H B 6 - DAUPHIN BASTION: PRELIMINARY REPORT (1720 - 1745) BY MARGARET FORTIER

NOTE:
Presently, the illustrations and graphs are not included here.
For these, please consult the original report in the archives of the Fortress of Louisbourg

Bounded by the sea, on one side and a pond on the other, the outer works before the Dauphin Bastion were more or less a self-contained entity. Not until 1742 were they connected in any way to the defenses in front of the rest of the landward fortifications.

The pond which affected the construction of the Dauphin Bastion and that part of' the Dauphin-King's Curtain nearest the Bastion ended, it would seem, just to the left of the left shoulder angle of the Bastion. The water from the pond naturally flowed through the ditch to the sea. When the outlet to the sea was closed, the whole ditch would be flooded. Very few plans indicate the bounds of the pond when at its normal level. [167]

One 1727 projection of the Bastion area includes a drainage canal running from the pond through the center of the ditch. The profile which accompanies the plan reveals, when scaled, that the ditch, at a point near the middle of the left face, was 58 pieds wide. The canal scales 8 pieds in width by 9 pouces in depth, with 22 pieds of ditch on either side. This plan also indicates that, as projected, the ditch would become very narrow in the area of the Dauphin Gate. It would appear that, in this area the ditch would be only slightly wider than the canal. [168] (plate 1)

The only other plan to show the flow of water through the ditch appeared in 1739. Superimposed over the outline of pond and stream is the outline of the flood which would result were the écluse at the end of the ditch closed. [169] It is likely that Verrier was using this as an illustration of the point he wished to make when he wrote against the proposal for enlarging the écluse. He spoke then of the stream which usually flowed through the ditch. [170] (Figure 14),

In November of 1728 it was reported by Ganet that ten work parties had been set to work in the ditch to get earth for use in banking the ramparts and strengthening the walls. [171] During the same month, Verrier stated that part of the length of the ditch had been excavated. [172] When the ditch in front of the Bastion was completed is not known.

There are three profiles which cut the ditch in various places, [173] but only one of these may be scaled. This 1730 profile, taken at a point to the left of the barbette of the salient angle, indicates the width of the ditch to be 60 pieds. [174]

Work on the enlargement of the ditch in front of the Dauphin-King's Curtain was being carried out in June of 1737. Earth from these diggings was carried behind the curtain to form its parapet. It was estimated that this work would be completed by the 18th of that month. [175]

As projected in 1727 the batardeau was very short. Pierced by a drain which would allow water to run from the ditch, the batardeau would come to a point at the top. In the center of its summit there would be some kind of an object to act as an obstacle to anyone attempting to use the wall as a means of reaching the fortifications from the outer works. [176] (Plate 1)

Construction of the batardeau and the écluse was carried on during 1730 [177] and was completed in 1731. [178] The main features of the structure can be gathered from the plans. (Plate 5: Figures 3, 4)

There are two cross-section plans of the batardeau. One from 1731, indicates that cut stone was used all the way through the batardeau. A wooden platform is shown beneath the batardeau. This platform might have been under the écluse and not the wall itself. While under the batardeau, the platform appears to be straight, but then it slopes downward the sea. Nine beams support the platform; three of these being very close together under the operating mechanism of the écluse. The operating mechanism itself is shown, but not in sufficient detail. (Plate 5) When scaled, the measurements of the batardeau appear to be: [181]

	Pieds	Pouces
Height of the sides	5	6
Height at center	8	6
Width of base	8	9
Width at base of summit	6	6
Length of slope to summit	4	1

The second cross-section, from 1733, shows the core of the batardeau to be of flat stone. Surrounding this is a layer of rubble masonry. Finally, the outside of the batardeau is covered with cut stone. There is no trace of the platform described above. Some measurements can be scaled. These are very different from those previously given. The nature of the two plans on which these cross-sections are found suggests that this is the more reliable of the two. [182] (Figure 13)

	Pieds	Pouces
Height of the sides	8
Height at center	10	9
Width at base	9	6
Width at base of summit	6	10
Length of outside slope to summit	4	1
Length of inside slope to summit	3	10

