Introduction

Welcome to the “Fort Independence History” page. We’re excited to share the fascinating past of this legendary site with you. Castle Island has a history that spans over 350 years, with eight different forts calling it home, each one playing a key role in our military history. The island formed from glacial deposits. These include sand, gravel, boulders, and clay. Glaciers left them behind tens of thousands of years ago. Over time, it became a vital military stronghold. We hope you enjoy learning more about its remarkable history.

The General Court of the Colony of Massachusetts played a key role in our early defenses by building the first four forts in 1634, 1644, 1653, and 1673.

In 1700, Wolfgang William Romer, the Chief Engineer of British forces, built a fifth fort, naming it Castle William, and adding to it weaponry and fortification.

During the Revolutionary War in 1776, George Washington appointed Richard Gridley as Chief Engineer and Paul Revere as Commander to strengthen the fort’s defenses, demonstrating strong leadership at a critical time.

In 1809, Jean Foncin, a skilled military engineer, designed a new five-sided fort, which further improved our defenses.

In 1951, Colonel Thayer of the Army Corps of Engineers completed the eighth fort, showing our continued commitment to defending our land.

Stragetic Importance of the Location

A 1775 chart of Boston Harbor illustrates why Castle Island was a critical military asset.. The chart shows a BLACK LINE where the main shipping channel goes in and out of Boston Neck. All ships entering Boston had to pass close to the fort, putting them within range of its cannons. This positioning allowed for both military control and taxation of passing vessels.

The Evolution of Castle Island’s Fortification

The First Fort, called “The Castle”, was built in 1634

The garrison had the captain, the gunner, and several soldiers. In 1634, three men joined for a year, earning 10 pounds each. By 1641, the Court approved the captain’s request to hire a gunner and his team. They received 150 bushels of Indian corn each year.

The Second Fort, called “The Castle”, was built in 1644

A French warship’s visit to Boston Harbor was a key moment in our history. The French sought our support in their trade conflict over Nova Scotia. Since the Fort did not salute the visiting ship, it showed we needed improvements. So, we rebuilt the Fort with pine logs, stone, and earth. Now, the upgraded Fort has six saker guns and three smaller guns, boosting our defenses and welcoming future visitors.

The Third Fort, called “The Castle”, was built in 1653

Pine logs upgraded the outer walls of The Castle. Commander Richard Davenport died in 1665 after lightning struck him at the Fort. Captain Roger Clap served as commander from 1665 to 1686.

The Fourth Fort, called “The Castle”, was built in 1673

The Fort was rebuilt with strong stone after an accidental fire. It now features 38 guns and 16 culverins in four bastions, plus six guns in a water battery. The culverins can hit targets up to 1,800 feet away. Generals value demi-culverins for their range, accuracy, and effectiveness.

In 1689, after King James II got kicked out, British Governor Edmund Andros of Massachusetts fled to Castle Island. His goal was to boost the king’s power in New England. One objective was to enforce the Navigation Act, which blocked foreign ships from docking in England and restricted what the colonies could export outside of England. While he wanted to streamline things, it ended up causing problems for the colonies.

The Fifth Fort, called “Castle William”, was built in 1701

Wolfgang William Romer, the Chief Engineer of British forces in the American colonies, made a big upgrade to the new fort, now known as “Castle William.” The fort was well-protected with over 100 guns, making its defenses strong. Romer designed a good system of outer defenses that made the fort much safer. To get to the fort, an enemy would have to pass through three layers of protection: the waterfront, the secondary defenses, and then the fort itself. Romer added a lookout tower at the northeast corner for better visibility, helping to keep a closer eye on the outer harbor. The fort was also secure because it had two nearby powder magazines that were well-protected.

Siege of the Boston

During the Stamp Act and the Boston Massacre, local leaders and British troops used the Fort for protection. Some British soldiers and officials stayed on the island for as long as six years. After the Battle of Concord and Bunker Hill, the British found themselves trapped in Boston Neck. To control the area, they set up roadblocks on Boston Neck to keep rebels out of the town.

