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Junior Ranger Package from
Fort Matanzas NM |
Hello
Junior Rangers! Here’s another package from the big mailing I received the
other day.
If
you recall, about a week and a half ago, I posted that I mailed out a ton of
completed Junior Ranger books that I either got online or from my road
trip in April (You can read about that here). Fort Matanzas NM was one of
those.
Here’s what was inside:
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| Fort Matanzas NM Junior Ranger Badge and Master Junior Ranger Patch |
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Fort Matanzas Junior Ranger Badge – awarded for completing the Fort
Matanzas Junior Ranger Book (also included.)
Fort Matanzas Master Junior Ranger Patch – awarded for
completing the Fort Matanzas Master Junior Ranger activities in addition to the
Junior Ranger book activities. |
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Fort Matanzas NM
Junior Ranger Certificate |
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Fort Matanzas Junior Ranger Certificate – awarded for completing the Fort Matanzas Junior Ranger book.
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Castillo de San Marcos NM
Junior Ranger Badge and
Master Junior Ranger Patch |
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Castillo de San Marcos Junior Ranger Badge – awarded for completing the Castillo de San Marcos Junior Ranger Book. I have no idea why
they sent this because I did not send the book to this address. I wonder if
it’s because I referenced that I had completed it in my letter… I guess they
went by the honor system? Very trusting over there, lol.
Castillo de San Marcos Master Junior Ranger Patch – awarded for
completing the Castillo de San Marcos Master Junior Ranger activities in addition
to the Junior Ranger book activities. Again, I have no idea why they sent this
because I didn’t send my book to this address; I just referenced it in my
letter, lol.
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Letter from Ranger Rich and
My Original Letter |
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Letter from Ranger Rich, Fort Matanzas Site Supervisor: This was nice; just kind of a general letter acknowledging that I completed the program,
the enclosures, etc. The fact that he sent me both badges and patches confirms
that I could have sent Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas to the same
place (and would have saved $1.50 in postage too!).
My Original Letter – this was also returned to me for some
reason...
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And
that’s it! It was a nice reward for completing the book. Please read about the
park, which I have posted below, and check it out the next time you’re in North
Florida. But in the meantime…
Explore On, Junior Ranger! :)
Want your own
Fort Matanzas Junior Ranger badge and Master Junior Ranger patch? Download the
activity book online, complete the requisite activities and mail it back to the
park (Fort Matanzas NM, Attn: Junior Ranger Program, 1 South Castillo Drive,
Saint Augustine, Florida 32084). You’ll get a badge and Master Junior Ranger
patch. :)
About
Fort Matanzas National Monument
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| Ferry travels to Fort Matanzas National Monument. Photo Courtesy nps.gov |
Things
to Do
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| Map of Fort Matanzas NM. Image Courtesy nps.gov |
Despite
its small size, there are still many things to do at Fort Matanzas. Visitors
are able to explore the fort by walking around the fort, viewing the exhibits
or attending a Ranger Program. Brochures are available to help guide you on
your visit. At the Visitor Center, you can watch a video outlining the fort’s
history upon request.
There
are self-guided boardwalk nature trails (brochures available in the visitor
center) that lead through the maritime forest; there is also a beach boardwalk
to explore. River shore fishing is allowed.
Tours
to the fort are free; however you will need to take a ferry to get there. Free Boarding
Passes are required and are available at the Visitor Center.
History
of Fort Matanzas
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Fort Matanzas National Monument
Photo Courtesy nps.gov |
Fort
Matanzas reminds us of the mighty Spanish empire and the conflicts they and
other European nations engaged in as they battled for land and power in the
developing New World. For many years,
this small coquina structure and fortified
watchtower, built in the middle of nowhere, was occupied by seven Spanish
soldiers charged with maintaining the safety and security of St Augustine, located
14 miles to the North.
Its
story begins nearly 175 years prior to the construction of the Fort, with the
Spanish massacre of French forces in 1565. That incident, likely to have taken
place within the area which is now Fort Matanzas National Monument, is what
cemented Spanish control of Florida for nearly 235 years and would lead to the
naming of the Matanzas River.
The
French “Challenge” Spain
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Sketch of Fort Caroline.
Image Courtesy nps.gov |
Florida
was claimed by the Spanish in 1513 after Ponce de Leon’s expedition there; but
France gained the first position
there by establishing Fort Caroline on the St Johns River in 1564 under the direction
of Rene de Laudonniere. The Spanish saw this as a challenge to Spain’s claim on
the territory and a potential threat to their treasure fleets. And despite
protests from King Phillip II of Spain, Frenchman Jean Ribault sailed from
France in May 1565 with 600 soldiers and settlers with the intent to resupply
Fort Caroline.
