Existing comment:
The Ravelin:
This wedge-shaped outwork protected the fort's sally port from enemy fire, and helped to control access to the star fort. The US Army built the original ravelin in 1813. The structure was modified to its present dimensions in 1837.
The ravelin and dry moat provided a first line of defense against a land attack, but none ever came.
Two doors along the ravelin's rear scarp walls lead to an underground magazine where gunpowder and ammunition were stored just after the Civil War. Please watch your step on the curved stairways.
In 1814, the ravelin stood like a brick island in the dry moat. Removable bridges connected the star fort with the outside world. The ravelin's triangular design offered enemy soldiers no place to take over from the star fort's gun. |