Fort Adams
Newport. Rhode Island
Fort Adams
defended the Port of Newport, Rhode Island
entrance
Construction of the Fort was begun
in 1824 and took nearly 30 years to complete. Irish immigrant stone masons
helped build it. The Fort was used by the U.S. Naval Academy during the Civil
War, reverting back to the Army when the Naval Academy moved to Pelham St. in
Newport. The Navy again took over the Fort in 1951....
The true significance of Fort Adams
is within the field of architecture rather than historical events associated
with the work. Nineteenth century engineers provided testimony on the
significance of the fort. Joseph G. Totten, Chief of the United States Corps of
Engineers from 1838 to1864 observed, "As a harbor, (the Narragansett) is
acknowledged by all to be the best on the whole east coast of the United States,
the only harbor that is accessible with a northwest wind...The defenses adopted
for Narragansett roads must be formidable on the important points, because they
will be exposed to powerful expeditions."
Comparison of the armament and the garrison of Fort Adams with
others in the country indicates Fort Adams was designed for mounting 468 cannons
and for a wartime garrison of 2400 men. Fort Monroe-another fort incorporating
some of the same design theories but not so many complex fortifications-was
designed for 380 cannons and 2400 men. Fort Pulaski, now a National Park Service
Monument commemorating a Civil War battle, was designed for 140 cannons.
Including both the main work and the redoubt, Fort Adams is perhaps the finest
statement of military architectural theory in America; in the main work are most
of the French Renaissance elements of bastion fortifications commonly found in
America and many that are unique in this country;: in the Redoubt are the
essential elements of the German or polygonal system. The main work contains
single-cannon casemates that appear commonly in the other seacoast forts of the
first half of the nineteenth century, yet it has numerous double cannon
casemates that evidently appear only at Fort Pickens in Florida. Fort Adams has
an enceinte that incorporates tiers of cannon for seacoast defense that
characterized forts such as Pulaski and Sumter, yet has detached landward
defenses comprised of massive earth ramparts that appear only infrequently at
other forts, among them Fort Delaware.
In 1841 the fort was nearing completion--most of the heavy work was done. To prepare for the mounting of cannons, Totten ordered superintending engineer Mason to lay the cannon platforms on the second tier of the west front. Shortly thereafter although the fort was yet incomplete, Lt. Mason must have been surprised to learn from an alarmed Col. Totten that two companies of artillery were to be ordered to garrison the fort.
Immediately, Mason was directed to
finish the barrack casemates east of the southeast postern, the bakery,
storerooms, cisterns and rivies, all located in the southeast demibastion.
Operations included paving the floors in the long casemate containing the
privies with brick and covering these with boards, paving the areas around the
ovens, boiler, etc., with firebrick and the remainder of the floor in the
carronade gun rooms.
Men, armament and stores, the
curtains and bastions contained casemates. At the time of completion, officers'
quarters were in the casemates of the east front; enlisted men were housed in
the casemates of the two interior fronts. Although the bombproof of the west
front were primarily for cannon, they were fitted with doors and windows--which
could have been removed rapidly--and were also used for quarters. The main
powder magazines were contained in three large casemates located in the
northeast bastion; these supplied service magazines located at convenient points
throughout the fortifications. Kitchen, food stores and mess halls were all
located in the southeast corner of the main body of the place.
Defending from Land Assault
the exterior ditch
to detect possible enemy
approaching from land. or trying to tunnel under the massive walls,
a series of "listening" tunnels were constructed in a gallery.
entrance to a listening tunnels
inside a listening tunnel
As is well known, none of these
fortifications was tested during the Civil War. During the war, all masonry
seacoast fortification became obsolete. It was demonstrated at Fort Pulaski and
other forts that brick and granite was incapable of resisting the impact of
missiles propelled from heavy rifled cannons. Thereafter, the history of Fort
Adams became a story of adaptation.
country club of the Army
After the turn of the century,
adaptive use continued at Fort Adams. Some casemates were used as music rooms;
others were converted for recreational use.
Museum of Yachting