The 1734 plan cited previously in connection with the éperon is capable of being scaled for a few measurements. However, because of the distortion inevitable when something which is not flat is made to appear that way caution should be observed. The length of the batardeau. according, to this plan appears to be 60 pieds 6 pouces at the wall's summit. The écluse scales 6 pieds by 2 pieds 6 pouces.[183] (Figure 3)

In 1737 or 1738 Brouillan wrote to France charging that the écluse had been built 18 pieds too small. Due to this, he said, the ditch could not be filled even at high tide. [184] As a result of this, Verrier was ordered to break the frame of the écluse and lower it one or one and a half pieds. [185]

The engineer responded by declaring that he had built the écluse with the intention of holding the water from the stream in the ditch when the area required flooding. This was an added protection for the curtain since the marsh had prevented the construction of a covert way and glacis in front of it. If the frame of the écluse were broken, he said, the marsh would be drained entirely, and this would render access to the ditch an easy matter. Therefore, it was his opinion that, "pour le bien du service," the batardeau should be left unchanged. [186] Nothing more was said of the proposal.

Though the covert way is shown as only an outline on the plan itself, the 1727 projection of the Bastion area includes a profile of the covert way which can be scaled. [187] (Plate l)

	Pieds	Pouces
Height of foundation of contrescarp	3	10
Width of foundation of contrescarp	4	2
Width of contrescarp at base	3	10
Height of contrescarp above foundation	8
Width of summit of contrescarp	3	7
Width of terreplein of covert way	20
Height of slope of banquette	2	6
Width of slope of banquette	3	10
Width of banquette	4
Height of palisade - above ground	6	10
Height of foundation of parapet	3	10
Width of foundation of parapet	3	6
Height of parapet - above foundation	4	6

A second projection of covert was given in 1729, seems to foreshadow rather closely the way that the finished work would appear. The side of the covert way bounded by the pond is defended by a half place of arms, the straight side of which faces southeast over the pond. A crochet and traverse are located at the right reentrant angle of the half place of arms. The contrescarp runs parallel to the left face until it nears the salient angle. Opposite this angle the contrescarp is rounded. It straightens out again on the right side of the angle to run parallel to the Dauphin Gate. There is a place of arms opposite the salient angle with a crochet and traverse at each reentrant angle. The banquette continues around the covert way interrupted only by the traverses and a sally port which is situated opposite the Gate. Palisades are shown all around the covert way. [188] (P1ate 3)

A profile, cut through the covert way at a point opposite the powder Magazine, can be scaled for several of the projected covert way's dimensions. [189]

	Pieds	Pouces
Height of the foundation of contrescarp	4
Width of the foundation of contrescarp	4
Width of contrescarp - top	3
Total height of contrescarp - inside	11	10
Height of contrescarp - outside	8
Width of terreplein from contrescarp	17
With of slope of banquette	1	6
Height of slope of banquette	1	6
Width of banquette	5
Height of palisade	9
Height of palisade above banquette	6
Width of foundation of parapet	3
Height of parapet - from foundation	5

A list of' materials needed for the Dauphin Bastion, drawn up in March, 1730, included provision for masonry to be used for the parapet of the covert way and for the contrescarp. [190] Four months later it was said that the high defensive wall of the contrescarp was well advanced. [191] Work on the contrescarp, however, remained unfinished at the end of 1730. [192]

The masonry of the parapet of the covert way was said to be completed in November, 1732. [193] During the next three years, work was still being done on the covert-way, and it was not until 1735 that the covert way was said to be finished. [194] Even after this date, however, minor projects had to be looked after. A list of works to be done in 1739 included the formation of the crochet at the half place of arms, the completion of the banquettes and the planting of palisades. [195]

The work on the contrescarp in front of the Dauphin-King's Curtain on the other side of the pond. was to begin in June of 1737 following the excavation of the ditch in that area. [196] In 1733 one of the projects listed for the next year was the continuation and perfection of the walls of the parapets of the covert way. [197] And, in August of 1739 it was reported that the walls of the parapet which had yet to be done were finished. [198]

Almost all the plans show the covert way with the half place of arms near the pond and the full place of arms opposite the salient angle. It would seem that the banquette continued all around the covert way, facing over the two "profile" walls as well as toward the land. None of the plans drawn after the completion of the covert way show the traverses at the reentrant angles of the places of' arms, though all show the crochets. Apparently, the traverses were not put in place prior to 1745. The contrescarp appears to have been as described above in connection with the 1729 plan. No documentary reference to the dimensions of the covert way has been found.

