Part 1

Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 54746-h.htm or 54746-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/54746/pg54746-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/54746/54746-h.zip)

Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/quainthistofforts00hammrich

Transcriber’s note:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

A detailed transcriber's note is at the end of the book.

QUAINT AND HISTORIC FORTS OF NORTH AMERICA

* * * * * *

COLONIAL MANSIONS OF MARYLAND AND DELAWARE

BY JOHN MARTIN HAMMOND

With sixty-five illustrations from original photographs. Large octavo. Handsomely bound in cloth. Gilt top. In a box. A LIMITED EDITION, printed from type which has been distributed. $5.00 net.

_The Outlook, N. Y. C._

“A book of elegance in form, illustration, and subject.”

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

PUBLISHERS PHILADELPHIA

* * * * * *

QUAINT AND HISTORIC FORTS OF NORTH AMERICA

by

JOHN MARTIN HAMMOND

Author of “Colonial Mansions of Maryland and Delaware”

With Seventy-One Illustrations

J. B Lippincott Company Philadelphia & London 1915

Copyright, 1915, by J. B. Lippincott Company

Published November, 1915

Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company at the Washington Square Press Philadelphia, U. S. A.

PREFACE

An account of the most famous fortifications of North America is, in reality, a cross section of the military history of the continent; and whatever ingenuity there may be in this method of presenting the conspicuous deeds of valor of the American people will, it may be hoped, add interest to the following pages.

So many races of men have wrestled for the North American continent in, historically speaking, so brief a space of time! We behold the Indian in possession though we do not know who was his predecessor in holding the land, though the mounds of the Middle West, notably Illinois and Arkansas, point to a race of a higher culture and more developed knowledge of building than the red men had. There come the Spanish with their relentless persecutions of the natives. There come the English, French, Dutch, Swedish. And the claims of each clash, to at length give way--despite the military acumen of the French--to the steady, home-building genius of the English.

Of the strongholds which the Spanish built to maintain their title to this part of the world there remain such substantial relics as the old fort at St. Augustine, annually visited by thousands of people, and that at Pensacola, Florida. The French are best remembered by their works at Quebec. Of the defensive works of the Dutch, on the Hudson, or the Swedes, on the Delaware, nothing remains. The English were not great builders of forts; they were essentially tillers of the soil. The most important English military work of early Colonial days in America was Castle William (Fort Independence), Boston harbor.

To the French with their restless explorers and indefatigable missionaries to the Indians must be ascribed the credit of most completely grasping the physical conditions of the North American continent and of formulating the most comprehensive scheme for military defense of their holdings. The French forts extended in a well-organized line from the mouth of the Saint Lawrence west and south through the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. They originated and executed, all things considered, the most daring and comprehensive military project ever conceived on the continent of North America.

In the preparation of this work it has given me great pleasure and has clarified to a marked degree my conceptions of the larger movements of American history,--especially in regard to the topographical considerations governing these movements,--to have visited the seats of early empire in this country and the various centres of military renown in its later days. All of the places described in this book are worth a visit by the sight-seer as well as the historian--that is, they contain visible monuments of the Past. I have, myself, taken the greater number of photographs which illustrate the volume. Others have been donated or purchased, as the credit lines will tell.

It is, perhaps, as well to state that this work has been done with the knowledge of the War Department of the United States, which has very kindly allowed me to reproduce some of the pictures in its archives and has greatly helped me with my researches in its public records. When I have visited those few points of historic significance still occupied by the army I have been very courteously shown all points of interest not of present military value and have been allowed to photograph scenes which I desired to record which would have no worth to an enemy of the country.

In carrying forward my work I have freely consulted historical authorities, among which I would like especially to acknowledge indebtedness to the writings of Francis Parkman, who in his many volumes has made the days of Old France in the New World a living reality; to John Fiske, “New France and New England;” to Reuben G. Thwaites, “France in America;” to various publications of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society; to Agnes C. Laut, “Canada;” to William Henry Withrow, “Canada;” to Randall Parrish, “Historic Illinois;” to the Hon. Peter A. Porter, “Brief History of Old Fort Niagara;” to Benson John Lossing, “Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution;” to E. G. Bourne, “Spain in America;” to Charles B. Reynolds, “Old St. Augustine;” to Loyall Farragut, “David Glasgow Farragut;” and to various books of travel and reminiscence, among which I would like to mention: S. A. Drake, “Nooks and Corners of the New England Coast” and “The Pine Tree Coast;” George Champlin Mason, “Reminiscences of Newport;” Irene A. Wright, “Cuba;” A. Hyatt Verrill, “Cuba;” Helen Throop Purdy, “San Francisco;” Ernest Peixotto, “Romantic California;” Adelaide Wilson, “Savannah, Picturesque and Beautiful;” Mrs. St. Julien Ravenel, “Charleston, the Place and the People;” and I have received valuable help in material and suggestions from various State historical societies, which have been uniformly courteous and desirous to be of service.