At the same time, local militias set up their own roadblocks around Dorchester, which had become mostly farmland. This caused problems for the British and the people still living in Boston, as they could no longer get fresh food. George Washington had troops and muskets, but he needed cannons. This led to Henry Knox being sent to Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York to bring back as many cannons as he could.

In March of 1776, George Washington’s Continental Army made an important step by positioning cannons from Fort Ticonderoga at Dorchester Heights. At the same time, the Continental troops provided protective fire from Cambridge to support their efforts against the British forces.

If you’re interested in learning more about the fascinating journey of the cannons to Boston, I highly recommend the book “Henry Knox’s Noble Train.” It tells the inspiring story of Henry Knox as he leads an expedition over 260 miles through lakes and rivers in the winter. You can find it easily on Amazon.com!

The next morning, British Commander General Howe planned to launch an attack on Dorchester Heights using row boats. However, a snowstorm forced him to turn back. Facing challenging conditions, Howe made the difficult decision to withdraw his 10,000 troops and 1,000 loyalists from Boston.

Howe burned down the Fort and destroyed most of its weaponry and ammunition as part of his “gentleman agreed” evacuation with Washington.

The Sixth Fort, called “Fort Adams”, was built in 1776

General Washington chose Colonel Richard Gridley as the Chief Engineer to help rebuild the star-shaped Fort. Colonel Paul Revere took on the important role of commander for the forces stationed there. Named Fort Adams at first, the Fort received the name Fort Independence after President John Adams made the change in 1797.

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The Seventh Fort, called “Fort Independence”, was built in 1800

The fort was rebuilt and expanded by military engineer Jean Foncin in 1803. The fort was now described as “a regular pentagon, with bastions of masonry, mounting 42 heavy cannons, with two additional batteries for six guns” and was made of brick.

During the War of 1812, the British Navy operated in Massachusetts Bay but chose not to enter Boston Harbor. This decision was largely due to the strong defense provided by the forts in the area. Colonel John Beck served as the commandant of one of these forts during this important time.

Importance of Fort Independence

“Reflecting on the 350 years that Castle Island has stood, we can conclude that the seventh fort, the first Fort Independence, built between 1801 and 1836, was the most significant. At the same time, there were times when perceived threats felt more pressing—such as during the French and Indian War, the pre-Revolutionary period, or the Civil War when a larger number of personnel were stationed on the island—none compared to the actual danger during the War of 1812. At that time, the British controlled Massachusetts Bay, attacking and occupying towns at will.” periods. But during the War of 1812, the danger was real. The British controlled Massachusetts Bay and harassed, attacked, and occupied towns seemingly at will.”

“That Boston was NOT attacked was due to Fort Independence and the then prevailing naval thought that sailing vessels with the armament of the day could not successful subdue land fortifications – a theory proven by the unsuccessful British attack on Foncin’s Fort McHenry at Baltimore. The mere presence of Fort Independence was sufficient to defend the town.”

Taken from Book Castle Island and Fort Independence by William J. Reid

The Eight Fort, called “Fort Independence”, was built in 1833

Work began in 1833 on the final renovation of the fort, with work continuing until 1851. Colonel Sylvanus Thayer supervised this work and continued with Charles H. Bigelow and Edward H. Courtenay. To see more details about Colonel Thayer’s illustrious military career. The fort was made of granite from Rockport, MA, with walls 30′ high and 5.5′ thick.

During the Civil War, weaponry included 96 cannons, including some 15″ Rodman guns that could fire a 450-pound shot more than 3 miles. Fourth Battalion Volunteer Militia and two Infantry regiments, the 11th Massachusetts and 13th Massachusetts, used the fort for training and drilling.

Connecting Castle Island to Mainland

In 1890, Boston began transforming the marshes around Castle Island by filling them in. This expansion continued south to the Fort Point Channel, with the landfill efforts wrapping up in the 1920s. Today, visitors can enjoy a lovely 2.5-mile walk along the Head Island Causeway, which offers stunning views as it circles Pleasure Bay.

Resources used for this Article:

Castle Island and Fort Independence book by William Reid.

This book can be found at the Boston Public Library or purchased on online on amazon.com

https://www.masshist.org/object-of-the-month/objects/fort-independence-2005-06-01