Fort Nonsense

Fort Nonsense. How was Fort Nonsense Built?. The construction of an earthen fortification like Fort Nonsense required an enormous amount of labor. A clear field of fire was created as men with axes chopped down the trees in front of the work. Logs framed the fort's outline and helped to hold the earth in place. Gabions, wicker baskets made from saplings, vines, and small trees, were piled to create the walls. The ditch outside the walls was dug to provide the earth for the parapet as well as to impede attackers. Abatis, tangled tree limbs with the ends sharpened and facing toward the enemy, were placed in a continuous line 60 to 80 yards in front of the earthwork to slow attackers and enable the defenders to deliver close small-arms fire from the fort. Logs cleared from the field of fire area were used inside the fort to construct cannon platforms, munitions magazines, and bombproof shelters., (captions) , (lower left) Gabions and log earthwork construction - Courtesy Library of Congress , (upper right) Abatis and ditch - Courtesy Library of Congress , (lower right) Constructing earthworks by moonlight Courtesy Library of Congress ,