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Battery Osgood - Farley
Home of the Fort MacArthur Museum
 
Battery Osgood-Farley was constructed during the years 1916-1919 under the fortification program outlined by the Taft Board Report of 1906. Although constructed as a single two-gun emplacement, each gun was originally designated as a separate tactical battery, hence the two names. Later, the battery was considered to be a single tactical unit.
 
These 14-inch disappearing guns could fire a 1560 pound projectile fourteen miles out into the Catalina Channel. Full caliber firing


Battery Osgood beginning to recoil during a practice firing

practice was rare, however, because of the damage caused by the concussions to nearby residences. Battery Osgood's gun was fired only 116 times and Battery Farley's fired 121 times. Even though the disappearing carriages of Battery Osgood-Farley were considered to be obsolete by the mid-1920s, they remained in active service until they were replaced by new ordnance in the mid-1940s. A section of Battery Osgood-Farley was gas-proofed during World War Two for use as a radio station and fire control switchboard room. Battery Osgood-Farley's guns were declared surplus in 1944 and cut up for scrap sometime after 1946.
 
The Army continued to use the rooms and corridors of the battery for various purposes with little modification until 1974. While the guns and some of the electrical equipment were removed, much of the rest of the hardware such as the doors, gates, electrical and plumbing services were left intact.
 
This is in marked contrast to many of the other modern era (post-1890) gun emplacements around the nation, which have been gutted of all metal, wiring and plumbing by the Army, humidity and vandals. Battery Osgood-Farley may be the best preserved example modern age coastal defense gun emplacement in the United States today. The Army recognized the historical significance of Battery Osgood-Farley and placed it on the Register of National Historical Places in 1976.

The Fort MacArthur Museum was established at Battery Osgood - Farley in 1985 and is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history of Fort MacArthur. Fort MacArthur’s reservations hold an important collection of historical structures tied to the U.S. Army’s role in the defense of the American continental coastline from invasion. These structures, which are interpreted at the museum, clearly define the development of American coastal defenses, from the all-gun era at the turn of the twentieth century, to the modern missile era of today.
 

Battery Osgood is named for Brigadier General Henry Brown Osgood Jr. (1843 – 1909). General Osgood began his military career with the 27th Maine during the civil war. In July of 1861 at the end of their term of enlistment, 312 members of the 27th Maine volunteered to stay on to protect Washington D.C. from attack by rebel forces and to wait for the outcome of the battle of Gettysburg. For this action, all 299 members were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 1916 congress was tasked with reviewing all of the Medal of Honor citations made prior to that time. At the conclusion of this review, Congress decided that many of the medals had not been justified under the rules for the award, and rescinded all of the medals issued to the 27th Maine, Including the one to General Osgood.
 
Henry Osgood was appointed to the US Military Academy at West Point by President Abraham Lincoln and graduated with the class of 1867. He went on to a full career with the army and retired in 1908. General Osgood is buried in the Hillside Cemetery overlooking Stephentown
New York.

 

Battery Farley is named for Brigadier General Joseph Pearson Farley (1839-1912). Appointed to the US Military Academy at West Point by President Franklin Pierce, he graduated with the class of 1861. As a Lieutenant, Farley served as Ordinance Officer at Watertown Arsenal from 1861 to 1863 during which time he proved more than 600 guns produced by the arsenal during that time.
 
During the Civil War, Farley distinguished himself during operations against Charleston, Morris Island, and the bombardment of Fort Wagner. After the war, Farley continued to serve with the Ordinance Department in key roles at various arsenals including, Rock Island
, Springfield, Kennebec, Frankford, and as Commanding Officer at Watervliet; his last service before retirement.
 
In 45 years of service, General Farley was constantly commended by his superiors for his exemplary performance and cheerful attitude toward his duties. General Farley was laid to rest in the cemetery at West Point on April 8th 1912 with full military honors.

The Guns of Fort MacArthur

    Battery Osgood - Farley
         Photos of the battery today
         Battery details

    Battery Leary Merriam
    Battery Barlow - Saxton
    Battery Lodor
    Battery Erwin

    Battery Eubanks

    Battery 127 (Paul D Bunker)

    Battery 128

    Battery 240 (Harry C. Barnes)

    Battery 241

    Battery 242 (Harry J Harrison)

    90mm AMTB

    155 GPF Mobile Guns

    Anti-Aircraft (Fixed and Mobile)

Missile Systems of Fort MacArthur

    The Nike Program


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