Battery DeRussy (15)

Coast Artillery Corps Memorial

N 37°00.726 W076°18.049

This concrete battery was built between 1898 and 1903. The Coast Artillery began
using it in 1904. Originally named after Rene E. DeRussy, but in 1909 that was
changed to Gustavus A. DeRussy. Armed with three 12-inch M1895 guns on M1897
disappearing carriages. The battery was modernized in 1908, the platforms widened
and the BC Station was built. At first, each gun had its own plotting room underneath,
but the elevated two story BC Station replaced these with a new plotting room on its
lower level. The battery was decommissioned in 1944. The ladders and stairs have
been removed along with the earth embankment to keep people off of this deteriorated
structure for safety reasons. Along the railings are shields of various harbor defenses.
{see "American Seacoast Defenses" 2nd Ed. page 148}


A memorial to the Coast Artillery Corps. The signs along the railing show
various insignia of the Coast Artillery Corps (see title page of this website).


Gun pit #1.
Gun pit #2.

Gun pit #3.
A searchlight and two railcars found on DeRussy.

A 155mm gun barrel also found on DeRussy.
A hoist mechanism for ammo and powder. There was one for each gun.

Battery Church

N 37°00.961 W076°17.941

Named after Albert E. Church, this concrete battery was built between 1897 and 1900.
The Coast Artillery began using it in 1901. It was originally called Redoubt B.
Armed two 10-inch guns on M1896 disappearing carriages. It was modernized between 1908
and 1909, with the loading platforms widened, and a three story BC Station was built,
of which the first floor is a power room and the middle level is the plotting room. In
1922 an Auxiliary Plotting Room was built into the left side of the battery, but it was
not used for Battery Church. Instead it was used for Battery Montgomery. A ladder
leading from this room goes up to a tiny observation post at the top. Right behind
gun #1 was a SCR-296 Radar Tower (1942), and this was also used for Montgomery. Its
foundation is still present. Another structure built on Church was the CRF Station
for Montgomery. It was built in 1942 of reinforced concrete and is in front of the old
BC Station. The ladders and stairs have been removed along with the earth embankment
to keep people off of this deteriorated structure for safety reasons.
{see "American Seacoast Defenses" 2nd Ed. page 124}


Note the two separate observation posts.



Another view of Battery Church.


Gun pit #1. Notice the stairs. After being removed from the battery
they were thrown into the gun pits.
Gun pit #2, and more stairs.

CRF Station for Battery Montgomery, built after Battery Church
was decommissioned.
Inside Montgomery CRF.

Observation post on Church, used for Montgomery.
Ladder to the observation post on Church.

Interior views of Church's BC station.

Battery Montgomery (16)

N 37°00.850 W076°18.000 (USCGS "BC SCRF")

This battery was decommissioned in 1948 and was demolished, but I thought I should
include some information since I have already mentioned it in the Battery Church segment.

This concrete battery was built between 1901 and 1903 and named after Lemuel P. Montgomery.
The Coast Artillery began using it in 1904. It was armed with two 6-inch M1900 guns
on M1900 pedestal mounts. They were sent to Fort Story's emergency battery around 1920 but
replaced in 1941. There were two places, one on each side, that were for CRF instruments,
but these were removed around 1934. This was a somewhat small battery and it relied on
Battery Church for its electricity, plotting room, observation stations and seacoast radar.
{see "American Seacoast Defenses" 2nd Ed. page 96}


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