Existing comment:
Fear and Fortitude:
The entrance to the fort was through a gate called the Sally Port. Archeology performed nearby has brought to light key features like the Traverse and Flagstaff, that tell stories of the defenders' fears and resolution.
A critical weak point:
Fears of a land-based attack led to the construction of a "traverse" behind the Sally Port in 1813. It stood only a few feet away from the flagpole. Six feet high, eight feet wide and thirteen feet long and built of solid brick, the traverse was the last-ditch defensive feature if the enemy entered the fort. Never recorded on any map, the existence of the traverse was revealed by archeology in 1982.
A strategic location:
The flagpole occupied a strategic location inside the fort. It stood near the Guardhouse, where the flag was stored, and in close proximity to the Sally Port, the main entrance to the fort. It was located in the most visible area of the fort and protected in part, by the traverse. |