UNF students dig; search for Fort Caroline

Why do I propose Fort Caroline to be north of the Ribault Monument, the 1791 map clearly shows the Spanish fort to be SW of the small hill the Monument sits atop? The fort is described in 1565 as having a river to its east and west sides, if it is on the promontory, the St. Johns River is the fort's east and west sides. The fort is also nearer the opposite shore to fire cannons and strike the opposite shore as noted in eyewitness accounts. I suspect the Spanish later abandoned Fort Caroline (after 1570) and rebuilt a more defensible fort closer to the ridge of the hill to prevent sneak attacks from this hill ridge that hid the Spanish attackers from their French prey. So there is more than one fort at the Bluff.

A correction to my previous post or comment, the 1791 Spanish map made at St. Augustine, Florida, shows the small hill today's Ribault Monument sits atop as _east_ of the Spanish Fort (Spanish Fort San Mateo,called Fort Caroline by the French). Professor DePratter's recent programme on the excavations at Spanish St. Elena, held at the University of North Florida (04 Oct. 2012) noted that French Charlesfort (1562) was found by him under later Spanish Forts at St. Elena, on Parris Island and opined that maybe Fort Caroline lies under later Spanish Forts. The 1809 Spanish map also shows a structure in the vicinity of the Ribault Monument, calling it Barrancas de San Mateo, "Bluff of San Mateo," (today's St. Johns Bluff and the Ribault Monument). If Professor DePratter is "right," maybe UNF needs to refocus its excavations away from Spanish Pond and on the Bluff where the Spanish forts existed in maps of 1791 and 1809?

Eyewitness accounts (1564-165)of the fort and its nearby topography provide the clues to its whereabouts. The clues: (1) The fort is two leagues from the mouth of the river, a league is 2.6 miles,the fort is thus about five miles from the the mouth of the river at today's St. Johns Bluff or Ribault Monument, (2) The fort is said to be "very near" a small hill from which ships' sails can be seen by the naked eye at anchor at the mouth of the river, (3) From this hill one can also see men inside the fort and hear them yelling, (4) The fort is bounded by a river on its east and west sides, (5) The fort is a triangle with a dry defensive moat, (6) it is at a narrows of the river and can fire cannon balls which can strike the opposite shore to prevent enemy ships passing up river, (7) The fort is near the river, (8) The Spanish wait in a swamp or marsh to cross over a hill in the morning to see below them the river, French houses and further down, the fort. Consulting modern toppographical maps (1950-2010)where is there an elevation one can see the ocean from and the mouth of the river? Its today's Ribault Pillar Monument (83 ft above sea level). Elevations between it and the Sea are no higher than 20 ft, most are only 10 ft. The fort isn't going to be found in Spanish Pond, its north of the hill above the pond, lower down on the slope by the St. Johns River. Probably near the Ribault Monument as from the small hill the monument sits atop, one can see men in the fort and see the mouth of the St. Johns River and ships' sails at anchor. To find the fort excavtions need to be near the Rebault Monument not at Spanish Pond. Spanish maps 1791, 1809 show Fort San Mateo (French Fort Caroline) near the top of St. Johns Bluff and east of today's Ribault Monument. The fort will not be found at Spanish Pond, which, on the 1791 map is shown as being south of and behind the fort. I propose the fort is north of and below the Ribault Monument, on the promontory.