Satellite view of Battery Duane
Battery Duane, part of Fort Wadsworth at Gateway National Recreation Area, is located on the opposite side of Tompkins Street from Fort Tompkins. It was built between 1895 and 1896, and it remained active until 1915. The battery is now in ruins and is not open to the public, but you can see it along with other sites at the fort on the Fort Wadsworth Walking Tour.
Five 8-inch M1888 guns mounted on Buffington-Crozier disappearing carriages provided the firepower at Battery Duane. These carriages allowed the guns to be loaded while hidden behind a defensive wall of the battery, then raised above the wall when ready to fire. The recoil from the blast sent the carriages back down to the loading position. All of this was done by a counterweight system provided by the carriage. With this type of system, the guns could fire two rounds per minute.
Battery Duane, part of Fort Wadsworth in the Staten Island unit of Gateway National Recreation Area
The following video demonstrates a disappearing gun at Battery Chamberlain in San Francisco that uses the counterweight system. These are 6″ guns, but the concept of operation is the same.
Next Stop: South Cliff Battery | Previous Stop: Fort Tompkins
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Last updated on December 1, 2024
