Battery Emery at Fort Washington Park
See the Artillery Batteries web page for an interactive location map.
Battery Emory is reached from the parking area for the Fork Washington Park’s Group Picnic Area C.
Named for Major General William Emory (Mexican-American and Civil war veteran), Battery Emory was constructed during the first wave of batteries installed at Fort Washington in 1897. It was ready for service in 1899 and was armed with two 10-inch disappearing guns, the latest in artillery innovation. One gun was removed in 1916 and shipped to Fort Morgan in Alabama for use in an experimental battery. The second gun remained in service until being removed in 1928, at which time the battery was put out of service.
Pre-1940 photo of Battery Emory (from the National Park Service)
Disappearing guns were mounted on carriages that could be lowered below the battery walls to be loaded, then raised up over the walls to be fired. The recoil from the blast sent the carriages back down to the loading position.
Disappearing gun emplacement at Battery Emory in Fort Washington Park
To see a disappearing gun in action, watch the following video of a demonstration done at Battery Chamberlain in San Francisco. These are 6-inch guns, but the concept of operation is the same.
To visit Battery Emory from Picnic Area C, walk to the left side of the restroom building and take the gravel road the runs past a concrete tower-like structure and a one-story ranch-style building. I do not know what the ranch-style building was used for (it appears to be more modern), but the tower was the Battery Commander’s Station that was built around 1905. The guns of he battery were aimed with the help of equipment installed inside the tower. It is in rough condition, but if you saw the Battery Commander’s Station near the Fort Washington Visitor Center, that’s what the tower at Battery Emory would have looked like when in service.
Battery Commander’s Station at Battery Emery in Fort Washington Park
You will see Battery Emory in the woods from the Battery Commander’s Station, which means you will eventually have to do a little bushwhacking through knee-high weeds (in the summer) to reach it. Be sure to check yourself for ticks. There could be poison ivy as well, so I don’t suggest visiting the battery if you are not wearing long pants.
Plenty of vegetation surrounds Battery Emery at Fort Washington Park
Though not the safest place to explore, visitors can access both the lower and upper levels of the battery. The interior is comprised of nothing more than empty concrete rooms, though there is some old equipment lying around.
Old equipment at Battery Emery in Fort Washington Park
Interior of Battery Emery in Fort Washington Park
Interior of Battery Emery in Fort Washington Park
Interior of Battery Emery in Fort Washington Park
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Last updated on June 12, 2026
