City archaeologists found a British redoubt dating back to 1781 in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine, Florida. The find was made during routine excavation work ahead of new home construction. The discovery provides tangible evidence of a British military presence during their brief occupation from 1763 to 1783, a period that had long eluded historians and archaeologists alike.
The redoubt, a small fortification, was part of a series of seven that the British are believed to have constructed in St. Augustine as part of their defense strategy during the Revolutionary War. Until now, no physical evidence of these structures had been uncovered. "We have rough ideas of where they were, and they show up on historic maps. But we've never found actual, tangible, archaeological evidence for any of them until recently," said Andrea White, a city archaeologist involved in the project, according to a report by The Independent.
The site revealed a large defensive moat, approximately 15 feet wide, which was likely part of the rampart surrounding a wooden redoubt structure that has since been lost to erosion or urban expansion. This moat provides rare evidence of British military activity in St. Augustine, which had extensive Spanish-built defenses even before the British took control in 1763. "This was something unique done by the British, so it is kind of the only representation that we have of the British constructing any sort of fortifications in St. Augustine," stated White.
The find is notable given the strategic importance of St. Augustine as a port and staging point for the British.
Researchers found few artifacts at the site, with seeds being the only remnants discovered, raising questions about the fort's actual size and shape. "So, we’re very hopeful that we might find some good information from our plant remains that we've recovered," noted White in a statement. The absence of substantial artifacts underscores the elusive nature of these redoubts, described by White as "sort of like looking for a needle in a haystack."
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.