The Wandering Disciple

Tall coquina wall topped with turrets and cannons were the last line of defense for the Spaniards as they attempted to hold off their city of St Augustine from invaders.  Constructed by Spain over the period of 1672-95, Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States.  (Photo: November 12, 2011)

Sitting high atop Bennet's Hill, the battery of Fort Fincastle protected Nassau Harbour from invading navy's and pirate intruders.  Built by Lord Dunmore in 1793, Fort Fincastle was one of three forts built to defend the island.  (Photo: April 21, 2010)

The colonial era fort just outside Nassau was designed to help defend the island nation from enemy attacks.  Fort Charlotte was built by Lord Dunmore following the American Revolutionary War.  Despite being the first line of defense for the city, Fort Charlotte never saw action and today is a popular tourist attraction in Nassau.  (Photo: April 21, 2010

A tunnel leads to the center of Fort Charlotte near downtown Nassau. Built atop a hill, the fort was ordered by Lord Dunmore to help protect the port. Constructed in 1789, the fort has never seen battle and is now a popular tourist destination. (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Located along the Savannah River just outside Savannah, Old Fort Jackson was the last line of defense in protecting the city of Savannah from an attack by the sea. The fort began construction in 1808 at the spot of a Revolutionary era earthen battery. The fort saw action in the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The fort was eventually restored in the 1970’s and opened to the public under the operation of the Coastal Heritage Society. (Photo: March 15, 2014)

A labyrinth of tunnels connects the rooms at Old Fort Jackson on the banks of the Savannah River.  Built in 1881, Old Fort Jackson was built to help protect the river from enemy invasion.  However it's only war action came during the Civil War when the Union troops seized the fort.  Today the fort has been restored to highlight life in the encampment during the war.  (Photo: March 15, 2014)

Savannah, Georgia: Savannah’s location on the Atlantic makes it a prime port for the United States but what makes in a important sea town also makes it vulnerable to an attack from the sea. So to help combat a sea attack, Fort James Jackson was constructed up river to help defend the city. Under threat of attack by either England or France, President Thomas Jefferson ordered the nation fortify its coast. So at the site of an old English battery from the American Revolution, Fort James Jackson was constructed. It took almost four years to complete the fort, opening in 1811. Combined with Fort Pulaski and Fort McAllister, Fort Jackson was the last line of defense for the city of Savannah. Completed in time for the War of 1812, it did not see action until the Civil War. After being bombarded by Union ships, Fort Jackson was overtaken by the Union troops in 1864. It would be under Union control throughout the entire occupation of Savannah. Fort Jackson remained active for the ...

Large cannons pointed towards the harbor were the primary means of protection for Colonial Nassau. Fort Fincastle in the heart of downtown Nassau was built atop Bennet’s Hill in 1793. Along with nearby Fort Charlotte, the forts helped protect the colonial city from invasion by sea. (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Built to help defend New Providence Island, Fort Charlotte sits high atop a hillside near the harbor. Its construction was ordered by Lord Dunmore at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War. Fort Charlotte was never used in battle and has been preserved as a tourist stop. You can view more photos of Fort Charlotte by clicking here (Photo: April 21, 2010)

Just a few canons remain of what was once a critical coastal fort in the Tampa Bay. Fort Desoto was positioned at the mouth of Tampa Bay and was an active post until closed by the military in 1922. Weather and neglect took a toll on much of the fort's structures although several canons and some of the battery walls still remain. Today there are historical markers that tell the story of the fort. In addition to the history of the fort, Fort Desoto Park boasts on of the nation's best beaches. (Photo: June 27, 2004)

St. Augustine, Florida: Standing guard over St. Augustine for over 300 years, Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest fort in the United States. The fort has been home to four separate military occupations and now spends its days as a national monument. When the Spaniards founded the city of St. Augustine in 1565, it quickly went to work building a series of wooden forts to protect the city. However, several pirate attacks demonstrated a weakness in the wooden forts and the Spanish Crown ordered the construction of a masonry fort. Construction of the fort began in 1672 and lasted until 1695. It was constructed with a mixture of small shells and sand called coquina which was mined from nearby King’s Quarry located at present day Anastasia State Park. The coquina was strong enough to build a long-lasting fort while having enough absorption to allow cannon balls to stick in the wall rather then going straight through. The fort saw its first battle in 1702 at the hands of English forces. The...

