Pennsville in Pennsville Township in Salem County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Battery Gregg

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 12, 2009

1. Battery Gregg Marker

Inscription.
Battery Gregg is named in honor of Captain John C. Gregg, who served as Captain in the 4th Infantry and was killed in action near Mariquana, Philippine Islands, on March 31, 1899. Completed in December 1900, Battery Gregg was the fourth of Fort Mott’s five batteries to be constructed. This battery contained emplacements for two 5-inch rapid fire guns (model 1900) mounted on pedestal mounts with shields. Both guns were not mounted at the battery until 1906. In 1913, they were removed and later shipped to Benica Arsenal, California. Several years after the guns were removed a Battery Commander’s Station was built on emplacement No. 1 for the 10-inch guns of Battery Harker.

Battery Gregg’s 5-inch rapid fire guns.
Test firing of the guns in 1907 shattered windows on the post and neighboring farms. The 5-inch rapid fire guns were produced at the Watervliet Arsenal, N.Y., and were designed to have all-around (360º) fire capability. Fort personnel reported that when the guns were installed, the field of view was obstructed by newly planted trees on the reservation.

Battery Commander’s Station.
By 1920 the Battery Commander’s Station

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was built to direct the fire of the 10-inch guns in Battery Harker. This structure, and a similar one built in Battery Krayenbuhl for Battery Arnold . . . . provided a place for the Battery Commander to supervise the operation of his guns. He would check the work of the plotting room by setting his sighting instrument where the target should be and note the accuracy of the plot. He would also spot the fall of the shot and make any corrections needed to bring the fire of his Battery on target.

5-inch gun: Model 1900 Class 56 Division 10
Overall Length 258.5 Inches (21 ft, 6½ in.)
Weight of Gun 11,120 Pounds
Muzzle Velocity 2,600 Feet Per Second
Maximum Range    12,918 Yards (7.33 miles)
Weight of Projectile    59 Pounds
Weight of Powder Charge 22.25 Pounds
Chamber Pressure    36,000 Pounds Per Square Inch
Muzzle Energy    2,721 Foot Tons

5-inch Barbette Carriages: Model 1903 Class 6 Division 6
Firing Angle -5 to +15 Degrees
Traverse 360 Degrees
Weight of Carriage 21,573.5 Pounds
Type of Sight 3-inch Telescope Model 1904

Erected by New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

Topics.

Marker at Fort Mott image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 12, 2009

2. Marker at Fort Mott

This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Military. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1888.

Location. 39° 36.202′ N, 75° 33.024′ W. Marker is in Pennsville Township, New Jersey, in Salem County. It is in Pennsville. It can be reached from Fort Mott Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located on the walking trail in Fort Mott State Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 454 Fort Mott Rd, Pennsville NJ 08070, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Wilmington, in South Jersey,

and in Greater Philadelphia.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Welcome (within shouting distance of this marker); Means of Communication (within shouting

Battery Commander's Station image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 12, 2009

3. Battery Commander's Station

A Battery Commander’s Station, like this one at Battery Krayenbuhl, was built on Battery Gregg's emplacement No. 1 for the 10-inch guns of Battery Harker around 1920.

distance of this marker); Gun platform features (within shouting distance of this marker); Loading and firing 10-inch guns on Disappearing Carriages. (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery Harker (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Observation Towers (about 300 feet away); The Moat and the Parados (about 300 feet away); The Wharf (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pennsville Township.

More about this marker. The marker contains a copy of the blueprints for the guns at Battery Gregg.

Also see . . . Fort Mott State Park. NJ Division of Parks & Forestry website. (Submitted on August 17, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Fort Mott State Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, August 12, 2009

4. Fort Mott State Park

The Battery Gregg marker is Stop #1 on the Walking Tour of Fort Mott State Park.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 17, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,264 times since then and 70 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 17, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.