era walls.
In 1941 the Headquarters, Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth Harbor was relocated to Camp Langdon, a short distance south, between Fort Constitution and Fort Stark, in an area now called "Great Island Common". The 22nd Coast Artillery Regiment (Harbor Defense), U.S. Army was formed in 1940 and headquartered there. The Mine Group Command for Portsmouth Harbor then transferred to Fort Foster. Fort Constitution then became strictly a Mine Operations Depot. In 1942 a new concrete mine observation station (M1) was built on top of Battery Farnsworth, and used in conjunction with another new concrete observation station (M2) at Fort Foster. A second mine casemate was also built at Fort Foster. The inner two lines (seven groups, 13 mines each) of ground mines in the outer harbor (outside of Whaleback Light) were controlled from the casemate here at Fort Constitution. The outer line (seven groups, 13 mines each) was controlled from Fort Foster. TNT for the mines was now stored in an isolated magazine at Fort Dearborn. A set of two hydrophones was located between the middle and outer line of mines, controlled from Fort Stark. A second set of four hydrophones was located outside the outer line of mines, controlled from Fort Foster. A series of four underwater magnetic indicator loops were installed further out to sea, from Sisters' Point to Appledore Island, and back around to Rye Ledge, controlled from the Navy Station on Appledore Island. These were used to detect submerged enemy submarines trying to enter the outer harbor. No known enemy vessels ever penetrated the harbor defenses here at Portsmouth. (See also 1945 Harbor Mine Defenses for maps and photos)
During the war, the mine casemate was upgraded to protect against shell fire, gas attack, and commando raids. The concrete facade, with an airlock chamber (still visible today), was added to the front. The CRF station for Battery Hackleman was rebuilt in 1942 as an enclosed Battery Commander's Station. Searchlight position #11 was between the battery and the lighthouse. The primary weather station and tide station for the Harbor Command were located at the wharf. The original guns of Battery Hackleman were removed in 1942 and sent to Fort H. G. Wright, located on Fishers Island in Long Island Sound, New York. They were replaced with the guns from Battery Lytle at Fort Stark, which was in the process of being relocated. In 1943 the Civil War era wooden boathouse at the wharf was rebuilt to accommodate and repair the eight mine yawls (26-footers) assigned to the harbor. They were listed as the M-302, M-304, M-320, M-321, M-348, M-385, M-414, and the M-460. The Army mine planter boat assigned to Portsmouth Harbor during this time was the Boston-based USAMP Brigadier General Henry L. Abbott, which was also used in Portland. A junior mine planter, the JMP 70 (107-feet), was based here. Two smaller DB boats (65-feet), the L-95 and the L-111, were also in use here. During the war, other Boston-based vessels also served Portsmouth from time to time, including the USAMP General Absalom Baird, the JMP General Richard Arnold, the JMP Lt. Col. M.N. Greeley, and the L-88 DB boat, among others.
Read the story on the tragic sinking of the JMP General Richard Arnold on 8 January 1942 while trying to save the L-88 just offshore near the Isles of Shoals. Online version courtesy of SeacoastNH.com
Read the story of Lester Stevens, who served here in 1941-45 with the mine planter boats, and who later became the park ranger for Fort Stark from 1991-98, in an article from The Atlantic News, 5 December, 1996.
Read the biography of Brigadier General Lawrence Guyer USAF, who, as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery, helped to re-activate the harbor defenses of Portsmouth in 1940.
The Army deactivated the fort in 1948, along with the rest of the nearby forts defending Portsmouth Harbor. The New Hampshire National Guard then used the fort for training purposes until 1958. The Portsmouth Harbor Lifeboat Station was relocated here from Wood Island in 1948. Personnel were quartered in the Keeper's House, and an Army barrack was converted to a Recreation Center. The CRF/BC Station for Battery Hackleman was used as a lookout station until later replaced with a steel-frame tower. In 1950 the land was divided up among the U.S. Navy and the General Services Administration. In 1960 the federal government transferred the original 1.75 acres, along with the original fort, back to the State of New Hampshire. In 1965 the Treasury Department received 8.30 acres, currently known as U.S. Coast Guard Station, Portsmouth. The disposition of the remaining 1.5 acres of the reservation is unclear.
In 1965 Battery Hackleman was demolished to make way for the current brick USCG Administration Building, completed in 1966. An asphalt helipad was constructed between the Administration Building and Battery Farnsworth. The old mine storehouse originally became the visitor center for the new park, but has been used as the Coastal Marine Laboratory of the University of New Hampshire (UNH) since 1989. It is closed to the general public. In 1973 Fort Constitution was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The fort's gatehouse was refurbished in 1974 for the Bicentennial celebrations. Admission to the fort is free. However, the USCG buildings are off-limits to the public. There is limited interpretation inside the fort. The public parking lot is behind Battery Farnsworth. (Read an article from the Portsmouth Herald Newspaper 24 July, 2000 on the condition of the fort's walls.)
To the northwest of the fort is a 500-foot pier (built in 1968) that was previously used for the Coast Guard vessels based here. They are now based at the Naval Shipyard upriver due to safety concerns of the wharf, which was condemned in 1996. In September 1999, 2.0 acres of the reservation was transferred by quitclaim from the Coast Guard to the Town of New Castle, for use as a future park. This parcel is located at the corner of Wentworth Road and Ocean Avenue. In June 2001, 5.5 acres of land were transferred by quitclaim from the Coast Guard to UNH for use as part of the new (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NOAA-UNH Cooperative Institute for New England Mariculture and Fisheries (CINEMar). This includes the parcel containing Battery Farnsworh and Walbach Tower. UNH plans to rebuild the pier for UNH and NOAA research vessels, and to construct a new marine research laboratory, which is now planned to be built at Odiorne Point in Rye. (Read progress updates on the UNH Marine Research Facility project.)
Fort Constitution Lighthouse, more commonly known as Portsmouth Harbor Light, or "Fort Point Light", is outside the southeast corner of the old fort. It was built in 1877 upon the 1803 tower foundation. It was originally a dark reddish-brown until painted white in 1902. The adjacent brick oil house was built in 1892. The light was electrified in 1934, and automated in 1960. It was refurbished in 1977, and again in 1998 - 2000. The Keeper's House, built in 1872 on the foundation of the original house, was originally located about 1000 feet west, near where Battery Farnsworth was later built. It was moved in 1897 closer to the lighthouse, near where Battery Hackleman was later built. It was moved again in 1906 to its present location within the walls of the fort. It is still currently in use by the Coast Guard. Public access of the Lighthouse is not allowed, except for special prearranged tours given by the "Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse", an American Lighthouse Foundation chapter, lease-holder of the light since 2000. Show your interest in the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, an all-volunteer organization that will restore, rehabilitate, and interpret the lighthouse to the general public. Please send inquiries to Jeremy D'Entremont (keeper@lighthouse.cc), President FofPHL, for further information.
Fort Constitution State Historic Site official website from NH State Parks
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