I wish to express gratitude to various friends and individuals who have helped me with suggestions or photographs, among whom I may mention Messrs. Henry P. Baily, Lloyd Norris, William H. Castle, Edward P. Crummer, Maurice T. Fleisher, James Prescott Martin, Edward H. Smith, and Harold Donaldson Eberlein.

September, 1915. J. M. H.

CONTENTS

PAGE

STRONGHOLDS OF THE PAST 1

FORT INDEPENDENCE (CASTLE WILLIAM), CASTLE ISLAND, BOSTON HARBOR 25

FORT COLUMBUS, OR JAY, GOVERNOR’S ISLAND, NEW YORK HARBOR 36

TICONDEROGA, LAKE CHAMPLAIN, NEW YORK 49

CROWN POINT, LAKE CHAMPLAIN, NEW YORK 66

THE HEIGHTS OF QUEBEC (THE CITADEL, CASTLE ST. LOUIS), CANADA 72

FORT ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, ANNAPOLIS, ANNAPOLIS BASIN, NOVA SCOTIA 84

THE CITADEL AT HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA 93

FORT GEORGE, CASTINE, MAINE 98

FORT FREDERICK, PEMAQUID, MAINE 105

FORT NIAGARA, AT MOUTH OF NIAGARA RIVER, NEW YORK 113

FORT ONTARIO, OSWEGO, NEW YORK 122

FORT MICHILLIMACKINAC AND FORT HOLMES, MACKINAC ISLAND, MICHIGAN 131

FORT MASSAC, ON THE OHIO, NEAR METROPOLIS, ILLINOIS 141

WEST POINT, ITS ENVIRONS, AND STONY POINT, NEW YORK 147

FORT CONSTITUTION (FORT WILLIAM AND MARY), GREAT ISLAND, NEAR PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE 161

FORTS TRUMBULL AND GRISWOLD, NEW LONDON AND GROTON, ON THE THAMES, CONNECTICUT 167

FORT MIFFLIN, ON THE DELAWARE, PHILADELPHIA 173

FORT MCHENRY, BALTIMORE 180

FORT MARION, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 190

LA FUERZA, MORRO CASTLE, AND OTHER DEFENCES, HAVANA, CUBA 201

FORT SAN CARLOS DE BARRANCAS, PENSACOLA BAY, FLORIDA 207

THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO, GOLDEN GATE, CALIFORNIA 215

FORT ADAMS AND NEWPORT’S DEFENSIVE RUINS, NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND 222

FORT MONROE, OLD POINT COMFORT, VIRGINIA 232

FORTS SUMTER AND MOULTRIE, NEAR CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 241

FORT PULASKI, AT MOUTH OF SAVANNAH RIVER, GEORGIA 251

FORT MORGAN, MOBILE BAY, ALABAMA 257

FORTS JACKSON AND ST. PHILIP, AT MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA 263

FORT SNELLING, NEAR ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 268

FORT LARAMIE, AT THE FORKS OF THE PLATTE RIVER, WYOMING 273

THE ALAMO AND FORT SAM HOUSTON, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 279

OTHER WESTERN FORTS: FORT PHIL KEARNEY, NEBRASKA; FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS; FORT FETTERMAN, WYOMING; FORT BRIDGER, WYOMING; FORT KEOGH, MONTANA; FORT DOUGLAS, UTAH 285

FORT VANCOUVER, ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER, WASHINGTON 290

FORT YUMA, AT HEAD OF NAVIGATION, COLORADO RIVER, CALIFORNIA 295

VALLEY FORGE--YORKTOWN--VICKSBURG--LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN-- GETTYSBURG--THE “CRATER” 299

INDEX 305

ILLUSTRATIONS

The Ancient Watch-tower of Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Florida _Frontispiece_ (By courtesy of the St. Augustine Historical Society)

Mighty Louisburg To-day, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia: To Sea from the Ruined Walls 2 All That Remains Standing 2

Water-front of Present-day Detroit 16 Where Indian Canoes and the Palisades of the French Were.

