Fort Constitution

Location 147

Battery Hackleman was Battery #4 on WWII defense charts.

Early History

Fort Constitution was first established in the 1631 as Fort William and Mary. It was an earthwork with four guns. Over the rest of the 1600s many renovations were made but the oldest remaining parts of the fort were added in 1705-09 which were some stone walls which are now encompassed by the 1808 fort. The new 1808 fort was part of the Second System, of which there are not many that remain. Two barracks and two magazines were built along with a bastion and higher walls. Over 35 guns could be mounted on this new construction. During the war of 1812 a Martello tower was constructed upon Jordans Rock near where Battery Farnsworth would be built. The tower was named for John de Barth Walbach in 1814. Four guns were emplaced on this structure which was hastily built (Which may explain its deterioration). Many upgrades were made to the fort up to the Civil War.

Civil War

In 1862 construction began on a massive granite Third-System fort that would be built where the 1808 work was. One tier of the planned four tier fort was partially completed. In 1867 all work ceased. Weapons were in fact mounted on this incomplete work which can be seen in some old photographs.

Endicott Era

A mine casement would be built in 1898 during the Spanish American War to control mines placed in the harbor. It was built near emplacement #2 of the battery. In 1904 a Command Station for Battery Farnsworth would be built near Walbach Tower. In 1921 this tower would be converted to the Mine Station.