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Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles
Photo Courtesy |
Spain
Retaliates Against the French
In
response, King Philip II sent an expedition to eliminate the French threat and
to establish settlements in Florida. They also sailed in May 1565. The
800-person expedition group, led by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, arrived to St
Johns River in September 1565, shortly after Ribault. Menendez was unsuccessful
in boarding the French ships that were anchored there, so he sailed farther
south to a Timucuan village called Seloy. The Spanish landed there on September
8 and named their new settlement St Augustine because the land had first been
sighted on August 28 (the Feast Day of St Augustine). He established the
settlement to use as a base for further operations against the French.
Ribault
Makes His Move; Menendez Counters
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Jean Ribault
Image Courtesy nps.gov |
Two
days later, the French, led by Jean Ribault, immediately sent a fleet south to
attack the Spanish settlement at St Augustine, but a violent storm (hurricane) caused
them to be wrecked and scattered along the Florida coast (somewhere between
present-day Daytona Beach and Cape Canaveral).
Anticipating
that Fort Caroline would be less-guarded, the Spanish, led by Menendez, headed
northward to attack the fort. His assumption was correct and he was easily able
to capture the French settlement, killing most of the men in battle. Some of
the inhabitants, including Fort Caroline’s founder Rene de Laudonniere, were
able to escape to ships and return to France. Menendez spared the women and
children and sent them to Havana.
The
Massacre
Menendez
then learned from the Timucuan Indians that a group of white men were on the
beach a few miles south of St Augustine. These were the survivors of the wreck
of the French fleet. Menendez marched with 70 soldiers to where the inlet had
blocked the 127 Frenchmen trying to get back to Fort Caroline.
Armed
with a translator (a captured Frenchman), Menendez told the survivors how he
had captured Fort Caroline and urged them to surrender; however, he made no
promises that he would spare them. The survivors, having lost most of their
provisions and weapons to the sea, decided to surrender. Menendez then demanded
that they give up their Protestant faith and accept Catholicism. When they
refused, 111 Frenchmen were killed. Only sixteen were spared: a few who said
they were Catholic, some who were impressed Breton sailors and four artisans
they could use at St Augustine.
Two
weeks later, history would repeat itself. More French shipwreck survivors would
appear at the inlet, including Jean Ribault. On October 12, Ribault and his men
surrendered. Menendez again demanded the survivors give up their Protestant
faith and accept Catholicism. When they refused, 134 of them were killed.
Afterward,
that area became known as Matanzas, which is Spanish for “slaughters.”
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One of the early, wooden watchtowers
as described in a 1671 document.
Image courtesy nps.gov |
Early
Days of Fort Matanzas
In
1569, the Spanish built a wooden watchtower and thatched hut just north of
Matanzas inlet. It was just large enough to house six soldiers. These
individuals were responsible for watching the ocean waters for potential enemy
threats. If a ship was spotted, a soldier would be sent to alert St Augustine
via canoe, horseback, or on foot.
The
Backdoor Left Open
In
November 1702, Governor Moore of Charleston, Carolina came to St Augustine to
lay siege against the city. His troops were pushed back by the arrival of a
relief fleet from Havana that trapped the British ships within St Augustine’s
harbor. This forced Governor Moore to burn his own ships in order to escape
capture by the Spanish; he also set fire to the city as they fled.
After
this siege, an effort was made to strengthen the defenses of St Augustine. One
of the ways they did this was to construct earthwork lines on the north and
west sides of the city. The walls they created would protect their homes and
property from being destroyed again; however Matanzas Inlet was left
unfortified.
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General James Oglethorpe
Image courtesy nps.gov |
The
need to correct that error became apparent in 1740 when General James
Oglethorpe and his troops came from Fort Federica (Georgia) and attacked St
Augustine. Because Matanzas Inlet was left unfortified, he was able to
establish a blockade there. Although he was unsuccessful in his mission to
capture the city and Castillo de San Marcos, his attack showed the Spanish that
Matanzas Inlet had important strategic value and required a strong outpost to
defend it. Governor Manuel de Montiano was convinced that he needed to build a
better and more equipped watchtower than the existing wooden structure and
thatched hut at Matanzas Inlet. He realized that if the British would have seized
the area, they could have starved St Augustine to surrender. Thus the idea to
build Fort Matanzas was born; an idea necessary to secure the “backdoor” to St
Augustine.
The
Fort is Built
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Coquina stone.
Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons |
Governor
Montiano, without the king’s permission, commissioned engineer Pedro Ruiz de
Olano to build a stone structure at Matanzas Inlet that would be stronger and
more reliable against the elements and enemies. This was taboo because, at the
time, all fortifications required the king’s permission (approval) before
construction could begin. Governor Montiano was afraid another attack would
occur before the official permission was given, so he began construction anyway.
Work
began on the tower in late 1740. Like Castillo de San Marcos in St Augustine,
Fort Matanzas was built using coquina,
a natural light and porous shell-stone, which was quarried at El Pinon (a small
inlet south of Matanzas). Building the tower proved difficult as the marshy
grounds at Matanzas did not provide for easy construction; long beams had to be
driven into the marsh to support the stonework.
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Example of a Sloop.
