PRINCESS BASTION REPORT:
A SURVEY OF THE AREA FROM THE RIGHT REENTRANT 
ANGLE OF THE PRINCESS BASTION TO THE RIGHT REENTRANT 
ANGLE OF THE BROUILLAN BASTION, AND THE RELATION OF THIS 
AREA TO CAP NOIR

BY

MARGARET FORTIER

February, 1966

(Supervision: W. Stevenson, J. Hanna)

(Fortress of Louisbourg Report H B 3)

Presently, only some illustrations are included here.
For all of them, please consult the original report in the archives of the Fortress of Louisbourg

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SECTION II

CHAPTER 4

Eperon

In 1734 Verrier established a stockade from the left side of the retired battery to the sea at its low tide level. The purpose of this structure, shown as a series of posts joined together at the top, [142] (Figure 4) was to block any entrance into the city by an enemy. [143] Despite the fact that it was clamped into the rocks and, in some manner, laden with cut stones, it was carried away by a storm which arose on October 18, 1735. [144] Any structure similarly built, Verrier felt, would probably meet the the same fate since stakes could not be driven into the hard flat ground found along the coast. [145] St. Ovide wrote that he had been informed that another work of that type would not resist heavy gusts of wind, not to mention the beating of the waves. The old one had been carried away even before it had been finished. [146]

Verrier proposed to build an eperon solid enough to withstand the sea and the weather. What he envisioned was a structure 16 pieds wide and 8 pieds high. The top would be triangular in shape with a right angle at its summit. The masonry was to be held by wooden frames which would be spaced 2 1/2 pieds apart vertically and horizontally, imbedded in the masonry itself, and fixed by iron bands. [147] A profile of the projected eperon shows one of the beams of a frame spanning the width of the eperon just under the triangular top. It is possible that a different type of stone was to be used for the upper part. [148] The frames were to receive a revetment of planks 2 pouces thick which would be nailed with nails 7 pouces long. [149] (Plates 2 and 3; Figure 10)

The top of the eperon was to have a facing of cut stone extending 18 pieds along either side. Where this facing was to be placed is uncertain. Since Verrier described the construction in steps, it could be assumed that the cut stone was to be attached to the outside of the planked revetment. However, it is more reasonable to think that the facing was under the planking for the added strength it would give. For this facing was considered indispensable. The eperon, Verrier explained, would suffer only on top since the impact of the waves would be cut down by Rochefort Point and Cap Noir, sparing the lower part from their fall impact. It was estimated that the total cost of the eperon would be 26977 livres 15 sols. [150]

As far as St. Ovide was able to see, this plan was of little use to the city. The expense was great, and it did not provide for closing the city on its seaward fronts. An enemy would find open the cove which lay north of the eperon. There, in good weather, a descent might easily be made. Also, Rochefort Point would likewise be open to an assault. [151]

In place of the eperon, St. Ovide proposed a wall which would encompass the cove to Cap Noir where it would serve the purpose of a flank holding 5 or 6 cannon. This would hinder the enemy's entrance into the city from the west. The wall would be continued along the circumference of the city all the way to Point Barachois. If his plan were followed, St. Ovide contended, the city could be considered totally closed to an enemy's advance. [152]

In defending his scheme, Verrier explained that the enemy could not land at Cove A - between Rochefort Point and Cap Noir - because the sea was never calm, was full of rocks, and was too flat on the bottom. Cove B - at Barachois [?] - was a possible landing place since a platform for drying fish was located there. However, before this place could be used, the Royal Battery would have to be captured. One of the faces of the Battery, he pointed out, was able to batter this area. Furthermore, if the enemy managed to land, the wall would not be strong enough to withstand the blows of 12 pound cannon which the enemy might bring ashore. Regardless of what else might be done, Verrier warned, the eperon was still necessary. Without it the enemy possibly might slip through to the city. But, with the eperon there was no chance of their entering Louisbourg. [153]

The officials at home hedged about making the final decision. In fact, there is no record of what the verdict was. However, it is certain that neither plan was ever carried out. St. Ovide never gave the particulars of his plan, but, unless he had a massive structure in mind, it would seem that Verrier was correct in feeling that the proposed wall might easily be taken. The number of men necessary to man a wall that stretched from Cap Noir to Point Barachois would have been prohibitive. Neither does it seem that the eperon would have solved all of Louiabourg's problems. There was no provision made for a firing step on the structure. The eperon would have been an obstacle, but were the attacker to succeed in by-passing it, the northern and eastern sides of the city would have lain wide open.

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