Fort Sackville (2)

 (1749-1800s) - Fort Sackville was a Colonial Canadian Coastal Fort in present day Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. Named for Lionel Sackville, 1 st Duke of Dorset and lord president of (privy) council. Deactivated sometime in the late 1800s.

History
The fort was established in November 1749 during Father Le Loutre's War by Captain John Goreham and his Rangers at the head of Bedford Basin, the back door to Halifax Harbor. Captain Goreham had been dispatched by Governor Edawrd Cornwallis soon after he established the Town of Halifax to guard this rear approach to the town. The Rangers were initially protected by the armed sloop that brought the Rangers to the spot. The fort was built as a palisaded earthwork with four bastions, later with a small blockhouse, protecting the overland route from Cobequid.

In December 1755 Fort Sackville was described in the diary of Surgeon John Thomas as: "...the Fort is Called Fort Sacville it Contains Near an Acre of ground and is built with Pickquits it is 4 Squared with But one Canon & a few Swivel Guns No Blockhouse & in my opinion may be Easily Taken it is generally Garosoned with one Capt one Subaltron 50 men..."

In 1784 it was described by Lt. Colonel Robert Morse as: "...and at Sackville, at the head of the Bason, there are barracks for 50 men, besides a small blockhouse..."

The post evolved into a look-out post for deserters. A new barracks was built in about 1792 for one officer and 35 men. In 1798 the barracks was shown as being in tolerable repair and able to barracks one officer and 35 men. A guardhouse was built sometime before 1827 to guard the bridge crossing. Pictures show fort buildings still standing in 1878 but about 1912 they were destroyed by fire.

Deactivated sometime in the late 1800s.

Current Status
No remains. Archelogical artifacts recovered from the site are located at the nearby Joseph Scott Manor House located at 15 Fort Sackville Road. Operated by the Fort Sackville Foundation.

See Also:
 * Harbor Defense of Halifax

Sources:
 * , page 2, 99, 102.
 * Part V - History of Fort Sackville

Links: 
 * North American Forts - Fort Sackville
 * Wikipedia - Fort Sackville (Nova Scotia)