Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island in Richmond County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Battery Weed
Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 11, 2008
1. Battery Weed wayside
Main illustration – “Fort Richmond, shown in Harpers Weekly Illustrated in 1860, still had its tidal moat filled with water outside the fort walls.”
Begun 1n 1847, this granite structure was finally completed during the Civil War. Its four-tier design allowed up to 116 guns to skip cannonballs across the Narrows. However, by the mid-1860s bigger, more-accurate guns could destroy a stone fort like this. Compromised, it became obsolete almost before its last stones were laid.
First named Fort Richmond – after an earlier New York State-built fort on the same site – it was renamed in 1865 for Brt. Maj. Gen. James Wadsworth, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness. In 1902, the army post was named Fort Wadsworth and this fortification was renamed Battery Weed for Brig. Gen. Stephen Weed, killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Forts and Castles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1847.
Location. 40° 36.324′ N, 74° 3.274′ W. Marker is on Staten Island, New York, in Richmond County. It is in Fort Wadsworth. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Fort Wadsworth - Gateway National Park, Staten Island NY 10305, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Torpedo Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Defending New York Harbor (about 300 feet away, measured
this page online
More about this marker. This marker is adjacent to the battery entrance. A duplicate is (was?) on the overlook at Fort Tompkins.
Also see . . . Battery Weed. Wikipedia entry. (Submitted on August 14, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed By Larry Gertner
2. Battery Weed wayside venue
The landward wall and battery entrance.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, July 7, 2008
3. Battery Weed
The masonry gun tiers.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, May 11, 2008
4. Battery Weed - the lower gun gallery.
Photographed By Larry Gertner, December 11, 2002
5. A Rodman gun on display.
Photographed By Wikipedia, unknown
6. Brig. Gen. Stephen Weed, USA
Photographed By Unknown, unknown
7. Inset
“Fort Richmond, started in 1847, was renamed Fort Wadsworth in 1865 and later renamed Battery Weed.”
Photographed By Unknown, unknown
8. Inset
“Cannonballs were stored in Fort Wadsworth in 1893.”
Photographed By Unknown, unknown
9. Inset
“Fort Wadsworth mounted almost every type of gun available in its day, including Rodmans and Parrotts in the 1890s.”
Credits. This page was last revised on July 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 14, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 381 times since then and 186 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on August 14, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
