Four mortars occupied a single pit. With twelve other mortars in nearby pits, they were designed to fire simultaneously, lobbing 12-inch, 800-pound shells in high arcs, to penetrate ships' lightly-armored decks. Built in the early 1890's, this was the first battery of its kind in the United States.
Batteries or Forts?
Although masonry forts looked intimidating, bristling with cannon, they were no match for the new battleships with their increased mobility and firepower.
Gun batteries were a solution - separate gun emplacements of reinforced concrete protected by tons of earth and sand. Camouflaged by dunes and bushes, batteries made smaller, concealed targets, and provided space to mount a variety of weapons. Coastal batteries were also a less costly defense system than old-style forts.
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