Lévis Forts
Encyclopedia
The Lévis Forts were a series of three forts located on the South Shore of the Saint Lawrence River
in Lévis, Quebec
, Canada
. They were at shooting distance of one another which allowed the defense of a wide area without the cost of a continuous defensive wall
. The first one was built (1865-1872) by the British Army
and the other ones by private businesses (1865-1869). The costs were almost identical for all three, ranging from 57,600 to 59,762 pounds.
During the American Civil War
, Great Britain claimed to remain neutral in the conflict. However, the cotton directly imported from the south of the United States
still had a great importance in the British textile industry. Following the Civil War, the British were still expecting an American invasion of Canada.
The tense political relationship between Austria
and Prussia
had the British worried about their wood supply, if the access to the Baltic Sea
was blocked. The Canadian forests would then be used as Great Britain main wood supply.
Lieutenant-Colonel William Jervois
was sent to Canada to establish the Canadian defence plan. He suggested that detached forts be built on Pointe-Lévy, on the south shore of Quebec City. The original plans recommanded 5 forts, of which 3 were actually built.
s of the star-shaped fort feature exhibits about the history and military life of the fort, and include a multimedia presentation, scale models, period illustrations, interactive games, and antique tools and materials. Guided tours are offered of the casemates, tunnels and underground chambers, and visitors can take self-guided tours of the outdoor rolling bridge
, terreplein
, powder magazines, and caponier
s.
, CHIN
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
.
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
in Lévis, Quebec
Lévis, Quebec
Lévis is a city in eastern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City. The Société de transport de...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They were at shooting distance of one another which allowed the defense of a wide area without the cost of a continuous defensive wall
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
. The first one was built (1865-1872) by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and the other ones by private businesses (1865-1869). The costs were almost identical for all three, ranging from 57,600 to 59,762 pounds.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Great Britain claimed to remain neutral in the conflict. However, the cotton directly imported from the south of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
still had a great importance in the British textile industry. Following the Civil War, the British were still expecting an American invasion of Canada.
The tense political relationship between Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
had the British worried about their wood supply, if the access to the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
was blocked. The Canadian forests would then be used as Great Britain main wood supply.
Lieutenant-Colonel William Jervois
William Jervois
Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois, GCMG, CB was a British military engineer who saw service, as Second Captain, in South Africa...
was sent to Canada to establish the Canadian defence plan. He suggested that detached forts be built on Pointe-Lévy, on the south shore of Quebec City. The original plans recommanded 5 forts, of which 3 were actually built.
Lévis Forts National Historic Site
Fort No. 1 has been restored and is now a National Historic Site of Canada known as Lévis Forts National Historic Site. The casemateCasemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s of the star-shaped fort feature exhibits about the history and military life of the fort, and include a multimedia presentation, scale models, period illustrations, interactive games, and antique tools and materials. Guided tours are offered of the casemates, tunnels and underground chambers, and visitors can take self-guided tours of the outdoor rolling bridge
Guthrie rolling bridge
A Guthrie rolling bridge was a kind of retractable bridge, an 18th century version of the drawbridge. It was commonly installed as the access across the narrow steep sided ditches characteristic of the polygonal forts of this era....
, terreplein
Terreplein
Terreplein, or terre-plein — in fortifications is the top, platform, or horizontal surface, of a rampart, on which cannon are placed. In Martello towers, the roof or terreplein was sometimes surmounted with one or two cannon on a gun platform with a central pivot that enabled the guns to rotate up...
, powder magazines, and caponier
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
s.
Affiliations
The Museum is affiliated with: CMACanadian Museums Association
The Canadian Museums Association is a national organization for the promotion of museums in Canada.The Canadian Museums Association is the national organization for the advancement of the Canadian museum sector, representing Canadian museum professionals both within Canada and internationally. The...
, CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
The Canadian Heritage Information Network is a Canadian government-supported organization that provides a networked interface to Canada's heritage, largely through the World Wide Web. It aims to give access to Canada's heritage for both Canadians and a worldwide audience, by supporting the...
, and Virtual Museum of Canada
Virtual Museum of Canada
The Virtual Museum of Canada is Canada's national virtual museum. With a directory of over 3,000 Canadian heritage institutions and a database of over 600 virtual exhibits, the VMC brings together Canada's museums regardless of size or geographical location.The VMC includes virtual exhibits,...
.
External links
- Lévis Forts National Historic Site - official site