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Battle Ready

The National Coast Defense System and the Fortification of Puget Sound, 1894–1925

David M. Hansen

$32.95

Describing designs, innovations, frustrations over implementation plans, as well as the experience of serving in the fortifications during their period of greatest importance, Battle Ready summarizes the fascinating saga of Washington State’s seacoast defense.

“A valuable contribution to the field…well researched and documented; well structured and written; and formatted with just the right amount of maps, illustrations, and photos to keep an otherwise musty topic well ventilated. The critical analysis is also spot-on.”—HISTORY: Reviews of New Books

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SKU: 978-0-87422-320-0 Categories: , , , Tags: ,

Description

Altered landscapes and an array of concrete structures—remnants of Puget Sound fortifications—serve as silent reminders of a unique chapter in Pacific Northwest history. The ocean inlet’s wide entrance, deep waters, and recurrent fog left it vulnerable to attack. The waterway finally became part of the National Coast Defense System in 1894, when the value of real and personal property along its shores surpassed $160 million.

With the completion of construction on Point Wilson, Admiralty Head, and Marrowstone Point, the harbor became one of the most heavily guarded in the United States. Continued technical advances improved batteries, carriages, guns, communication, and fire control. Effective resistance also relied upon maintaining a sufficient number of highly trained enlisted men.

The removal of guns for use in World War I, as well as the redirection of specialized troops to field artillery units heralded the defense system’s demise. Eventually, armed forces abandoned permanent fortifications in favor of mobile artillery. None of Puget Sound’s five forts ever saw battle, but like many military installations, they were most valuable as a strong deterrent.

Battle Ready describes designs, innovations, frustrations over implementation plans, and the experience of serving in the fortifications during their period of greatest importance. The extensively researched volume summarizes the fascinating saga of Washington State’s seacoast defense, presenting the broad story in both a national and local context.

Photographs / notes / bibliography / index / 208 pages (2014)

Recognition

“David M. Hansen’s study of the fortification of Puget Sound from 1894 to 1925 is a valuable contribution to the field and will undoubtedly help shed light on these forgotten sentinels of the coast.”—Howard J. Fuller, University of Wolverhampton, UK, HISTORY: Reviews of New Books, July 2016

“[Battle Ready] is well researched and documented; well structured and written; and formatted with just the right amount of maps, illustrations, and photos to keep an otherwise musty topic well ventilated. The critical analysis is also spot-on, for the inherent paradox of cast defense is to find the funding for it when peace seems to work so well and everyone is sleepy.”—Howard J. Fuller, University of Wolverhampton, UK, HISTORY: Reviews of New Books, July 2016

Additional information

Dimensions 9 x 10.5 in
Format

Paperback