Fort Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Adams |
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| Newport, Rhode Island | |
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| Type | Coastal Artillery Post |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1798–1799; 1824–1857 |
| In use | 1799–1824; 1841–1953 |
| Materials | granite, shale and brick |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders |
Captain John Henry Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Kendrick Pierce Brigadier General Robert Anderson Colonel Henry Jackson Hunt |
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Fort Adams
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 Location in Rhode Island
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Newport, Rhode Island |
| Built | 1799, rebuilt 1824 |
| Architect | Louis de Tousard (1799), Simon Bernard and Joseph G. Totten (1824) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000014 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 28, 1970 |
| Designated NHLD | December 8, 1976 |
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Fort Adams is an old United States Army base in Newport, Rhode Island. It was first built on July 4, 1799, to protect the coast. It was named after President John Adams, who was in office at the time. The first commander was Captain John Henry. He later played a part in starting the War of 1812. The fort you see today was built between 1824 and 1857. It is now part of Fort Adams State Park.
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History of Fort Adams
The first Fort Adams was designed by Major Louis de Tousard of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It was part of the first system of US coastal forts. After some additions in 1809, this fort had 17 cannons. Soldiers from Rhode Island guarded it during the War of 1812. In 1811, it was described as a star-shaped fort made of stone, with wooden and brick buildings for one company of soldiers.
Building the New Fort
After the War of 1812, the US government decided to build a bigger, stronger fort. This new fort was part of what was called the "Third System" of US forts. Brigadier General Simon Bernard, a French engineer who worked for Napoleon, designed it. He made Fort Adams in a classic style, making it one of the most complex forts in the Western Hemisphere.
The fort had special outer defenses like a "tenaille" and "crownwork." These were designed to break up and guide any attacking forces. There was also a separate small fort called a "redoubt" about 650 yards south of the main fort. In the US, only Fort Monroe in Virginia and Fort Jefferson in Florida are similar in size.
Construction of the new fort started in 1824 under Lieutenant Andrew Talcott. It continued off and on until 1857. From 1825 to 1838, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Gilbert Totten oversaw the building. He was a very important American military engineer.
The new Fort Adams was first used by soldiers in August 1841. It was an active Army base until 1950. During this time, the fort was active during five major wars: the Mexican–American War, American Civil War, Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II. However, it never actually fired its guns in battle.
Fort Adams in the Mid-1800s
At the start of the Mexican–American War, Benjamin Kendrick Pierce commanded the fort. He was the brother of President Franklin Pierce. The fort's redoubt, a smaller defense area, was built during this war.
From 1848 to 1853, Colonel William Gates commanded Fort Adams. He was a veteran of both the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. In 1853, many soldiers from the fort were sent to California. Sadly, many of them died when their ship, the SS San Francisco, was badly damaged in a storm.
In 1854, Fort Adams had many cannons. These included 100 large 32-pounder guns and 57 smaller 24-pounder guns. It also had 43 "flank howitzers." These were short-barreled guns placed in protected rooms to defend the fort from land attacks. All these weapons were smoothbore cannons, meaning their barrels were smooth inside.
From 1859 to 1863, Ordnance Sergeant Mark Wentworth Smith took care of the fort. He was a veteran of the Mexican–American War. Sergeant Smith died in 1879 at age 76, making him the oldest active duty enlisted soldier in Army history.
Fort Adams During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, the government was worried about people's loyalty in Maryland. So, the United States Naval Academy was moved from Annapolis, Maryland, to Fort Adams in 1861. In September 1861, the academy moved again to a hotel in Newport and stayed there for the rest of the war.
Some famous students at the Naval Academy while it was at Fort Adams included Robley D. Evans. He later commanded the battleship Iowa during the Spanish–American War. He also led the Great White Fleet on its first trip around the world. Other classmates were Charles Sigsbee, who commanded the battleship Maine, and Charles Vernon Gridley, who commanded the cruiser Olympia at the Battle of Manila Bay.
In 1862, Fort Adams became the main base and training center for the 15th Infantry Regiment. From August to October 1863, Brigadier General Robert Anderson commanded Fort Adams. He was famous for commanding Fort Sumter when it was attacked in April 1861, starting the Civil War.
Upgrades in the 1870s
To improve US coastal defenses, Fort Adams' weapons were updated in the 1870s. It received eleven 15-inch and thirteen 10-inch Rodman guns. It also got four 6.4-inch Parrott rifles. New places were built for the largest guns. For defense on land, the fort received smaller mobile cannons and mortars. In 1894, four 8-inch converted rifles were added in a new battery south of the fort.
Fort Adams in the 20th Century
Endicott Period Defenses
Over time, the fort's weapons were updated with new technology. In the 19th century, it used cannons loaded from the front. In the early 20th century, it used more modern artillery loaded from the back. During and after World War II, it had anti-aircraft guns.
From 1896 to 1907, under the Endicott and Taft programs, Fort Adams received many new batteries south of the main fort. These were built to defend the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. They worked with the new Fort Wetherill in Jamestown.
