PALISADES & FENCES: 
DIMENSIONS AND FINISHES

BY
 ERIC KRAUSE

MARCH 12, 1985

(Fortress of Louisbourg
Report H F 25 1985 01)

APPENDIX B

1968

APPENDIX B

A preliminary search indicates that the following memoranda include specific discussions of palisades and fences with respect to construction, dimensions and finishes.

SUMMARY OF MEMORANDA

1.  30 April 1968 - Interior Place D'Armes of King's Bastion

(Pierre Bureau to Supervising Draftsman) 

a) Standards of 1737

i) palisades to be made from very straight pine wood (1727 standard called for fir), cut in the good season

ii) length: 10 pieds (9 pieds by 1727 standard)

iii) diameter: 6 pouces (5-6 pouces by 1727 standard; measured in the middle by 1751 standard)

iv) posts separated from each other by 2 pouces, depending on location (measured at the ribbon level by 1751 standard)

vi) posts buried 3 pieds deep (buried end charred by 1751 standard)

vi) triangular ribbon: 5-6 pouces (4 x 5 pouce piece of pine sawn diagonally by 1751 standard)

vii) ribbon: embedded 1 pouce into the palisade (point of triangle pointing out: Plan 1737-4)

viii) ribbon: held in place by one nail (6 pouce nail by 1751 standard) 

b) Standards of 1751

i) ribbon placed 15 pouces below the top of the parapet

ii) length of ribband: no less than 15 pieds

iii) each post debarked

iv) point of post: 12 pouces long

c) Standards of 1753

i) piquet fences

- length: 9 pied (straight piquets)

- diameter: 6 pouces

- depth in ground: 2 pieds 6 pouces

- trench: yes

- spacing: one against the other

- heads: 8 pouce points

- ribband:

- 4 pouces wide

- 2 pouces thick

- embedded 1 pouce into the piquets near the top

- a single 6 pouce spike driven through the ribbon at each post, alternatively one spike at the top of the ribbon, the next at the bottom 

- braces: 

- diameter: 6 pouces 

- length: 7 pieds 

- distance: every 30 pieds 

ii) Palisades for the fortifications 

- material: pine (straight) 

- length: some 12 pieds; some 9 pieds 

- diameter: 6 pouces 

- depth in the ground: 3 pieds 

- trenching: yes 

- distance from each other: 2 pouces 

- ribbon: 

- triangular

- 5-6 pouces

- embedded 1 pouce into the palisade

- single 6 pouce spike driven through the ribbon at at each post