Old Block-house, Fort Pitt, Pittsburgh, Pa. 18 (From a Painting in the Collection of the Pennsylvania Historical Society)

Fort Independence from the Water, Boston, Mass. 26 Floating Hospital in Foreground

Fort Independence, Castle Island, Boston, Mass.: Fort Winthrop from Castle Island 30 Main Entrance, Fort Independence 30

Harbor Side, Fort Independence, Boston, Mass. 34

Entrance to Fort Columbus (Fort Jay), Governor’s Island, New York Harbor 36

Fort Sites in Present-day New York City: Fort Washington Point. Fort Lee on Opposite Shore 38 Where Was Fort Amsterdam; the Customs House 38

Fort Lafayette, from Fort Hamilton, New York 45

Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain, New York 51

Interior Views of Fort Ticonderoga, N. Y.: The Mess Hall 62 A Council Room 62

Crown Point, N. Y., in Dead of Winter: Where the Flag Flew 66 The Ruined Barracks 66

The Heights of Quebec 72 (By courtesy of Detroit Publishing Company)

Guns, Parade and Ancient Officers’ Quarters, Fort Annapolis Royal, N. S. 84 (By courtesy of The Boston Times)

View from Citadel Hill, Halifax, N. S. 94

Old Martello Tower, near Halifax, N. S. 96

Fort Niagara, on Niagara River, N. Y. 114

The South View of Oswego on Lake Ontario 122 (From William Smith’s View of the Province of New York, London Edition, 1757)

Fort Michillimackinac and State Park, Mackinac Island, Michigan 137

Old Block-house and Mission Point, Fort Michillimackinac Reservation, Mackinac Island, Michigan 139

Fort Massac, on the Ohio (La Belle Riviere): Memorial Monument, Erected by Illinois Daughters American Revolution 142 From the River 142

Entrance to Fort Putnam, West Point, N. Y., in Winter 148 Showing Tower of New Academy Chapel in Middle Distance

Sketch Snap-shots of West Point’s Historic Memorials: Fort Putnam’s Rocky Interior 152 Kosciuszko Monument 152 The North Wall, “Old Put” 152

Fort Constitution (Castle William and Mary), Great Island, near Portsmouth, N. H. 162

A Distant View of Fort Constitution 165

Historic Points on the Thames River, Conn.: Fort Griswold, Groton 168 Fort Trumbull, New London 168

Entrance to Fort Mifflin, Philadelphia 174

The Moat in Winter, Fort Mifflin, Philadelphia 178

Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md.: A View from an Aeroplane 180 The Guard-house 180

Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md.: Looking Toward the Lazaretto 182 One of the Old Batteries in Place 182

Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md.: From This Point the Star Spangled Banner Flew 187 The Entrance 187

Col. George Armistead 188 In Command of Fort McHenry During the Siege

Moat and Entrance, Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Fla. 190 (By courtesy of the St. Augustine Historical Society)

Incline Leading to Ramparts, Fort Marion, St. Augustine, Fla. 196 (By courtesy of the St. Augustine Historical Society)

Morro Castle, Havana, Cuba 203

Fort San Carlos de Barrancas, near Pensacola, Florida 209 (By courtesy of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce)

Fort Scott and the Golden Gate, Presidio Reservation, San Francisco, Cal. 216 (By courtesy of R. J. Waters & Co.)

Lime Rock Light-house, Newport Harbor, Looking Toward Fort Adams 222

Glimpses of Newport’s Historic Defences: Parade, Old Fort Adams 225 Present-day Aspect of Fort Greene 225

Panorama of Newport Harbor, R. I., Showing Fort Adams at Left Middle Distance 230 Goat Island in Central Distance.

Fort Dumplings, Conanicut Island, a Revolutionary Relic Near Newport 231

From the Ramparts of Fort Monroe, Looking Toward Hampton Roads 232 Taken During the Jamestown Celebration by the United States War Department and Reproduced by Special Permission.

Garden View of One of Monroe’s Ante-bellum Residences 234

Fire!!! 236 Showing Shells Just Leaving Mortars, Fort Monroe, Va. This Remarkable Photograph Was Taken with Modern High Speed Apparatus by the Corps of Enlisted Specialists Stationed at This Post. (By courtesy of the War Department)

Casemates of Fort Monroe, as They Were During the Civil War 239

Fort Sumter, a Pile of Stone on a Sandy Shoal 242

The Deserted Casemates of Fort Pulaski, near Savannah, Ga. 253

Scenes of Desolation at Fort Pulaski, near Savannah, Ga.: Parade and Ramparts 256 The Battered Eastern Salient 256

Old Stone Tower at Fort Snelling, near St. Paul, Minn. 268

Ruins of the Alamo in 1845 280 From a Sketch Upon Map of the Country in the Vicinity of San Antonio de Bexar Made by J. Edmund Blake, 1st Lieutenant Topographical Engineers, U. S. A. (By courtesy of the War Department)

Fort Keogh, near Miles City, Montana 289

Fort Yuma, California 296 (By courtesy of the War Department)

Scenes at Valley Forge, Pa.: National Memorial Arch 300 Washington’s Headquarters 300

