The coastal defenses of Georgia hold stories of brilliance and bravery—none more poignant than that of 2nd Lieutenant Henry Sims Morgan. Though his life was short, his engineering legacy still sits (now partially submerged) on the north end of Wassaw Island.

Henry Sims Morgan was the first person from Valdosta, Georgia, to become a West Point graduate. Following graduation in 1897, Morgan was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Screven on Tybee Island, where he designed and supervised the construction of the ‘Wassaw Island Fort‘ on the north end of Wassaw Island – with permission from the Parsons Family, who at the time owned the entire island.

Together with Fort Screven, the gun battery on Wassaw Island formed part of the Georgia coastal defense system. It was the largest single fortification built in Georgia specifically for the Spanish-American War (1898).

It is said that Lieutenant Morgan was a brilliant individual who oversaw the construction without any plans other than the ideas in his head – a standard rectangular military design measuring 86 feet long by 39 feet wide. In the center, a massive ammunition magazine with walls up to six feet thick. It included two cylindrical gun platforms with an observation station next to each. Stairs led each platform to the magazine; a second set of steps led to the ground.

After completing the Battery, Lt. Morgan returned to Fort Screven and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. He died a hero on Aug. 31, 1898, while attempting to rescue sailors stranded on a grounded ship during a storm.

The Wassaw Island Fort never had to fire its guns.

In 1923, his classmates erected a memorial for Lt. Henry Sims Morgan on the grounds of Fort Screven. While the Battery was known to locals as Fort Morgan, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources officially named it ‘Battery Henry Sims Morgan‘ in 2006.

Seeing Battery Morgan Today

Once a sentinel on the dunes, Battery Morgan is now a victim of dramatic coastal erosion. Following the 2016 hurricane season (Hurricanes Matthew and Irma), the shoreline shifted so significantly that the battery now sits 50+ yards offshore.

• Low Tide Viewing: The best time to see the ruins is during low tide.
• Safety Warning: Do not attempt to swim out to or climb on the ruins; the tidal currents around the structure are extremely strong, and the concrete is unstable.