During our recent cruise to North America we stopped in the bay off Newport, Rhode Island. One arm of the bay was dominated by a stone-built fortress, Fort Adams.
The first fort built on the site was armed with twelve cannon and was constructed or the War of 1812, and was garrisoned by members of the Rhode Island Militia. After the war it was replaced by a permanent fortress built along classic Vauban lines. This reconstruction started in 1824 and continued until 1857, although a garrison was stationed there from 1841 onwards. The fort remained in US Army hands until 1953 when it was passed over to the US Navy, who continue to use part of the grounds for housing the families of serving personnel.
Although Fort Adams never fired a shot in anger, it did serve as the headquarters and recruit depot for the 15th Infantry Regiment and was one of the locations used for the United States Naval Academy during the American Civil War. Its most important role came during the Second World War when the fort controlled the defences of the Narragansett Bay area. At one time over 3,000 men of the 243nd Coast Artillery Regiment of the Rhode Island National Guard and the 10th Coast Artillery Regiment of the US Army were based in and around Narragansett Bay and Fort Adams was armed with modern coastal defence and anti-aircraft guns.
In 1965 the State of Rhode Island took over the fort and it became the Fort Adams State Park, and eleven years later (in 1976) it was declared a National Historic Landmark.
The first fort built on the site was armed with twelve cannon and was constructed or the War of 1812, and was garrisoned by members of the Rhode Island Militia. After the war it was replaced by a permanent fortress built along classic Vauban lines. This reconstruction started in 1824 and continued until 1857, although a garrison was stationed there from 1841 onwards. The fort remained in US Army hands until 1953 when it was passed over to the US Navy, who continue to use part of the grounds for housing the families of serving personnel.
Although Fort Adams never fired a shot in anger, it did serve as the headquarters and recruit depot for the 15th Infantry Regiment and was one of the locations used for the United States Naval Academy during the American Civil War. Its most important role came during the Second World War when the fort controlled the defences of the Narragansett Bay area. At one time over 3,000 men of the 243nd Coast Artillery Regiment of the Rhode Island National Guard and the 10th Coast Artillery Regiment of the US Army were based in and around Narragansett Bay and Fort Adams was armed with modern coastal defence and anti-aircraft guns.
In 1965 the State of Rhode Island took over the fort and it became the Fort Adams State Park, and eleven years later (in 1976) it was declared a National Historic Landmark.
I see you are working your way south. I can only presume you intend to burn Washington D.C., again.
ReplyDeleteOn behalf of all Americans--Thank you! And Good Luck!
SAROE,
ReplyDeleteI would if I could ... but perhaps it will have to wait a year or two.
All the best,
Bob