In 1800, Fort McHenry was one of the last forts to be built as part of what is known as the "First System". These were forts built between 1793 and 1802 under a combined unit of "Artillerists and Engineers". In 1802, Congress separated the artillerists and engineers into separate corps, and in 1807 over new concerns of war with Great Britain, President Thomas Jefferson renewed the fortification programs, and built what is known as the "Second System".
The first system consisted of walls laid out at angles, forming a system of defense walls in the formation of a star. One of the common weaknesses of the star forts like Fort McHenry was it's exposure to enemy fire because of it's long low walls. The second system utilized covered casemates (small rooms for guns) stacked in high walls allowing more shots at the passing enemy ships. Only a few of these forts were completed. The most notable one is Castle Williams in the New York Harbor located on the Northwest point of what is now known as Governor's Island.
Design and construction of Castle Williams began in 1807 under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Williams the Chief engineer of the Corps of Engineers which had been established by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. And he was also the first Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The fort was a circular fortification made out of red sandstone and included multiple levels of casemates. It was 40 feet high and 210 feet in diameter with walls that were 7 to 8 feet thick. Each of it's four levels had 13 casements that could each hold 26 cannons.
In Jefferson's last annual address to Congress, he shared with Congress the news that the Seacoast defense system in several ports was nearing completion, except for those at New York and New Orleans. These were major seaports, and there was much to be done. Jefferson explained, that although most of the monies that Congress had appropriated in their last session had been appropriated for New York, there was still much work to be done and reports would be soon delivered to Congress. Among these reports, I assume was included the plan for Castle Williams.
"In consequence of the appropriations of the last session of Congress for the security of our sea port towns and harbors, such works of defense have been erected as seemed to be called for by the situation of the several places, their relative importance, and the scale of expense indicated by the amount of the appropriation. These works will chiefly be finished in the course of the present season, except at New York and New Orleans, where most was to be done; and although a great proportion of the last appropriation has been expended on the former place, yet some further views will be submitted to Congress for rendering its security entirely adequate against naval enterprise. A view of what has been done at the several places, and of what is proposed to be done, shall be communicated as soon as the several reports are received."During the civil war, the casemates were used to house newly recruited Union troops and to imprison Confederate soldiers. After 1865, the fort became a low-security prison.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29450
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seacoast_defense_in_the_United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Williams
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