Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth

Early Portsmouth forts (1705). The first fort in the Portsmouth area was Fort William and Mary (called The Castle until circa 1692) in New Castle, initially garrisoned before 1632 and perhaps the oldest continuously fortified site in the British colonies that later became the United States. In 1680 another small fort was established on the site of the later Fort McClary in Kittery, Maine, then a part of Massachusetts. This was called Fort Pepperrell after its builder, William Pepperrell. In 1720 this became a permanent battery of six guns named Fort William. In 1746 Battery Cumberland was built at Jaffrey's (Jerry's) Point in New Castle. Both Fort William and Mary and Fort William figured in the American Revolution. On 14–15 December 1774 Fort William and Mary was raided twice. On the first night a large group of patriots led by John Langdon overpowered a six-man caretaker detachment and confiscated much of the fort's supply of gunpowder. On the second night another raid under John Sullivan seized 16 of the fort's cannon and a number of muskets. These raids were the first acts of the Revolution in New Hampshire. In 1775 Fort William was seized by New Hampshire militia and expanded. Both were built in 1775 and were named for George Washington and local hero John Sullivan. Fort Washington was a star-shaped earthwork. Both forts were commanded by Captain Titus Salter (or Salten) during the Revolution. They were re-garrisoned in the War of 1812 and abandoned after that war. Following the Revolution Fort William and Mary was called Castle Fort or Fort Castle. Fort Sullivan at the Navy Yard was rebuilt in 1861 with eleven 8-inch Rodman guns. An underwater minefield also guarded the harbor, initially controlled from a mine casemate at Fort Stark. A Civil War-era battery of four 100-pounder (6.4-inch, 163 mm) Parrott rifles at Fort Constitution was also available. The 8-inch guns were removed in 1900 to arm new Endicott batteries elsewhere and to make room for the new batteries at Fort Stark; the 15-inch guns and Parrott rifles remained at least through the end of 1903. while 5-inch and 6-inch guns became field guns on wheeled carriages. However, few railway artillery pieces were mounted and few or none saw action before the Armistice. The remounted 5-inch and 6-inch guns were sent to France, but their units did not complete training in time to see action. All three 10-inch guns from Fort Foster, both 8-inch guns from Fort Constitution, and both 6-inch guns from Fort Stark were removed; after the war the 10-inch guns were returned, but the 6-inch guns were stored and the 8-inch guns probably became railway artillery. References indicate the authorized strength of CD Portsmouth was 10 companies, including four from the New Hampshire National Guard. Early in 1942 the fort was temporarily armed with four 155 mm guns on towed mounts, placed on circular concrete "Panama mounts". Battery 204 with two 6-inch guns on long-range carriages was constructed at the same time as Battery Seaman; the similar Battery 205 at Fort Foster was built but not armed. Another, less detailed source states the regiment was dissolved on 7 October 1944. The battery was initially part of the Harbor Defenses of Boston, but was transferred to HD Portsmouth with the construction of a fire control station for Fort Dearborn. Numerous fire control towers and other structures were built from Kennebunkport, Maine to Cape Ann, Massachusetts to support HD Portsmouth, particularly the 16-inch guns at Fort Dearborn. The US Navy also participated in defending the Portsmouth area with net defenses and submarine-detecting indicator loops, including a station on Appledore Island in the Isles of Shoals (Station 1G). Following mobilization in 1940 HD Portsmouth was subordinate to First Army. On 24 December 1941 the Eastern Theater of Operations (renamed the Eastern Defense Command three months later) was established, with all east coast harbor defense commands subordinate to it, along with antiaircraft and fighter assets. This command was disestablished in 1946. Post World War II Following the war, it was soon determined that gun defenses were obsolete, and they were scrapped by the end of 1948, with remaining harbor defense functions turned over to the Navy. ==Present==

The forts of the Portsmouth area are unusually well-preserved and publicly accessible, and include many features of US fort construction 1808–1945 in a geographically compact area. All except Fort Constitution are in public parks, and that fort is also open to the public. The only large battery that is partially buried is Battery Bolden, the 10-inch gun battery at Fort Foster. Most of the other batteries are fenced off, or with interior access otherwise impeded, but are visible and reasonably free of overgrowth. Fort Constitution is on a Coast Guard station but is publicly accessible, along with the adjacent lighthouse. Most of the fort is intact as rebuilt in 1808 (except the demolished north front); the incomplete third system walls remain; the Endicott 8-inch batteries are fenced off but visible. Fort McClary's blockhouse is well-preserved and interpreted; remnants of the abortive third system additions can be seen, including large piles of granite blocks, a mostly-complete bastion, and a small caponier in the seawall. The site of Fort Washington is now a water treatment plant, but some earthworks remain. The Pulpit Rock Base-End Station (N. 142) is on the National Register of Historic Places, no. 10000188. ==Coat of arms==

• Blazon • Shield: Gyronny of eight azure and gules, a three-bastioned fort voided argent. • Crest: On a wreath of the colors a ship gules flagged proper in stocks argent, from the seal of the state of New Hampshire. • Motto: We are one. • Symbolism: The field is taken from one of the two earliest New Hampshire flags known to exist, that of the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. (This flag bears in the upper comer next to the staff, eight triangles, alternately red and blue, so arranged as to form two crosses, one upright and the other diagonal.) The field commemorates the capture, on December 14–15, 1774, of Fort William and Mary (now Fort Constitution) by the colonial Americans of New Hampshire, said to be the first American victory of the Revolutionary War. The three bastions of the fort are used as a charge, representing the three forts of the harbor defenses, Fort Constitution, New Hampshire, at chief, Fort Foster, Maine, dexter base, Fort Stark, New Hampshire, sinister base. The fact that the three forts are represented as bastions joined by curtain wallsso as to form a single fort signifies their union in the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth and the close cooperation of the three in the common defense of Portsmouth. The motto, "We are One," taken from the old flag mentioned in connection with the field, also alludes to this union and cooperation. The ship on the stocks, used as a crest, is taken from the seal of the State of New Hampshire, of which seal it is the most prominent feature. Its significance lies in the fact that the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth defend the only port in the state. Its tincture, red, is that of the Coast Artillery Corps, the combatant arm manning the defenses. ==See also==