South Battery - Rowe's Wharf and Fort Hill

50 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110

The General Court of Massachusetts ordered the South Battery built in 1666 not to protect Boston against the British—the citizens of Boston at that time were British. City fathers constructed the fort because the third Anglo- Dutch War (1672–74) was imminent. While the North Battery protected the mouth of the Charles, the Sconce or South Battery protected the Town Cove (Now solid land) and the Castle (Castle Island) protected the sea.

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In 1666 a protective battery called the "Sconce", or the "South Battery", was built at the foot of Fort Hill in the area now known as Rowes Wharf. The current pin is at the location of cannons during the Siege of Boston according to the 1776 Pelham map. This was one of “two strong arms” reaching out at either end of the Great Cove, the other arm being North Battery on “Merry’s Point” at the foot of Copp’s Hill.

Fort Hill was a little set back from the seawall on the eastern foot of the hill. This military installation was located at the south tip of a body of water called the Town Cove. This is the site where Governor Edmund Andros made his headquarters under Dominion rule (See Edmund Andros) Fort Hill was cut down in 1868 and 1869 and its clay underlies Atlantic Avenue. The Town Cove was filled in during the land-making process and the south tip became the site of Rowe’s Wharf in the 18th century.

Of these harbor defenses, the fort on Fort Hill was first erected, begin in the Town’s second year (Boston); the Castle (Castle Island) next, in 1634; then North Battery in 1646, and lastly the Sconce (Rowes Wharf) in 1666. Seven years later, in 1673, these batteries were connected by a “Barricado”, a sea wall and wharf of timber and stones, built in a straight line upon the flats before the Town across the mouth of the Great Cove, with openings at intervals to allow vessels to pass inside to the town docks. (see picture) Its purpose was primarily to secure the Town from fire ships in case of the approach of an enemy; but it was also intended for wharfage, and it came early to be called the “Out Wharves.”

As a defense, the Barricado proved needless, for no hostile ship ever passed the Castle till the Revolution; it began to fall into decay early in the Province period, although it was retained for some years longer while the batteries were steadily kept up and supplied. In peacetime, the Battery had a company assigned to it in case of invasion but had only one gunner. During the 1740s, the Battery was extended into the harbor and was defended by thirty-five guns.

South Battery includes Rowes Wharf and Foster’s Wharf – both were built as commercial wharfs off the main soldier marchway (See Batterymarch) Foster's Wharf was originally called "Apthorp's Wharf". Charles Ward Apthorp was a staunch Tory and backed the losing side in the American Revolution; his land was confiscated and sold to William Foster. For the next 150 years or so, commercial shipping continued to be a main user of the area. (To see the exact layout of the coast, wharfs, and battlements see the NPS siege of boston link below.)

(Fort Hill Note: Boston has an unfortunate habit of renaming Forts, or moving names from one Fort to another, leaving them difficult to research. Fort Hill was referred to as Fort Mary when it was a garrison used as headquarters for Governor Edmund Andros in December 1686, but has been called Fort Hill since it was first built up.)

-Source Links-

https://www.kellscraft.com/RamblesBoston/ramblesboston06.html (Includes drawings around boston from 1900s)

https://aknextphase.com/tag/south-battery/

https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2018/11/wheelwright-to-apthorp-to-molineux.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbor_Defenses_of_Boston Including Boston forts kept changing names

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/siege-of-boston-map.htm