THE POWDER MAGAZINE AND THE BARRACKS OF THE DAUPHIN BASTION

BY

JEAN HANKEY

MARCH, 1968

(Fortress of Louisbourg
Report H B 14)

THE BARRACKS OF
THE DAUPHIN BASTION

Within the Dauphin Bastion, there was a building noted on most plans as either a "corps de garde" or as a "cazerne(s)."Its construction was begun in 1729 [1]. By December Verrier reported that "les logements pour le Service de la Batteries" were finished. [2] While the French were waiting for the masonry of the powder magazine to dry, the powder was stored in this "petit logement." [3]

Since the magazines intended for the artillerie supplies were not in use in 1735, wood for gun carriages was stored in this barracks. [4] The "haut" of the barracks served as a "Sainte Barbe."* [5] In December of 1736, the order was given for the removal of the wood so that a part of a company of soldiers could be lodged there. [6]

* "Sainte Barbe" - definition from Diderot

Nom qu'on donne à la chambre des canonniers, parcequ'ils ont choisi saint Barbe pour patrone. C'est un retranchement à l'arriere du vaisseau, au dessus de la soue, et au dessous de la chambre du capitaine. On l'appelle aussi gardiennerie, parce que le maitre canonnerie y mit une partie de ses ustensiles. I1 y a ordinairement deux sabords pratiqués dans l'arcasse, pour battre par derriere, et le timon ou barre du gouvernail y passe.

In the fall of 1739, De Bourville and Verrier were discussing the need for the construction of a new guard house in the gorge of the Queen's bastion. Until such a barracks had been built, it was believed that if an augmentation of troops was necessary, it would be possible to house the soldiers in either the casernes of the Royal Batterie or in "le grand Corps de garde qui est dans le bastion Dauphin."[7] However, in the following year, Duhaget wrote that this building was used to station soldiers who were about to go on leave. Such a separation from the rest of the troops seemed to prevent the usual disorder prior to their departure. [8]

During the first English occupation, the English engineer, Bastide, wrote to Shirley that the "building by the Powder Magazine in Circular Battery" could house about forty men of the rank of private. [9] The 1746 map drawn by Bastide stated this building was being used as a prisons (101 In 1747, repair work was done to the prison at the West Gate. [11]

In 1753, Franquet wrote that the building was neither inhabited nor furnished. [12] In the 1755 account of the condition of the barrack quarters and their respective capacity, this "corps de garde" was not mentioned. [13]

STRUCTURAL DETAILS

According to the Franquet estimates of 1751 [14] and 1753 [12], the barracks was 28 pieds long and 25 pieds wide. The Boucher estimates in 1749 for roughcasting had given the perimeter of the building as 23 toises. [15]

There are no precise documentary references to the height of the building. In 1749, the average height was estimated at one toise. [15] From the projected plan of 1727, the wall height may be scaled at eight pieds. [16] A scaling of the ND 25a plan (which Margaret Fortier in, her report dated as 1729) corresponds with the latter plan. [17] From the top of the foundation to the roof line on the ND 56 plan, the walls are 9 pieds high and 10 pieds high from the terreplein level. [181

Only the two plans -- the ND 25a and the ND 56 -- show the foundation for the building. On the ND 56 plan, the foundation seems to extend above the level of the bastion's terreplein [18], but on the ND 25a plan, it is level with the terreplein. [17] According to the ND 25a plan, the foundation is higher on the rampart side than on the terreplein side -- five pieds to four. On the ND 56 plan, the foundation on both sides of the building appears to be six pieds high. However, on the terreplein side, the foundation is five pieds wide and only four on the other. The ND 25a plan reverses this situation four pieds thick on the terreplein side.