Image Courtesy nps.gov |
Under
Construction, Under Attack
Construction
was interrupted by attacks led by the British and Indians. On July 21, 1741,
the British moved in to attack the Spanish. Two British ships, a sloop called
St Philip and a schooner, sighted a Spanish sloop anchored at Matanzas Inlet. Unnoticed
by the British, a Spanish galliot was able to fire upon them from long range;
however they did not hit their mark. The British only stopped their advance
when fog settled in and the sun went down.
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Example of a Galliot.
Image Courtesy nps.gov |
The
next day, the British resumed their attack. The sloop St Philip moved in on the
Spanish sloop, which ran aground on a sandbar in its attempt to move away from
the approaching British vessel. The British opened fire on the stranded ship,
killing two and wounding two others. The Spanish galliot was able to open fire
on the British ships, effectively preventing them from advancing further. Luckily,
the galliot was able to force the British ships to retreat back to the open
sea; otherwise, the British would have succeeded in destroying the Fort
Matanzas construction.
Oglethorpe
returned in September 1742. By this time, Fort Matanzas had been fully
constructed and armed with cannons. The British retreated without firing a
shot; however, Oglethorpe was persistent and returned the following April to
try again. Heavy surf conditions prevented him from approaching the inlet or
landing men and arms at the beach. Neither side fired a shot.
The
design’s main strength was in its location and its armaments. The structure was
built on an island which was less than two-acres large. In 1750, five cannons
were mounted to cover all directions of approach (only two cast iron cannons
from 1793 remain). The rear of the gundeck held a water cistern which could
hold 1,500 gallons of rainwater.
Fort
Matanzas and the American Period
When
the British gained control of Fort Matanzas in 1763, they too maintained the
fort as a watchtower. They staffed the watchtower with one sergeant, six or
eight infantrymen and one private from the Royal Artillery. Life for the
British soldiers at the fort probably included drills, repairing the fort and
equipment and foraging for food. As the American colonies moved towards revolt,
more cannons were added; two 18-pounders were placed at the fort in 1763.
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Sketch of Fort Matanzas in 1872.
Image Courtesy nps.gov |
Unfortunately,
when Florida was purchased by the United States in 1821, much of the fort’s
interior was in ruin and the wall and foundation at the gun platform’s east
wall had cracked. Only three Spanish soldiers were living at Fort Matanzas at
the time. The US Army sent an inspector to visit the site and reported back to
his superiors that the tower was obsolete and was only important for historical
value. Despite its ownership by the War Department, the United States army
never occupied Fort Matanzas.
During
the Civil War, the Union forces occupied St Augustine starting in March 1862.
Confederate blockades attempted to use the Matanzas Inlet at times, but the
Union army had stationed a barge in the river near the ruins of Fort Matanzas
so their attempts to pass were not successful. Even all of this activity had
little effect on the old, rundown tower; soon the area was abandoned again. As
time passed, the tower began to deteriorate further and by 1872 was cracking
and overrun with vegetation.
Fort
Matanzas was dedicated as a National Monument on October 15, 1924 and handed
over to the National Park Service in 1933. As a monument, Fort Matanzas,
commemorates the Spanish phase of Florida’s Colonial American history. The fort
has undergone a lot of stabilization and restoration to preserve its historic
integrity, and as a result it stands similar to its original design.
Restoring
and Preserving Fort Matanzas
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| Fort Matanzas in 1912. Photo Courtesy nps.gov |
Wealthy
visitors such as Henry Flagler and the Rockefellers came downriver from St
Augustine to tour the Matanzas ruins. They believed that the historic
structures of Fort Matanzas and Fort Marion (Castillo de San Marcos, as it was
then known) should be saved and appealed to their friends and congressmen for
help. In 1916, Congress distributed $1,025 for the repair of these structures—this
act marked the first time that the federal government granted money for
historical preservation.
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Fort Matanzas Reconstruction, 1938.
Photo courtesy nps.gov |
With
Congress’ money in hand, Eugene Johnson was contracted to stabilize Fort
Matanzas in 1924. Additional extensive repairs were done on Fort Matanzas. The
sentry box was rebuilt, iron rods were placed within the tower, and the gun
deck parapet and lower walls were rebuilt. The land surrounding the fort, known
as Rattlesnake Island, was dedicated as a bird sanctuary. During the 1930s,
Fort Matanzas was designated as a WPA project. A steel bulkhead and two groins
were built along the water’s edge. They also rebuilt the vaulted ceiling in the
officer’s quarters. Wooden stairways leading into the fort and up to the
officer’s quarters were also built.
Eventually,
additional land from Anastasia Island was also acquired and a dock and visitor
center/superintendent’s house was able to be constructed. These structures were
also made of coquina. With the dock
in place, people without boats could visit the historic fort.
Today,
Fort Matanzas National Monument consists of nearly 300 acres. Much of the land
is preserved as a natural habitat, but the National Park Service continues to
administer and preserve the fort.
Sources: nps.gov, staugustine.com
