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DAUPHIN BASTION

Preliminary Report

(1720 - 1745)

BY

MARGARET FORTIER

(Under the supervision of B. C. Bickerton)

January, 1966

(Fortress of Louisbourg Report H B 6)

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

CHAPTER 6

SALIENT ANGLE AND RIGHT FACE

Strictly speaking, there was no "right face" at the Dauphin Bastion. However, there was a definite salient angle formed by the left face and a wall which extended to the Dauphin Gate. For the purposes of this report, therefore, the wall which stretched from the salient angle to the Gate will be termed the "right face" of the Dauphin Bastion.

The 1727 projection of the Bastion shows the right face proceeding in a north-easterly direction from its juncture  with the left face to the end of that face's terreplein. The wall changes direction at this point and moves toward the northwest for a slightly longer distance. The first section of this wall is pierced by one embrasure, the latter being reached by means of the platform described in the previous chapter. Five openings pierce the second portion of the right face. The northern most opening comes between the north wall of the corps de garde the Gate, while the one to its left falls directly in front of the west wall of the corps de garde. There is no firing step indicated along the right face, but it would seem that the terreplein of the circular battery extends behind the corps de garde to the right face. No guerite is projected for the salient angle. [54] (Plate 1)

The existence of a guerite at the Bastion's salient angle is substantially borne out by the plans. The shape of the guerite can be argued since there are two possibilities shown on the plans, but it appears safe to assume - even without recourse to what is known of other Bastions - that the structure was pentagonal [55] and not round. [56] The number of plans featuring the former shape is substantially higher. Also, two views of the city show a pentagonal guerite quite plainly. One of these depicts the guerite with a window on each side. The walls appear to be of cut stone, while the roof, pointed on top, is covered with shingles. A fleur de lis sits atop the summit of the structure. The cul de lampe begins well below the cordon with the widest level exactly in line with the cordon itself. [57] (Plate 5) Similar features are indicated on the second view. The decoration on top of the structure appears, in this case, to be round. [58]

A set of steps leading from the barbette to the guerite is shown on three plans. [59] The number of steps portrayed cannot be determined. Nor is it possible to know with certainty if these steps descended or ascended to the guerite. It is likely that they would lead down from the barbette since this work was
raised above the terrepleine of the rampart. Whether or not such a set of steps was actually fashioned  is not known. (Plate 3-5)

Except that it was built to defend the approach to the Dauphin Gate [60] and that it held six cannon, [61] nothing concrete is known of the "V" shaped barbette at the salient angle. None of its dimensions have been found thus far.

The effect of the barbette on the terreplein and the banquette of the right face is uncertain. Three possibilities are revealed by the plans. (Figure 1)

• 1. Only the banquette stopped at the barbette, the terreplein continuing undisturbed around it.[62]
• 2. Only the terreplein stopped, the banquette continuing around the barbette. [63]
• 3. Both the banquette and the terreplein continuing around the barbette. [64].

Evidence for the second possibility is slim. The first situation appears on several plans and might be logically argued since there would seem to be no need for the banquette behind the barbette. However, more plans seem. to indicate that both banquette and terreplein continued behind the barbette. Perhaps for added height a large earthen platform was constructed for the barbette on the terreplein at the same level as the banquette. If the barbette did not entirely fill the platform, it would appear as if the banquette had simply been continued.

The right face presents serious difficulties. The possibilities offered by the plans seen endless. The length of the wall and the direction it took are the most vexing problems. (Figure 2) The variations depicted on the plans are:

