Need Help Identifying Civil War Fort

[connecticut yankee]

From my collection, I have spent countless hours trying to identify this Civil War fort, but to no avail. The fort appears to be constructed of brick and war-damaged. Under magnification I see what appears to be men in uniform. The photo is a cabinet card by Mathew Brady 4 1/4" x 6 1/2" and circa 1860's. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[LSBusch]

What immediately came to mind for me was Fort Halleck near Columbus, Kentucky. It fell into the river June 2, 1865.

I'll see if I can insert an image from Harper's Weekly (from during the war).

 

[Irishtom29]

If an American fort it's hard to figure. That appears to be a solid, non casemated and masonry revetted rampart behind a wet ditch. The corner doesn't appear to be a bastion salient as I know of no American forts that have a bastion flank or face as long as the section of wall shown. I'm giving it some thought. I considered Fort Jackson below New Orleans but I don't think it has salients to match this view.

The pile of earth atop the ramparts appears to be a cavalier or one in the making, or maybe just a big pile of dirt to fill the breach. The thing is, not many masonry Third System forts were breached during the war. Fort Pulaski comes to mind but it had casemated walls and no counterscarp ( the wall seen at right on the outside of the ditch).

Maybe it's just repair of storm damage at Fort Livingston or some such place? Third System forts were often damaged by storms, indeed, some still are such as Fort Pike.

 

[Irishtom29]

I'm thinking offhand of Third System or masonry forts that came under heavy fire during the war.

Working my down from Virginia I figure Fort Macon, Fort Sumter, Fort Pulaski, Fort McRee, Fort Barrancas, Fort Pickens, Fort Gaines, Fort Morgan, Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson. I can't square the view shown with any of them.

 

[connecticut yankee]

I'm thinking offhand of Third System or masonry forts that came under heavy fire during the war.

Working my down from Virginia I figure Fort Macon, Fort Sumter, Fort Pulaski, Fort McRee, Fort Barrancas, Fort Pickens, Fort Gaines, Fort Morgan, Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson. I can't square the view shown with any of them.

I agree with your list of potential forts along the Atlantic that it could be, and I also agree that my OP photo doesn't square with any of them. I like your thought that the photo may actually show a storm damaged fort rather than one having war-sustained (bombardment) damage. That's an interesting idea I will pursue in further research. As to your feelings that it might not even be an American fort, I've had the same feeling. But those little men who seem to be wearing uniforms in this 1860's photo suggest it's an American fort. Thanks for your insights. They are all valuable to me.

 

[chubachus]

Very interesting, I have not seen that photo or Brady cabinet card format before.

 

[Don Dixon]

Fort Pulaski, Savannah, GA

 

[Irishtom29]

Fort Pulaski, Savannah, GA

I think not. The ramparts of Fort Pulaski are made of brick and are casemated and pierced all the way round by embrasures or rifle slits; the only earth used is a filling atop the casemates to form the terreplein. These ramparts appear to be of earth construction with a masonry revetment. And no embrasures are seen.

 

[Irishtom29]

I'm wondering OP photo is storm damage of Fort Livingston. Note the cordon; the masonry molding at the top of the wall seen in both the photo in question and a photo of Fort Livingston.

 

[A. Roy]

I'm wondering OP photo is storm damage of Fort Livingston. Note the cordon; the masonry molding at the top of the wall seen in both the photo in question and a photo of Fort Livingston.

Seems like a good possibility. What about the marks on the wall? Could those be from something other than shelling? Livingstone was never attacked, was it?

Roy B/

 

[Irishtom29]

Seems like a good possibility. What about the marks on the wall?....Livingstone was never attacked, was it?

I think Livingston was not attacked.

 

[Wallyfish]

I think Livingston was not attacked.

I wonder if Brady was in Europe in 1870 or if he did a business selling photos from Europe? Just on the possibility this is a photo of damage from the Franco Prussian War, from the siege of Belfort, Metz or Paris.

I wondered that as well. I did a reverse image search and found a site that was in a foreign language. However it said the photo was from the siege of Strasbourg. But I couldn't find anything else (including Brady being in Europe).

 

[Irishtom29]

I wondered that as well. I did a reverse image search and found a site that was in a foreign language. However it said the photo was from the siege of Strasbourg. But I couldn't find anything else (including Brady being in Europe).

I found photos of fort damage from the siege of Belfort but nothing near matching, nor do the fortifications of Belfort, which is in mountainous country, look like the OP--no wet ditches.

 

[connecticut yankee]

I'm thinking you might be right @Irishtom29 with your guess it might be Fort Livingston in Louisiana. Below is a photo of what the ruins look like today. I've included words from wikipedia which say the fort was never under attack and was only garrisoned by Confederate soldiers. The article also says the fort was under construction for a 30 year or so period and was never completed.

"...Original plans for the fort called for the fortress to be a trapeziform stronghold surrounded by a wet ditch and by outworks on the land side. The walls were constructed of cemented shell, faced with brick, and trimmed with granite.

Construction at the site began in 1834, but was suspended in July 1834. Construction resumed in 1840, and construction on the fort itself began in 1841 under the direction of Major P.G.T. Beauregard. Construction of the fort was halted with the start of the Civil War, and was never resumed. The fort was never fully completed. The fort was briefly occupied by Confederate forces during the American Civil War, but never saw combat. It was used by the Confederates to protect blockade runners coming into and out of Barataria Pass while en route to New Orleans."

 

[Wallyfish]

I love photo mysteries. Here is a screenshot from the "foreign" article. They have this photo in the title saying there are 15 photos. Then under the this photo are 15 different photos. Found this by doing a search on
siège de Strasbourg de 1870.

 

[connecticut yankee]

I love photo mysteries. Here is a screenshot from the "foreign" article. They have this photo in the title saying there are 15 photos. Then under the this photo are 15 different photos. Found this by doing a search on
siège de Strasbourg de 1870.
View attachment 351505

I'm amazed. And I'm now more confused than ever! That is the photo for sure. But "Siege of Strasbourg"?!? What's that all about? Egads----now I have more research to do! Like you, I don't think Brady ever brought his camera to Europe---he had no reason to.

 

[Irishtom29]

Excellent.

Here is a view of a model of the fortifications of Strasbourg; the French army had models of many fortresses made that kings and other officials might better understand them. Many can still be seen.

Note the wet ditches and the huge ravelins and bastions, much larger than any American ones.

 

[Irishtom29]

French fortification models

Accueil Musée des Plans-Reliefs | MPR

www.museedesplansreliefs.culture.fr

 

[chubachus]

I love photo mysteries. Here is a screenshot from the "foreign" article. They have this photo in the title saying there are 15 photos. Then under the this photo are 15 different photos. Found this by doing a search on
siège de Strasbourg de 1870.
View attachment 351505

Awesome you found it! I had a hunch that it might have been Franco-Prussian War, but I had never heard of Mathew Brady publishing photos from it, so I did not look into it too much.

Maybe someone added the "Brady Photo" to the cabinet card to deceive?

 

[Wallyfish]

Awesome you found it! I had a hunch that it might have been Franco-Prussian War, but I had never heard of Mathew Brady publishing photos from it, so I did not look into it too much.

Maybe someone added the "Brady Photo" to the cabinet card to deceive?

It is strange that I could not find any further sources for that photo or that Brady was ever in Europe. So I don't know what I found. The photo has land in the distance which indicates it is not sitting on open wate such as a large Bay or ocean. Hopefully someone can provide definitive proof on what that fortification is. I spent an hour or so googling for a second source without results.