Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Fort Miley: Battery James Chester
One of two 12-inch
rifles mounted on a dissapearing carriage.
Battery James
Chester
by Gordon Chappell, Regional Historian,
Pacific West Region, National Park Service
On September 23, 1899, an engineer lieutenant
cleared and graded a road into the new Point Lobos Military Reservation
(later Fort Miley), began clearing the ground, and soon had laid
out a battery for two 12-inch guns on Buffington-Crozier 'disappearing'
carriages. He also supervised erection of construction buildings
and shops.
The two 12-inch rifles, mounted in emplacements
1 and 2 in 1901, were Model 1895 tubes manufactured by Watervliet
Arsenal, Serial Numbers 17 and 40, and they were mounted on Model
1897 Buffington-Crozier 'disappearing' carriages Serial Numbers
26 and 27, manufactured by Watertown Arsenal. The new battery
was turned over to the Coast Artillery Corps on September 24,
1902. That same year, construction of a third emplacement, this
one for a single 12-inch gun on a 'non-disappearing' or barbette
carriage, was begun on the south flank of the two -'disappearing'
gun emplacements. Completed in 1903, it mounted a Model 1888
Mark II 12-inch tube manufactured by Bethlehem Steel, Serial
No. 3, which was carried on a Model 1892 Watertown Arsenal barbette
carriage, Serial No. 28. The three emplacements were named on
December 27, 1904 "Battery James Chester" in honor
of a 3rd Artillery major and Civil War veteran who had died in
1903.
Battery Chester had one gun removed in
1918. It was replaced by a gun from Battery Spencer in 1918.
In 1943 the guns at Battery Chester were removed and the battery
abandoned. Today, it is opened to the bublic as part of the Golden
Gate National Recreation Area and is one of the best preserved
batteries in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Battery James
Chester
by Justin Ruhge
On September 23, 1899 work began on Battery
Chester. The two 12-inch rifles, mounted in emplacements 1 and
2 in 1901 were Model 1895 tubes manufactured by the Watervliet
Arsenal, serial Numbers 17 and 40. They were mounted on Model
1897 Buffington-Crozier carriages, Serial Numbers 26 and 27 and
manufactured by Watertown Arsenal. Battery Chester was turned
over to the Coast Artillery Corps on September 24, 1902. In that
same year, construction of a third emplacement for a single 12-inch
gun on a barbette carriage was begun on the south flank of the
two earlier emplacements. This third installation was completed
in 1903. It mounted a Model 1888 Mark II 12-inch tube manufactured
by Bethlehem Steel, Serial No. 3, which was mounted on a Model
1892 Watertown Arsenal barbette carriage, Serial No. 28. The
three emplacements were named on December 27, 1904 "Battery
James Chester" in honor of a 3rd Artillery Major and Civil
War veteran who had died in 1903.
Report of
Completed Works - Seacoast Fortifications
