General Information
Completed in 1900, Battery Sherwood was built to protect the inner harbor with two rapid fire 5-inch guns mounted on pedestal mounts. These guns--part of a new generation of light caliber artillery--were the only such weapons in the bay area at the time. They could fire up to thirty rounds per minute for short periods of time and had a range of approximately seven and a half miles.
When the submarine mines were moved to outside the Golden Gate, the Fort Scott boundary was redrawn to place Battery Sherwood within the Presidio of San Francisco. In 1917, the battery’s guns were moved to Battery Bruff at Fort Funston.
Origin of Name
Battery Sherwood was named in honor of Lieutenant Walter Sherwood, Seventh Infantry, who was killed in 1840 during a battle with Seminole Indians in Florida.
Access and Current Condition
Battery Sherwood is located at the Presidio near the San Francisco National Cemetery and the cavalry stables. It can be reached via a foot trail extending several hundred yards east from a parking area under the Golden Gate Bridge approach near the intersection of Crissy Field Avenue and Incinerator Road. Though access to the interior magazines is not allowed, the battery's exterior is well preserved.
