Our Visit to Fort Barrancas

After leaving the Information Center to Fort Barrancas we walk up to the Fort. It is a steep climb for me. The lookout at the top of the hill has

a beautiful view of the water and the beach.

The old Spanish fort Bateria de San Antonio was a masonry water battery at the foot of the bluff in front of Fort Barrancas.

In view is the canon that shot across the water to Fort Pickens. The canon ball was suppose to skip across the water.

The next photo shows the dry moat that surrounds the fort called the killing grounds. From the windows they could see anyone approaching to assault.On entering the ditch they would suffer heavy casualties. Muskets and canons would fire through the windows. The draw bridge is also visible. It could be raised to prevent a surprise attack, which helped to save Lt. Slemmer’s men in 1861.

From the inside of the Fort you could go thru this dark steep tunnel to the old Spanish fort Bateria de San Antonio. I did not attempt to go there. Too dark for me.

The flag and the canon shown on the bluff.

This Fort was under several different flags.

Historic Fort Barrancas was constructed around

1839-1844. One of four forts built to protect the Pensacola Navy Yard. It sits on a bluff overlooking Pensacola Bay.