The 1727 estimate for materials intended for the Dauphin Bastion requested masonry for the ''logement" there. [19] Franquet in 1751 wrote that the walls were "construit en maconnerie." [14] On the ND 56 plan, the wall facing the terreplein is the thickest and the opposite wall the thinnest. [18] On the ND 66 plan, the wall against the rampart of the left face of the bastion is the thickest, but the opposite wall appears slightly wider than the other set of walls. [20] On the ND 25a plan, the walls are more or less the same width. [17]

All of the plans indicate that there was a door situated on the terreplein or north side of the barracks. On the ND 25a plan, the door is slightly off centre towards the left flank end of the bastion. [17] There is a window on either side of the door, each about equidistant from the door. As a result, the window on the right side of the door is further from the end of the building than the other one. The 1727 estimates stated that cut stone was to be used for the door and corner angles. Iron work was ordered for the hinges and locks of the doors and for the hooks of the windows. [19]

The ND 56 plan shows the barrack door as centered. There is a window on either side. However, the window to the right is further from the door than the other. [18]

The ND 66 plan indicates that the door is centered. On the right side, two windows are depicted and one on the other. The one window is centered. [20]

The 1731-1 view of the Dauphin Bastion shows the barracks with two upper dormer windows. [21]

The barracks had two floors. The cross-sections of this barracks show one main level and then a sort of attic. [17, 18] In 1735, St. Ovide did write that the top of this building was used to store supplies for the canon crew. [4] There is no documentary evidence to suggest that this second level was ever used in any other way.

Wood was ordered for the doors, shutters, "chassis de Croisée,"* tables, benches and arm racks in 1727. [19] It is probable that the preceding order included items intended for the barracks.

* la croisée - Fenêtre, ouverture pratiquée dans le mur d'un
bâtiment à l' aide d'une traverse de bois, de Pierre ou de fer,
pour donner du four l'intérieur. (Quillet)

At the same time, "pavé" was order for the "logements" of the Dauphin bastion. [19] The ND 56 plan shows a cobblestone floor for the barracks. [18] However, the ND 25a profile indicates there was "pavé" outside the north wall of the building. [17] In 1732, Le Normand and de Mezy wrote that they had installed "un bon plancher de bois" in an effort to prevent the spoilage of the powder. [3]

Framing had been ordered for partitions, floor boards, and camp beds. [19] In 1751, Franquet wrote that the building was divided into two: one section for the soldiers and a smaller part for the officers. [14]

It is difficult to know when this partition was built as such a division is not shown on any of the available plans.

Three of the plans -- 25a, ND 56, ND 66 -- show camp beds placed along the entire south wall of the barracks.

A fireplace is consistently shown built in to the barrack wall which faces the left flank of the bastion. The 1727 estimates ordered "Pierre Platte" for the "arrière voussure et cheminée." [19] Two views -- ND 66 [20] and 1731-3 [25] -- show a chimney situated at the east end of the building.

However, in 1734, Verrier sent estimates for the installation costs of brick stoves ("poelles* en briques") for the guard houses. In 1735, some repair work was done to the stoves of the soldier's guard house and that of the officer's. [22] Probably such a stove was put into the barracks within the Dauphin Bastion. In 1749, a temporary hangard was established to hold the coal destined to heat the guard houses. [23] It was possible that such stoves were used for heat and for cooking. If such stoves were used, it is probable that use was made of the already existing chimney.

* Poele (m) - Diderot, t. XII, f. 811

grand fourneau de terre ou de metal, posé sur des pits embellis
souvent d'ornements & de petites figures, qui a un conduit par où s'échappe la fumée du feu qu'on y fait, & qui sert à échauffer une chambre sane qu'on voie le feu.

Les poeles vent nécessaires dans les antichambres, tent pour chauffer
les domestiques, au'afin que l'air froid ne s'introduise pas dans la chambre du maitre.

Most of the plans show the barracks with a hipped roof. The three ND plans: 25a, 56, and 66 show a "fleur de lis" at either end of the building. Only the views 1731-3 [25] and 1745-1 [26] depict the barracks with a gabled roof. The roof was covered with wooden shingles ("couvert en bardeau"). [14] On the projected plan of 1727 ~161, the roof height may be scaled as 9 pieds. The roof height is scaled at 12 pieds on the ND 56 [18] and ND 25a [17] plans.

ENDNOTES

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