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Being a major port in the United States during the first and second world wars the city of Galveston was fortified against sea-born attacks. This was in a series of three forts. The primary fort was Fort Crockett which is now part of a fancy resort on the Seawall. However the two supporting forts are still around, in some form or another.
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Panoramic shot of the Galveston Shipping Channel off Battery Croghan
First stop, Fort San Jacinto, named for the battle that won Texas her independence against the Mexicans in 1836. During the fort's initial life it consisted of four separate batteries, named Mercer, Heileman, Hogan, and Croghan.
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Pictured here is Battery Croghan, named for George Croghan, the commander of Fort Stephenson and hero of the battle there in 1813 part of the Anglo-American War of 1812. Construction started in 1899 and was completed in 1900 and was supposed to be armed with a pair of 3" Driggs-Seabury M1898 rapid fire guns. But the hurricane of 1900 prevented the arming of the battery.
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The battery survived the hurricane with little damage which was repaired by 1903 and armed with a pair of 3" Watervliet M1903 guns. But when the United States entered the first world war in 1917 the guns were removed and prepared for shipment to Europe, but the guns of Battery Croghan were not removed.
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The battery continued to stay on active duty during the Second World War but following the war the battery was disarmed and deactivated the guns declared obsolete and scrapped. Next stop on the trip was across the shipping channel to Point Bolivar to visit Fort Travis. Fort Travis is named for William B. Travis commander of the Alamo Garrison during the historic battle in 1836. Construction of Fort Travis lasted from 1898 all the way to 1943.
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Pictured above is Battery Davis one of the first two batteries constructed at Fort Travis, Built between 1899 and 1900, repaired between 1900 and 1907. Armed with a pair of Bethlehem M1888MII 8" disappearing guns. The battery was deactivated in 1917 when the guns were removed for shipment to Europe, but were eventually scrapped.
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Next battery constructed was Battery Kimble, construction started in 1917 and was completed in 1925 to replace Battery Davis and Enrst. Armed with two 12" Watervliet M1895MI guns. When the US entered the second world war many shore batteries were casemated, but Kimble was one of the few that wasn't and the guns were removed and the battery deactivated in 1943. But that wasn't the end of Fort Travis either.
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Battery 236 was completed in 1945 and it was planned to arm it with two 6" rapid fire guns, but when the war ended the guns were stopped in transit as a result the battery was never armed. And the battery was deactivated in 1946. As an interesting side note, the batteries at Fort Travis were used as Hurricane Shelters. Today Fort Travis is a historic park.
More photos to come once I develop the film!
Nikon D300 - AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G
Pacemaker Crown Graphic - Kodak Plus-X Pan - HC-110 Dil. B 5' @ 20C
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