Prince of Wales Redoubt
The Prince of Wales Redoubt was a British fortification located on Gage Hill that served as one of two advanced redoubts to Fort George. (The Queen's Redoubt was the other.) It was located about 300 yards north of Fort George, near the modern-day intersection of Spring and Cervantes Streets, and consisted of a hat-shaped parapet surrounded by protective ditches. It measured 275 feet at its widest point.
| Prince of Wales Redoubt | |
|---|---|
| Gage Hill | |
| Built | 1780 |
| Builder | General John Campbell |
| Construction materials | Timber logs, sand, earth |
| Size | 275 feet at widest point |
| In use | 1780-1781 |
| Controlled by | Britain |
| Armament | 8-10 cannons (designed for 5) |
| Garrison | 1100 men between three Gage Hill forts |
| Battles | Siege of Pensacola |
| Present status | No longer extant |
The redoubt was a key line of defense during the 1781 Siege of Pensacola. When the powder magazine at the Queen's Redoubt was detonated on the morning of May 8, the Prince of Wales Redoubt found itself facing an entrenched Spanish siege force at close range. The situation untenable, British commanders Peter Chester and John Campbell were forced to surrender.
The Spanish renamed the redoubt Fort Sombrero, but did not substantially maintain it. Nothing now remains of it.
References
- James C. and Irene S. Coleman. Guardians on the Gulf: Pensacola Fortifications, 1698-1980. Pensacola Historical Society, 1982.