New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-24
BIG GUN IN WATER BATTERY.


The crnssplats are as painfully and scrupulously
neat n. the stone walks ard the barracks. SO per
fectly is everything kept in order that rs one looks
down at the clear windows, the straight. nnspotted
paths and the carefully trimmed trees ard grass with
the sentries in their bright blue with polished belts
ard BUCKLES and shining arms, ii looks like picture
In the classmates. which occupied by soldiers.
the commissioned officers of the post once lived. The
barracks in the northeast cascmatc were the dwelling
llace of Thomas Jefferson Jackson, the Ohccr who
afte-Ward was known as General "otOnewall7 Jack
SON lilo was one Of the Officers Of the lst Artillery
then. Another interesting memcntO Of his saN az Fort
Hamilton Is to be found among the bapsmal recOFIS Oh
St Johns Church. at Fort Hamilton, width Is 10"
almost sixty wears old. The entry in question Is e
on sunday, the 29th day Of April, lSi0. baptized
Thomas Jefferson Jackson major in the United states
ARMY Sponsors, Colonies Dimck and Taylor, also
II the Army" This entry is signed by the Rev. NJ
scofeld who was then rector and who was Intimately
acquainted with Jackson. He said once: Il me''
visited or walked with him almost daily, and was
very much attached t. him a friend and companion
He was OF fine person, diffdent truthful, devout ana
yet in command he bold, fearless, ntiring /
esteemed him as a and loved hun as a brother"
At the time OF his baptism he was major by breVet.
In the northwest corner Of the fort Is casemate
where General Seymour lived when he was an oihccr
On duty there. lie was then first lieutenant OF
artillery Another officer whose name was connected
Lee then q captain in the Engineer Corps. and after
ward General Lee, OF the Confederate Army. General
Henry stanton, General Harvey Brown and Colonel
Justin Dlmick were also stationed at this fort before
the Civil War.
The real grounds OF the fort are however outside Of
this old building. The fort covers altogether 100
acres Of fine ground Behind the old stone fort is
beautiful parade ground surrounded by handsome
houses. On one side of the square is long row OF
cottages which are occupied by the Officers. Then
further the large barracks, number oil separate
buildings for each company. The men VINO nave
Quarters in them cannot complain. the houses arc
airy and comfortable, with biinaFd-rooms, etc Near
Ne barracks the stables
To seward and outside OF the stone Tort Is inc
water battery which is really the fighting part Of the
armament. But the guns are Of the old style and IL
Is time many Of them laid 10 rest beside the ola
straight short twenty four Founders which recine
peacefully in hoary Of the patchedup pa1pct
The guns which stn peer ont Of the walls here and
there belong also to the same era which pierced the
walls for musletry. They are rusty and cumbersome
and would give way in OF need to Iiotcllss and
other rapid firing guns. The largest in the fort Is
The great twentynch cannon. IL Is OF the old cast
hon kind aud Is not often fired
OF course there many things which the ordinary
visitor Is not allowed TO see in fort, ana Fort
Hamilton is exception. The few things which have
been enumerated do comprise the resources Of tho
fort. There rfed guns, sunben batteries and
powder magazines which not open to public In
spection, besides several other places.
As for the forts defensive properties, that is a
subject which has been treated Of often. The stone
fort would be source Of danger rather than Of
safety under fire, as modern proectiles would send
Its stones flying. But the place, as said before is
made strong by nature, and the erection OF great
earthworks, with interior wall Of concrete is
made easy here These improvements which are
now being spoken Of, and IL is possible that the
gtnna he trhl
would make them safe
Ono OF the most interesting things in the fort is
the vessel tracking, by means OF which vessel
which is sighted at sea is watched carefully, and her
course marked and followed map, that the
tine and conditions OF firing at her be calculated
70 nicely.
On the northwestern angle of the parapcts Of Fort
Hamilton is the Fort Hamilton Observation Station,
fssne glass encased observatory. This is where the
vessel which is TO be watched is followed through its
enure course. On the other side Of the Narrows,
so7 wadsworth, Is the Fort wad,wo'th Observation