Fort Pulaski
Built on Cockspur Island to guard the mouth of the Savannah River, Fort Pulaski was regarded as one of the strongest forts in the country. It was built over a period of 18 years on a bed of log pilings and wooden beams, a project supervised at one stage by the future Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Completed in 1847, the pentagonal structure was formed from one tier of casemates and a barbette level on four sides the front two faces and the truncated sides , and a landward face that...
The fortifications today
The following selection of American coastal fortifications includes most of the major Third System forts, plus other Second System fortifications that played a significant role during the Civil War 1861-65 . This included State and National Park Service properties, forts owned by the local community, government agencies and those in private hands. At the time of writing, all these sites are open to the public unless otherwise noted. The forts are listed from north to south. Fort Knox, Defense...
Manning the guns
When the Third System forts were being planned, it was clear that the existing stocks of heavy artillery would be inadequate and that specially designed heavy ordnance would be required to equip the fortifications. The first batch of specially designed seacoast artillery guns introduced during the period from 1820 to 1830 consisted of 18-pounders 1816 , 24-pounders 1819 and 32-pounders 1829 . Designs were heavily influenced by existing French Gribeauval patterns, but the guns were cast from...
A tour of a Third System fortification
The large and imposing coastal fortifications of the Third System were designed to conform to long-held principles of military engineering. As such, they displayed features that could be found in the Vauban forts built across F.urope over two centuries earlier, and certain features were continued on into the 20th century when the U.S. Army built a new series of coastal defenses. The main component was the deployment of a large battery of ordnance on the seaward side of the fortification, while...
Fort Jackson
The spring of 1862 was a traumatic period for the Confederate garrisons of Third System forts. Within a matter of weeks, Fort Macon and Fort Pulaski had fallen following short devastating bombardments by mortars and rifled guns. Just over a week after the surrender of Fort Pulaski, it was the turn of the two forts that guarded the Mississippi River south of New Orleans. Since the start of the war, the naval strategy of the Union had concentrated on the imposition of a blockade around the...
The First and Second Systems of coastal fortification
The fortification of American ports began long before the 19th century. Small wood and earth works fortified the first settlements in the American Colonies from the 16th century onward. Shortly before the start of the American Revolution in 1775, some of these early coastal fortifications were developed into more substantial structures. Among the strongest of these was the Spanish-held Castillo de San Marcos, which protected St. Augustine on the Atlantic coast of Florida. An earlier structure...
Defensive Fortifications
During the late 18th century, the newly created United Slates of America was vulnerable to foreign attack on her two land frontiers, one with Canada and the other with Spanish Florida, and along the Atlantic seaboard. There was no secure western border to the 13 states, only a vaguely defined western territory-occupied by tribes of Native Americans. Although the Spanish were never considered to be a significant military threat, the Canadians were, and a string of small forts was constructed to...