Historic California Posts: Fort Winfield Scott: Batteries Stotsenburg and William McKinnon

California State Military Department
The California State Military Museum
Preserving California's Military Heritage
Historic California Posts
Fort Winfield Scott: Batteries Stotsenburg and William McKinnon




Constructed as one battery in 1897, the work consisted of four pits in a straight line, each pit having four 12-inch, rifled, breech loaded mortars. Magazines and service rooms stood between the pits and were covered by earthen traverses. Called Mortar Battery 2 while underconstruction, it was formally named in honor of Captain John M. Stotsenburg, killed at Tingua, Luzon Phillipine Islands, in 1899. Later the number of mortars were reduced to eight and the battery divided for more efficient operation. Pits C and D became Battery William McKinnon in honor of Chaplain McKinnon who served with distinction in the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection. In 1918, two mortars each were removed from Batterties Stotsenburg and McKinnon to arm Battery Walter Howe at Fort Funston. These batteries remained armed until 1943 when the mortars were removed and scrapped.


Images courtesy of Mr. Chuck Wofford