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Rh armed with 10- and 12-inch rifles—the latter having an extreme range of 13,000 yards. There were also some 12-inch mortar batteries of approximately the same range.

Although the range exceeded the effective fighting range of any existing battleships at the time the forts were built, it was far short of the range of naval guns in the year 1916. Moreover, the Boston forts, like those defending New York, were open to attack from the rear. All of the guns and mortars pointed seaward. Furthermore, thanks to the parsimony of Congress, the whole of these defences were undermanned, there being only 1,100 men distributed among the seven forts.

The expedition timed its approach so as to be within a few hours' steaming of the Massachusetts coast at sundown, March 31, where it divided, the four transports carrying 5,000 men making for Salem,