Up until 1740, the covert way opposite the section of the Curtain on the other side of the pond is shown with a half place of arms near the pond, the straight side facing the outer works of the Dauphin Bastion. From 1740 on, however, the picture is changed, and the covert way comes to an end at the pond with no special work facing over the water. Near the right shoulder angle of the King's Bastion there is a rounded place of arms. It appears that a banquette did face over the pond at the end of the covert way. A set of stairs is shown leading down into the ditch opposite the Curtain. [199] There are no stairs shown leading from the covert way on the other side of the pond. (Figure 14)

Though projected as early as 1739, [200] a range of pickets connecting the two sections of the outer works was not constructed across the pond until sometime in 1742. [201]

Earth for the formation of the glacis and masonry for the "profile" wall were among the items listed in 1730 as necessary for the completion of the Dauphin Bastion. [202] By November of the next year, the profile wall, presumably the one which extended from the batardeau along the end of the covert way and glacis, had been completed. [203]

Considered of little consequence in comparison with the other tasks remaining to be done, the glacis was temporarily abandoned by the workers in October, 1733. The men taken from the formation of the glacis were to be used for banking the enceinte of the city. [204]

One of the obstacles hindering the completion of the glacis was the property of a widow which included land needed for the glacis. Despite Verrier's attempts to dissuade her, the widow had constructed a house on the property. On her death, the property was sold. The new owner expressed his intention of leaving the house where it had been built. Verrier wrote that this house's presence at that location constituted a danger to the fortifications. Because of it, he stated, the approach to the Dauphin Gate could not be adequately protected. [205] Finally, in 1738 an agreement was reached by which the house would be demolished. [206]
44 -

In 1739 it was urged that the glacis be completed rather than left "en glacis coupé". The earth for the formation of the glacis, it was said, could be gotten from the hill in front of the Dauphin Bastion. [207] When the glacis was actually completed is not known.

Nothing is known of the profile wall which faced the pond beyond the fact that it extended from the contrescarp along the side of the place of arms and glacis. Presumably, the wall continued all the way to the tail of the glacis. A few plans indicate that it stopped short of that point, but they are a small minority. [208]

There are several views of the seaward profile wall, but the information they offer is something less than plentiful. Together they offer four possibilities for the material used in construction of the profile wall (Plate 2, 4: Figure 4)

Taking a numerical average it would appear as if rubble masonry were used in the construction of the profile wall. However, the two plans which show this material used all along the wall are not very clear. The plan which indicates that the wall was planked seems to be the most reliable of those cited, but there is a possibility that the planking, horizontally applied, was only a project. Since there is no later view, there is no way of knowing.

All this tells little of the construction of the profile wall along the pond. Ordinarily, it might be thought that the two wells would have been similarly constructed. However, the need for planking on that side did not exist since the pond would not cause this wall to deteriorate as quickly as the sea would the other. The extra re-enforcement would not be necessary. Cut stone might be eliminated for similar reasons. Usually this material was used only on areas receiving considerable stress. Therefore, it is possible to argue that the profile wall on the pond side might have been constructed of rubble masonry.

A feature of the seaward profile wall which appears in most views is that, at the tail of the glacis, the profile wall was still a few feet above the ground. It did not simply slope to nothing. [213] How the glacis itself was formed cannot be determined. (Plate 5)

A sally port cut the banquette and parapet of the covert way opposite the Dauphin Gate. A path led down the
glacis from this opening. According to the plans, each side of the path was reveted in masonry. Nothing specific is known of these walls, except that they seem to have continued about 3/4's of the way down the glacis. (Plates 3,4,5 and 7)