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344:. That small contingent remained until 1926, when the government placed the land up for sale. One developer proposed that nearby land on Sandy Point be divided into some 674 plots, but the land was purchased by a private syndicate eager to prevent it from being used for "cheap little houses" that might affect the exclusive character of Watch Hill. The sale was finalized in 1928.
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In August 2009, a small group of young adults interested in historical preservation began a cleanup project on Fort
Mansfield. They found roots to be the major source of cracks and deterioration, so foliage was cut back. The fort's decay has slowed because of the lack of the roots' pressure against
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can be traced back to a joint Army-Navy Board created in 1883 known as the Gun
Foundry Board. Its 1884 report warned of the defenseless condition of the USA's coasts and recommended a system of fortifications to protect harbors and coastal cities from invasion. In 1885, this Board was replaced by
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War games held in 1907 proved that the fort had a fatal flaw. Any attacking vessel could approach Fort
Mansfield from a "dead angle" along the Rhode Island coast which the fort's long-range 8 inch cannon did not cover. The installation could be bombarded with impunity, and an invading party
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All the government buildings were demolished during the winter of 1928–29, leaving the three concrete gun emplacements behind. Batteries
Wooster and Crawford survive to this day, although overgrown; but Battery Connell has succumbed to sea erosion, which has pushed the beach back some 200 feet
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Because of this fatal design flaw, the fort was removed from the list of active coastal artillery posts in 1909 and placed in caretaker status. By 1911, only 18 men were left to man the post. That dropped to six men in 1916, and the guns were removed in 1917 for potential service on the
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This project proved beneficial in alleviating some of the stresses upon the fort. In 2011, the Watch Hill Fire
Department placed railings along the top edges of the main building. They also placed steel covers blocking the steps, preventing access to the lower level of the site.
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could assault the fort opposed by nothing better than small-arms fire, depending on where it landed. A report on the war games stated, "I believe I could capture Ft. Mansfield with a fleet of coal barges, equipped with 6-inch rapid fire guns".
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on pedestal mounts. The balanced pillar was a type of retractable carriage that soon proved impractical and was disabled in the up position. Battery
Wooster was named for
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which issued formal recommendations for a major coastal defense network in 1886. Fort
Mansfield was one of numerous coastal artillery installations constructed in the
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295:. But when the fort was staffed to full capacity in 1902, its status changed to an independent battery. The fort's main armament consisted of Battery Wooster, two
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323:, an Army officer killed pursuing Geronimo in 1886. Battery Connell was named for James W. Connell, an Army officer killed in the
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287:. Construction of the fort began the following year. When the fort was first occupied in 1901, it was considered a sub-post of
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353:(61 m) since the fort was built. What remains of Connell can sometimes be seen at low tide.
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and was eventually promoted to
Inspector General of the Army; he was killed at the
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In 1898, the United States government purchased 60 acres (240,000 m) on
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by
Clement A. Griscom, 1984. Sponsored by the Westerly Historical Society.
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283:. The fort was located on a bend in the spit beyond which was called
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368:, but it was never built. The Oak's Inn site had a battery of four
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Buildings and structures in
Washington County, Rhode Island
259:(1803–1862), who served as an engineer officer during the
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Demolished buildings and structures in Rhode Island
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Narrative and pictures of a visit to Fort Mansfield
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447:"Military Exercise Exposed Fort Mansfield's Flaw,
234:Fort Mansfield and similar forts stretching from
519:(Third ed.). McLean, Virginia: CDSG Press.
51:The remains of Fort Mansfield on Napatree Point.
279:, a long, narrow spit of land jutting out from
573:at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
489:at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
436:at the Coast Defense Study Group, Inc. website
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517:American Seacoast Defenses, A Reference Guide
8:
577:FortWiki, lists all CONUS and Canadian forts
536:Seacoast Fortifications of the United States
360:was proposed for the Watch Hill area at the
762:1928 disestablishments in the United States
499:Oak's Inn Mil Res at American Forts Network
251:as part of the coastal defense network for
757:Military installations established in 1901
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571:List of all US coastal forts and batteries
560:Aerial view of the ruins of Fort Mansfield
487:List of all US coastal forts and batteries
434:List of all US coastal forts and batteries
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218:, a long barrier beach in the village of
404:United States Army Coast Artillery Corps
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356:During World War II, a battery of two
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399:Seacoast defense in the United States
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311:carriages; and Battery Connell, two
249:Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound
26:Harbor Defenses of Long Island Sound
538:. Annapolis: Leeward Publications.
146:State of Rhode Island, public beach
476:FortWiki article on Fort Mansfield
423:FortWiki article on Fort Mansfield
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534:Lewis, Emanuel Raymond (1979).
362:Oak's Inn Military Reservation
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515:Berhow, Mark A., ed. (2015).
243:what has become known as the
255:. It was named in honor of
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376:" from 1942 through 1944.
358:16"/50 caliber Mark 2 guns
366:Misquamicut, Rhode Island
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31:
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303:; Battery Crawford, two
281:Watch Hill, Rhode Island
214:installation located on
82:Location in Rhode Island
325:Philippine–American War
293:New London, Connecticut
782:Westerly, Rhode Island
224:Westerly, Rhode Island
38:Westerly, Rhode Island
772:Forts in Rhode Island
612:Forts in Rhode Island
112:41.30639°N 71.88472°W
261:Mexican–American War
257:Joseph K. Mansfield
117:41.30639; -71.88472
108: /
618:20th century forts
457:on 21 October 2016
267:in the Civil War.
265:Battle of Antietam
185:United States Army
151:Controlled by
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706:Conanicut Battery
545:978-0-929521-11-4
526:978-0-9748167-3-9
313:5-inch M1900 guns
307:(127 mm) on
305:5-inch M1897 guns
301:disappearing guns
212:coastal artillery
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453:. Archived from
451:, 20 April 2014"
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236:Galveston, Texas
154:Town of Westerly
138:Site information
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562:at Google Maps
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554:External links
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321:Emmet Crawford
299:(203 mm)
277:Napatree Point
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245:Endicott Board
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216:Napatree Point
208:Fort Mansfield
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459:. Retrieved
455:the original
449:Westerly Sun
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297:8-inch M1888
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271:Construction
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198:Battles/wars
169:Site history
159:Open to
684:Other forts
370:155 mm guns
285:Sandy Point
190:In use
115: /
91:Coordinates
751:Categories
461:24 October
410:References
348:Demolition
331:Fatal flaw
220:Watch Hill
103:71°53′05″W
100:41°18′23″N
675:Wetherill
665:Oak's Inn
660:Mansfield
193:1901-1926
726:Ninigret
721:Hamilton
711:Dumpling
630:Burnside
393:See also
24:Part of
736:Wolcott
380:Cleanup
230:History
716:Greene
701:Barton
670:Varnum
655:Kearny
650:Greene
645:Greble
635:Church
542:
523:
210:was a
691:Adams
640:Getty
625:Adams
240:Maine
174:Built
143:Owner
696:Anne
540:ISBN
521:ISBN
463:2015
372:on "
201:none
177:1901
128:Type
364:in
291:in
238:to
222:in
164:yes
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226:.
36:,
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598:t
591:v
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529:.
465:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
