Cisterns

[mjr251]

Does anyone know how these cisterns would have been constructed? Were they actually inside the parapet? I'm having difficulty comprehending their placement, and I haven't yet found any references for them.

 

[bdtex]

What fort is this?

 

[mjr251]

Hey Bobby! It's Fort Griffin at Sabine Pass.

 

[jepridgen]

Does anyone know how these cisterns would have been constructed? Were they actually inside the parapet? I'm having difficulty comprehending their placement, and I haven't yet found any references for them.

View attachment 470750

It's been a little while since i was there, but I am almost certain that Fort Pulaski in Georgia had cisterns inside the parapets. Now, it was a brick fort, but I always assumed the cisterns collected inside the fort to prevent contamination or damage from cannon fire.

 

[A. Roy]

That does seem like an odd placement. The fort would have needed a water storage location, unless there was a well or spring inside. Water would have been brought in by wagons, I think. What is represented by the structure I've marked here in black? Is it the interior trench? If so, these could have been masonry (or metal?) water cisterns accessible from the trench.

ARB

 

[mjr251]

That's the banquette tread, a feature that allowed infantry to step up and fire over the superior slope. That entire side of the fort was intended for infantry to defend the fort's flank, while the cremaillere front held the cannons intended to fire at ships in the Sabine River.

 

[A. Roy]

That's the banquette tread, a feature that allowed infantry to step up and fire over the superior slope. That entire side of the fort was intended for infantry to defend the fort's flank, while the cremaillere front held the cannons intended to fire at ships in the Sabine River.

That makes sense. Looks to me as if the cisterns were partially built into the parapet and meant to be accessible from the banquette or from the parade.
ARB