Here are some of the batteries built during this time:
- Greene-Edgerton: 16 large 12-inch mortars (cannons that fire shells high into the air).
- Reilly: Two 10-inch guns that could disappear into their protective pits.
- Talbot: Two 4.72-inch Armstrong guns on pedestals. One of these guns is now at Equality Park in Newport.
- Bankhead: Three 6-inch Armstrong guns on pedestals.
- Belton: Two 3-inch guns on pedestals.
These batteries were named after important military figures like General Nathanael Greene and Captain Henry J. Reilly.
In 1913, the three 6-inch guns from Battery Bankhead were sent to Hawaii.
World War I and Fort Adams
Thornton Wilder, a famous author, served in the Army at Fort Adams during World War I. His novel Theophilus North was inspired by his time there.
During World War I, Fort Adams was the main base for the Coast Defenses of Narragansett Bay. It was also a training center in both world wars. The United States Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was in charge of all heavy artillery. They trained soldiers to use big guns. Four heavy artillery regiments and two brigade headquarters were formed at Fort Adams. They served in France.
The two 10-inch guns from Battery Reilly were removed in 1917. They were meant to be used as railway guns, but they ended up at Fort Warren near Boston in 1919. Eight of the sixteen mortars at Battery Greene-Edgerton were also removed in 1918.
After World War I, Battery Talbot's guns were removed in 1919. They were sent to Newport and Westerly as memorials. Later, anti-aircraft guns were placed at the fort. These included three 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and some mobile 3-inch or 75 mm guns. In 1925, Battery Belton's two 3-inch guns were moved to Fort Wetherill. This left only the eight mortars of Battery Greene-Edgerton as Fort Adams' main weapons.
Fort Adams in World War II
During World War II, more than 3,000 soldiers were stationed at the Harbor Defenses of Narragansett Bay. In September 1940, the 243rd Coast Artillery Regiment of the Rhode Island Army National Guard was sent to Fort Adams. They joined the Regular Army's 10th Coast Artillery Regiment.
During the war, new defenses were built at Fort Church and Fort Greene. This meant Fort Adams' older guns were no longer needed and were removed. However, the fort did get new anti-aircraft guns. These included two 90 mm guns, several 40 mm guns, and .50 caliber machine guns. By December 1943, Fort Adams also had a special battery with two 90 mm guns to defend against torpedo boats. By the end of the war in 1945, the number of troops at the fort was reduced to about 500.
Fort Adams State Park
In 1953, the Army gave ownership of Fort Adams to the Navy. The Navy still uses some of the land for housing today. In 1965, the fort and most of the surrounding land were given to the state of Rhode Island. It became Fort Adams State Park.
In 1976, Fort Adams was named a National Historic Landmark. This was because of its unique military design, which has features not found in other forts from that time. In 1994, the Fort Adams Trust was created. This group offers guided tours of the fort and works to restore it.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower stayed at the former commanding officer's house, now called the Eisenhower House, during his summer vacations in Newport in 1958 and 1960.
From the early 1950s to the mid-1970s, Fort Adams was neglected. It suffered from weather damage and vandalism.
Thanks to State Senator Eric O'D. Taylor, Fort Adams was cleaned up in the 1970s and opened for tours. It was also used for filming the PBS TV show The Scarlet Letter. However, the tour program stopped around 1980 due to state budget cuts.
Since 1981, the Fort Adams grounds have hosted the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival.
In the early 1990s, a program cleaned up the fort to make it safe for visitors. Around this time, the Fort Adams Trust was formed. They manage public programs and the restoration of the fort.
In 1995, the Fort Adams Trust began offering tours from May to September. Since then, several parts of the fort have been restored. Its land defenses have also been cleared of overgrown plants.
In 2012, the park was the official location for the America's Cup World Series in Newport.
Notable People at Fort Adams
Many important people have been connected to Fort Adams:
- Robert Anderson – Commander of Fort Sumter and Civil War general.
- Alexander Dallas Bache – Army engineer and head of the US Coast Survey.
- Pierre G. T. Beauregard – Confederate Civil War general.
- Simon Bernard – French army general and designer of Fort Adams.
- Ambrose Burnside – Civil War general, Governor of Rhode Island, and US Senator.
- Dwight Eisenhower – Vacationed at Fort Adams while he was president.
- Robley D. Evans – Navy admiral who commanded the Great White Fleet.
- John Henry – First commander of Fort Adams.
- Henry Jackson Hunt – Civil War general and artillery commander at the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Franklin Pierce – General, Senator, and President of the United States.
- Joseph G. Totten – Oversaw construction of Fort Adams and was Chief Engineer of the US Army.
- Louis de Tousard – Revolutionary War hero and designer of the first Fort Adams.
- Thornton Wilder – Famous author.
- William Griffith Wilson – Known as "Bill W," founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Images for kids
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Entrance, 1968
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1968
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Tunnel
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Fort Adams in 2008
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Postcard view
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