Fort Du Pont - Spanish-American War

Spanish-American War

During the Spanish-American War and the following few years, major construction took place to upgrade the defense capabilities of the three forts defending the major ports along the Delaware River. Construction took place at Forts Mott, Delaware, and DuPont, in the form of Endicott Era batteries that mounted long-range rifles, mortars, and rapid-fire guns. These emplacements, although completed after the war, included Batteries Read and Gibson (8- and 12-inch rifled guns), Batteries Rodney and Best (16-inch mortars), and Batteries Elder and Ritchie (3- and 5-inch rapid-fire guns respectively). On July 22, 1899, Army General Orders, No. 134, official designated "the battery at Delaware City" as Fort DuPont, named in honor of Rear Adm. Samuel Francis Du Pont. During this time, according to the Fort DuPont Flashes, the post was garrisoned by members of the 4th U.S. Artillery under the command of Maj. Van Arsdale Andruss.