Pirates, Blockades and Commerce: an EXPEDITION

Thanks to funding from SEA’s 2019 Elsaesser Fellowship, my Expedition continues... Fort Barrancas (1839) or Fort San Carlos de Barrancas (from 1787) is a United States military fort, originally built and occupied by Spanish General Galvez is located within the grounds of Naval Air Station Pensacola, which was developed around it. The hill-top fort, connected to a sea-level water battery, overlooks Pensacola Bay. From 1839–1844, the historic Spanish fort on the hill was expanded and modified to meet requirements of "modern" conflict.  The newest edition is considered "Fort Barrancas," while the older, water battery downhill (Baterie de San Antonio, 1787) was separately named as "Fort San Carlos." It is a remnant from the Spanish fortification (Fort San Carlos de Barrancas), which was initially constructed in the late 18th century. Due to changing requirements, Fort Barrancas was deactivated from military service on April 15, 1947, following World

Thanks to funding from SEA’s 2019 Elsaesser Fellowship, my Expedition continues... Fort Pickens is a United States military fortification on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola Bay, Florida. Fort Pickens is named after Andrew Pickens, a hero of the American Revolution. The fort was initially completed in 1834 and remained in use until the just after the end of World War II (in 1947). Fort Pickens is one of the Third System of U.S. Fortifications, that was meant to enhance the older wooden,  earthen work and simple, earlier obsolete designs of the First and Second System of Fortifications. Fort Pickens is Pentagonal in design, much like most of the other third system “Star Forts” (See Fort Jackson). Fort Pickens was constructed with a broad western wall to provide a wide range of fire over the bay, and a counterscarp to the east side built to act as a defensive moat in the event of infantry incursion coming from the west side of the island.