New York City's Defenses During the War-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

In my Not So Forgotten War of 1812 blog I have been writing about New York City's defensive fortifications during that war.  Two of them, however, have a Civil War connection.

These two fortifications were built to defend from an attack from the sea.

CASTLE WILLIAMS on Governors Island, called East Battery, was used as a center for new recruits in the early part of the war and then had a garrison for defense.  Later it was a a prison for captured Confederate enlisted soldiers.

FORT JAY (FORT COLUMBUS) was also located on Governors Island.  During the war, its armament was seriously upgraded to some of the largest caliber cannons in the North's arsenal, nearly 50 10-inch and 15-inch Rodman guns.

The North Barracks were used to house captured Confederate officers awaiting transfer to Camp Johnson in Ohio, Fort Delaware or Fort Warren in Boston Harbor.

--Old Secesh

Two Other Castle Forts

A postscript to the Castle Pinckney article in the National Parks Traveler noted that two other US castle forts were built and still remain in New York Harbor. They were part of the New York harbor Defense system and completed about the same time.

Castle Williams was completed in 1811 on Governor's Island, a strategic location between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. It can be visited at Governor's island National Monument.

The other castle fort was also completed in 1811 and is at nearby Castle Clinton National Monument in lower Manhattan's Battery Park.

My Kingdom for a Castle. --Old B-R