Station three

3. Observation Deck

Southern Redoubt and Replica Homestead

As you look south, you’ll notice a shallow depression in the earth—this is the fort’s redoubt. A redoubt is a small, detached defensive earthwork, placed forward of the main walls to give soldiers a clear field of fire and an early warning of any advancing enemy. Now it is being used as an amphitheater.

Adjacent to the redoubt stands a replica homestead, modeled after the simple log cabins common in mid-19th-century Kentucky. These homesteads dotted the Bluegrass countryside, and their open yards would have provided Confederate scouts with cover during a southern approach.

The 9th Michigan Infantry focused much of their attention on this southern sector, knowing that any assault would likely come across these farms and fields. To the north, the 300-foot-high cliff—an imposing barrier kept attackers at bay and cover the fort’s front approach. The front of the Fort overlooks the Ohio River.

Battle of the pickax

Remember the average age of Soldiers during the Civil War was 18. These young men have never been to war and were afraid of everything in the shadows. Along this south wall while the soldiers were performing picket duty one noticed what looked like a rifle and glowing eyes looking up at them. Immediately pursued a battle.

During our first weeks at West Point night alarms were frequent Tuesday night November 12th the four regiments of infantry and one of Calvary were rallied to arms 4 times. First a Sentinel saw a pick sticking in the top of a stump and imagined it was a rebel aiming his gun and he blazed away, of course the other guards fired their guns in the air and then all the drummers tried to see which could beat his drum the hardest companies E and G were then alone on the hill and expected to be the first ones gobbled up; but reinforcements came up to us on the double quick. This performance was repeated 3 times before morning caused by other nervous Sentinels “seeing something”. The absurdity of it was that no rebels were nearer than Bowling Green, 50 miles away and our army was between us, but we were all “raw” then and imagined there was a rebel behind every Bush, tree and knob and several luckless pigs lost their lives by being too inquisitive after dark.