• 1. Both revetment and parapet of the right face stop at the south wall of the corps de garde. Before reaching this point, the wall turns from a northeasterly direction to a northerly one. The turn is made at the end of the barbette, and the second section of the wall continues for a short distance. [65]
• 2. The revetment of the right face continues all the way to the Gate, while the parapet stops at the corps de garde. The revetment turns from a northeasterly to a more northerly direction at the south wall of the corps de garde. The parapet, however, never turns, stopping at the corps de garde. [66]
• 3. The revetment continues all the way to the Gate, while the parapet stops at the corps de garde.
  Both parapet and revetment change to a more northerly course at the end of the barbette. [67]
• 4. Both paranet and revetment end at the south wall of the corps de garde, but neither turn. The
  cords de garde is constructed at an angle to the right face, thus providing a turn in that side
  of the Bastion. [68]
• 5. The revetment continues all the way to the Gate, while the parapet stops at the corps de garde.
  Both parapet end revetment change direction some feet beyond the barbette. [69]
• 6. The revetment of the right face continues to the Gate, changing course at the south wall of the
  corps de garde. The parapet continues only to the end of the barbette, leaving a vacant space between
  the end of the parapet and the beginning of the corps de garde. [70]
• 7. Revetment continues all the way to the Gate, turning at the south wall of the corps de garde. The 
  parapet ends short of the corps de garde, but some distance from the end of the barbette. A vacant
  space exists between the corps de garde and the parapet. [71]
• 8. The revetment continues to the Gate, changing direction at the end of the barbette. The parapet
  ends with the barbette resulting in a vacant space between the parapet and the corps de garde. [72]
• 9. The parapet ends with the barbette, leaving a vacant space between the corps de garde and the
  parapet. The revetment ends at the south wall of the corps de garde, turning at the end of the  barbette before it does. The revetment is wider between the parapet and the corps de garde than it was in its first section. [73]
• 10. The revetment continues all the way to the Gate, while the parapet stops at the corpss de garde. The entire wall changes direction very sharply. The section of wall to the right of the barbette
  proceeds in an easterly direction. At the end of the barbette it turns and follows a northerly
  course. [74]

It should be noted that in each instance that the revetment continues to the Gate, it forms the west wall of the soldiers' corps de garde.

Which situation existed cannot be positively determined. The tenth possibility described seems the least likely. The direction the wall takes in this instance deviates too drastically from the other plans to be representative. The next in reverse order of preference are those showing the revetment and the parapet stopping before the corps de garde, (numbers 1, 4 and 9). Only a total of four plans indicate this possibility, and views of the Bastion in general and the corps de garde in particular would seem to indicate that the revetment did continue to the Gate.

Nor does it seem likely that the parapet would have stopped before reaching, the corps de garde as shown in numbers 6, 7, 8 and. 9. There is no logical reason why it should not continue as far as possible with the revetment.

By the process of elimination numbers 2, 3 and 5 remain. No serious objections can be raised to these. The only method of determining the most likely of these three is strict numerical average with a look at the oquality of the plans involved. Only one plan offers number 5 as the answer. Three plans indicate the
second possibility while the third is shown on four plans. However, all four which show this third possibility are of the town as a whole. Their emphasis is not on the Dauphin Bastion. On the other hand two of the three which indicate number 2 are of the Dauphin alone. By this process, therefore, the most logical choice would seem to be number 2, closely followed by number 3.

Until 3 embrasures were opened during the emergency of the first siege, there do not seem to have been any openings in the right face up to the corps de garde. However, where the revetment formed the west wall of this structure, there were apparently several apertures. The nature and number of these will be discussed in connection with the corps de garde itself.

It is not certain whether there was a firing step behind the parapet of the right face. Most plans which show the banquette extending around the barbette do indicate that it continued along the right face also. There are a few plans which depict the banquette stopping at the end of the barbette. [76] And, those plans which do not show the banquette behind the barbette fail to provide for a firing step behind the parapet
of the right face.

On a few plans a ramp is shown leading up to the terreplein of the rampart at the salient angle. [77] Although most of these plans are well drawn, there is no conclusive evidence which would substantiate the existence of such a ramp.

Documentary references to the area in question are rare. Nothing is known of its construction. Many of the general references to the walls of the Dauphin Bastion probably related to this area as well. The lack of any definite information, however, does away with the possibility of drawing any definite
conclusions. All these references have been cited in connection with the face and flank.

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