The fort of Detroit, as it was originally constructed by
the French, stands in the middle of a common, or description
of small prairie, bounded by woods, which, though now
partially thinned in their outskirts, were at that period
untouched by the hand of civilisation. Erected at a
distance of about half a mile from the banks of the river,
which at that particular point are high and precipitous,
it stood then just far enough from the woods that swept
round it in a semicircular form to be secure from the
rifle of the Indian; while from its batteries it commanded
a range of country on every hand, which no enemy unsupported
by cannon could traverse with impunity. Immediately in
the rear, and on the skirt of the wood, the French had
constructed a sort of bomb-proof, possibly intended to
serve as a cover to the workmen originally employed in
clearing the woods, but long since suffered to fall into
decay. Without the fortification rose a strong and triple
line of pickets, each of about two feet and a half in
circumference, and so fitted into each other as to leave
no other interstices than those which were perforated
for the discharge of musketry. They were formed of the
hardest and most knotted pines that could be procured;
the sharp points of which were seasoned by fire until
they acquired nearly the durability and consistency of
iron. Beyond these firmly imbedded pickets was a ditch,
encircling the fort, of about twenty feet in width, and
of proportionate depth, the only communication over which
to and from the garrison was by means of a drawbridge,
protected by a strong chevaux-de-frise. The only gate