Fort Desaix
Encyclopedia
Fort Desaix is a Vauban
fort and one of four forts that protects Fort-de-France
, the capital of Martinique
. The fort was built from 1768 to 1772 and sits on a hill, Morne Garnier, overlooking what was then Fort Royal
. Fort Desaix was built in response to the successful British attack on Fort Royal in 1762 and was intended to prevent any future attacker from using Morne Garnier to site cannon that could then bombard Fort Royal from above.
, which is located at Fort-de-France, and which is still home to a French naval base. Two other forts were added in the 19th Century, Fort Tartenson and Fort Gerbault.
The British captured Fort Desaix twice, first in 1794 and again in 1809.
On 1 June 1769, an engineer by the name of Le Bœuf proposed the construction of a lunette
in front of then Fort Bourbon. Construction was completed in 1780. A 300 meters long subterranean gallery linked the lunette to the main body of the Fort. The lunette was named after the then Governor General of Martinique, the Marquis de Bouillé. During the British attack in March 1794, the lunette resisted for 14 days, after holding off numerous assaults and suffering extensive bombardment. Fort Bourbon surrendered on 22 March, two days after the British captured Fort Royal.
At the time of the British attack on Martinique in 1809, the fort had an irregular pentagonal shape as it followed the terrain. The British besieged Fort Desaix from 10 to 19 February as they emplaced their 14 cannon and 28 mortars and howitzers. They then commenced an unrelenting bombardment that lasted until the French capitulated on 24 February after the British fire had dismounted most of their guns (some 98) and exploded a powder magazine. The French had had some 113 cannon and mortars, and some 1500 to 2200 men at the start of the siege. Their resistance had cost the French over 200 casualties from the bombardment alone. Fort Royal
had already surrendered on the 10th, so with the fall of Fort Desaix, all resistance on Martinique ceased. After the battle the British substantially demolished the fort.
A Court of Inquiry in Paris in December 1809 stripped Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse, the Governor General of Martinique, and some of his subordinates of their rank and honors, holding them responsible for problems with the fortification of Fort Desaix and the loss of the island.
The Fort returned to French control in 1814, in a severely reduced state. In 1848 it was restored, but was of limited defensive importance. It was refitted in 1880 and 1905 to house a battery of coastal artillery.
Between 1940 and 1943, while under the administration of the Vichy High Commissioner in the Antilles, Admiral George Robert, the fort housed 286 tons of the Bank of France's gold reserves, delivered by the cruiser Émile Bertin
. The gold reserve had originally been destined for Canada
.
Vauban
Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
fort and one of four forts that protects Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
, the capital of Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. The fort was built from 1768 to 1772 and sits on a hill, Morne Garnier, overlooking what was then Fort Royal
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
. Fort Desaix was built in response to the successful British attack on Fort Royal in 1762 and was intended to prevent any future attacker from using Morne Garnier to site cannon that could then bombard Fort Royal from above.
History
The fort took the name Fort Bourbon in 1793, Fort la Convention in 1793, Fort George during the British occupations (1793-1802, 1809-1814), and became Fort Desaix in 1802. Napoleon Bonaparte renamed the fort to honor General Louis Desaix (1768-1800). The original fort in the area is Fort Saint LouisFort Saint Louis (Martinique)
Fort Saint Louis is a fortress on a peninsula at Fort-de-France, Martinique. Today the Fort is both a naval base and an Historic Monument. There are daily tours of the fort, though the portion that is still a naval base is off-limits.-Naval Base:...
, which is located at Fort-de-France, and which is still home to a French naval base. Two other forts were added in the 19th Century, Fort Tartenson and Fort Gerbault.
The British captured Fort Desaix twice, first in 1794 and again in 1809.
On 1 June 1769, an engineer by the name of Le Bœuf proposed the construction of a lunette
Lunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
in front of then Fort Bourbon. Construction was completed in 1780. A 300 meters long subterranean gallery linked the lunette to the main body of the Fort. The lunette was named after the then Governor General of Martinique, the Marquis de Bouillé. During the British attack in March 1794, the lunette resisted for 14 days, after holding off numerous assaults and suffering extensive bombardment. Fort Bourbon surrendered on 22 March, two days after the British captured Fort Royal.
At the time of the British attack on Martinique in 1809, the fort had an irregular pentagonal shape as it followed the terrain. The British besieged Fort Desaix from 10 to 19 February as they emplaced their 14 cannon and 28 mortars and howitzers. They then commenced an unrelenting bombardment that lasted until the French capitulated on 24 February after the British fire had dismounted most of their guns (some 98) and exploded a powder magazine. The French had had some 113 cannon and mortars, and some 1500 to 2200 men at the start of the siege. Their resistance had cost the French over 200 casualties from the bombardment alone. Fort Royal
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
had already surrendered on the 10th, so with the fall of Fort Desaix, all resistance on Martinique ceased. After the battle the British substantially demolished the fort.
A Court of Inquiry in Paris in December 1809 stripped Admiral Louis Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse, the Governor General of Martinique, and some of his subordinates of their rank and honors, holding them responsible for problems with the fortification of Fort Desaix and the loss of the island.
The Fort returned to French control in 1814, in a severely reduced state. In 1848 it was restored, but was of limited defensive importance. It was refitted in 1880 and 1905 to house a battery of coastal artillery.
Between 1940 and 1943, while under the administration of the Vichy High Commissioner in the Antilles, Admiral George Robert, the fort housed 286 tons of the Bank of France's gold reserves, delivered by the cruiser Émile Bertin
French cruiser Émile Bertin
The Émile Bertin was a French fast light cruiser named after Louis-Émile Bertin, a 19th century naval architect. She was designed to operate both as a minelayer and as a destroyer flotilla leader. The design was the basis for later light and heavy French cruisers, particularly the slightly larger...
. The gold reserve had originally been destined for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.