Two Views To-day of the “Crater,” Petersburg, Va.: The Slaughter Hollow 302 The Entrance to the Tunnel 302

QUAINT AND HISTORIC FORTS OF NORTH AMERICA

STRONGHOLDS OF THE PAST

The tourist on the coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia--for in summer hundreds of people seek out this pleasant land for its cheerful climate--may come upon a little bay on the easternmost verge of the land where is a deep land-locked inlet protected from elemental fury by a long rocky arm thrust out from the shore into the sea. He will not be able to surmise from the present aspect of his surroundings that this was the site of mighty Louisburg, the greatest artificial stronghold (Quebec being largely a work of nature) that the French ever had in the New World. Of this massive and menacing fortress, which cost thirty million livres and twenty-five years of toil to build after the designs of the great Vauban, hardly one stone lies placed upon another and grass and rubble have taken the place of the heavy walls. Standing on the ground where New France’s greatest leaders stood it is difficult to-day to picture the martial pomp which once must have claimed this spot, to visualize, more particularly, the setting for the farcical onslaught of the zealous New Englanders of 1744, under the doughty Pepperell, in their greatest single military exploit.

The Treaty of Utrecht, which provided a basis of agreement for France and England in the New World for almost half a century, did not establish boundaries between the two countries and the contest to determine the question was unceasing, though not officially recognized. France busied herself in building fortifications and was ready frequently to formally draw the sword; yet it needed the outbreak of the War of The Austrian Succession in 1744, in far distant Europe, to precipitate the American quarrel.

The news of the beginning of this conflict came to Duquesnel, commandant of Louisburg, before it reached the English colonies, however, and it seemed to him an essentially proper thing to do to strike against the English. He accordingly sent out an expedition against the English fishing village of Canseau, at the southern end of the Strait of Canseau, which separates Cape Breton Island from the peninsula of Acadia. With a wooden redoubt defended by eighty Englishmen anticipating no danger, Canseau offered no great resistance and was easily taken, its inhabitants sent to Boston, and its houses burned to the ground. The next blow was an unsuccessful expedition against Annapolis Royal. By these two valueless strokes Duquesnel warned New England that New France was on the aggressive.

Enraged by the attacks upon Canseau and Annapolis and with the easy self-confidence which is a heritage of the children of the hardy north Atlantic coast, the people of Massachusetts were prepared for the suggestion of William Vaughan, of Damariscotta, that with their untrained militia they should attack New France’s mightiest stronghold. Vaughan found a willing listener in the governor, William Shirley, who helped the enterprise on its way.

The originator of this astounding project was born at Portsmouth, in 1703, and was a graduate of Harvard College nineteen years thereafter. His father had been lieutenant-governor of New Hampshire. Soon after leaving college Vaughan had betrayed an adventurous disposition by establishing a fishing-station on the island of Matinicus off the coast of Maine. Afterward he became the owner of most of the land on the little river Damariscotta where he built a little wooden fort, established a considerable settlement and built up an extensive trade in fish and timber. Governor Shirley was an English barrister who had come to Massachusetts in 1731 to practise his profession and who had been raised by his own native gifts to the position of highest eminence in the colony.

On the 9th of January, 1745, the General Court of Massachusetts received a message from the governor that he had a communication to make to them so critical that he must swear all of the members to secrecy. Then to their astonishment he proposed that they undertake the reduction of Louisburg. They listened with respect to the governor’s suggestion and appointed a committee of two to consider the matter. The committee’s report, made in the course of several days, was unfavorable and so was the vote of the court.

Meanwhile intelligence of Governor Shirley’s proposal had leaked out despite the pledge of secrecy. It is said that a country member of the court more pious than discreet was overheard praying long and fervently for Divine guidance in the matter. The news flew through the province and public pressure compelled a reconsideration of the project. It was urged against the plan that raw militia were no match for disciplined troops behind ramparts, that the expense would be staggering and that the credit of the colony was already overstrained. The matter was put to a vote and carried by a single vote. This result is said to have been due to one of the opposition falling and breaking his leg while hurrying to the council.

The die was now cast and hesitation vanished. Shirley wrote to all of the colonies as far south as Pennsylvania, but of these only four responded: Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, which blazed with holy zeal as, since the enterprise would be directed against Roman Catholics, it was supposed that heaven would in a peculiar manner favor it. There were prayers in churches and families. New Hampshire provided 500 men, of which number Massachusetts was to pay and provide for 150; Rhode Island voted a sloop carrying fourteen cannon and twelve swivels; Connecticut promised 516 men and officers provided that Roger Wolcott should have second rank in the expedition; and Massachusetts was to provide 3000 men and the commanding officer.