Pre-1940 photo of Battery Emory (from the National Park Service)

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 William Emory, 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.

Disappearing guns were mounted on carriages that could be lowered below the battery walls when loaded, then raised up over the walls to be fired. The recoil from the blast sent the carriages back down to the loading position. 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.