Fort San Felipe del Morro located at the entrance to San Juan Bay in San Juan, Puerto Rico has protected the port since 1589. Under Spanish rule until 1898, the fort has protected San Juan from attacks by the British, Dutch, United States and even pirates. It then became a United States fort and saw service during World War I and II. It was decommissioned in 1961 and became a National Park. (Photo: October 23, 2006)

Nassau, Bahamas: With the threat of war loaming on Great Britain and its territories, the need to fortify their positions became more important with each passing day. Lord Dunmore felt the need to protect the eastern side of the harbor and Fort Fincastle was constructed. In 1793 the fort was constructed on the top of Bennet’s Hill. It was located to the east of the Government House and in conjunction with Fort Charlotte, helped protect the capitol city from attacks at sea and on land. It was also crucial in the protection of the armory on nearby Hog’s Island. No shots were every fired from any of the Nassau forts and Fort Fincastle was eventually decommissioned. Today what remains of the fort is available to tour. Its close proximity to the Queen’s Staircase and the Water Tower makes it a popular stop for tourists and a sure stop on most city tours. For photos of the fort, visit my Fort Fincastle photo gallery.

Nassau, Bahamas: Located on the western boundary of Nassau, Fort Charlotte was constructed by the British to protect the harbor. Following the fortification of the Windward Island, the British leaders decided they needed to defend their island and Fort Charlotte was born. The fort was constructed under the orders of Lord Dunmore and was completed in 1789. It protected the island with an arsenal of cannons. The fort itself was protected with a moat and drawbridge. It also features a collection of ramparts and dungeons. Fort Charlotte was decommissioned by the War Office in 1891. The cannons were removed and the island was no longer fortified. During World War I, cannons were added but later removed after the war was over. Today the Fort remains in operation as a historical museum. Tour guides lead visitors on a tour of the fort along with the dungeons. From the top of the fort, visitors have a breathtaking view of Nassau and the harbor. To view photos of the fort, visit my For...

Charlotte-Amalie, St. Thomas: Sitting high on a mountaintop lies this castle lookout believed to be the watch post for the infamous pirate Blackbeard. From here he had a good view of the harbor and could spot passing ships miles away. Built by the Danish government in 1679, Skytsborg Tower was built on the highest point on Government Hill. The tower was part of the fort system built to protect the island of St. Thomas from invasion. It is believed that the tower was eventually taken over by Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard. Blackbeard is thought to have used the tower as a watch post to spot approaching vessels to attack. Because of the connection to Blackbeard, the tower was eventually renamed Blackbeard’s Castle. The tower eventually became part of a private residence for many years before becoming part of a hotel. Today the site remains a National Landmark where guests can visit and take a look back at life as a pirate. You can even climb to the top of the tower and l...

San Juan, Puerto Rico: The largest fort built in the New World by the Spanish, Fort San Cristobal was built to help protect San Juan from land attacks. The fort was used in conjunction with other Spanish forts to provide a well rounded defense system. Finished in 1783, the 27 acre fort surrounded the city and access to the city was controlled through the fort’s gates. The fort featured an extensive tunnel system to travel throughout the fort. The walls of the fort contained several sentry boxes called garitas that were used to help protect the perimeter of the fort. Fort San Cristobal saw its first attack in 1797 as San Juan was invaded by British troops. A troop of over 7,000 British soldiers under the commanded for Sir Ralph Abercromby invaded the island in one of th largest invasions. The Spanish troops were able to successfully defend the city and avoid British occupation. In 1855the fort was temporarily taken under control by Spanish rebels. The mutiny by the San Cristobal...

Tierra Verde, Florida: At the mouth of the Tampa Bay lies a barrier island known as Mullet Key. Mullet Key has been a prominent site of Tampa Bay history and is the current home of Fort DeSoto Park, a 1,136 acre park built around the site of the historic fort. Like much of Florida, the first inhabitant to the island were Native Americans. The Tocobaga Indians resided on the island from 1000 to 1500. The location at the mouth of the bay was ideal to the Tocobaga lifestyle. The waters provided an abundance of shellfish and fish provided plenty of food for the tribe as well as a means to trade with other tribes and eventually the Spanish conquistadors. The first Spanish explorer to reach the island was Panfilo de Narvaez in April 1528. Narvaez landed in the region and began searching for riches. As the confrontation with the local tribes became more violent, Narvaez and his group of explorers headed further north. The next major explorer to reach the region was possibly the most p...