On his map of the island my father calls out Grotte Ste Barbe (St patron of artillery men). Jean Courtin identified it as a gun point. The artefacts point to mid 18th century.
Gun point is a more accurate name than the french Batterie, which normally implies at least 2 canons.
La Grotte St Barbe is a small hole closed up by a wall almost one meter thick. It points in direction of Cape Morgiou. I have not been able to find any reference to this gun, if there ever was a gun, but the pottery sherds belong to the second half of the 18th century. Obviously someone spent some time there. A storage jar, some Montelupi spirali verdi, some St Quentin pots . Towards 1744 , the British were prevalent in the area and the coast was put on alert. They were present in that area until 1814.
Around the Massif des Calanques, in 1614 to combat the Saracenes, Morgiou, Cacao, Cap Croisette are said to be fortified. In addition there are the 3 watch towers of Riou, Marseilleveyre and Cap Gros. Riou will be closed in 1695, the other 2 by the British in 1814. Towards 1661 Vauban rethinks the defenses of Marseille. There is a batterie of 2 guns at Cap Croisette, another one on a map of the cove of Marseilleveyre, rather poorly drawn around 1740 .
In 1793 , after the revolution, Toulon's monarchists turn the town over to the British helped by the Spanish. This is well documented. Bonaparte comes south to inspect the defenses, he stays in La Ciotat for a month, then attacks the British in Toulon and kicks them out.
Then we get to a local legend. first, it is said that in a hurry to meet Desiree Clary in Marseille he does not attack Morgiou which is also at the hands of the British, with at their head, Lowe, who will be his jailer at St Helene.
Jean Courtin tells me that it was Captain Matthews , who then becomes an admiral and commands the ship which takes Napoleon to St Helene. I have found an admiral Mathews commandant of the Courageux in Toulon in 1744, but nowhere have I found him on Morgiou. In 1794 there is a Matthews in the British Navy but he is not an admiral nor is he the commandant of the Bellophoron or the Northumberland (Admiral Cockburn).
According to the Atlas of 1818 , all the batteries are initiated by the Genie (instituted by Napoleon) at a rather late date 1812. Unfortunately there is no mention of the one on Riou, but worse there is no mention of the back-up of the 2 in Marseilleveyre.
Pipes from Holland, Pottery from the Huveaune , point to a site which could have been built as soon as 1675 as late as the mid 18th century.. In 1812 they are recommending to build a tower to back up the 2 batteries near the shore, and never mention the third post in the hills which must have been built before.. the pavers 5" thick point to work of galerians.
An incredible stroke of good luck has delivered a copper coin called a "double tournois" (a two-pence) dated 1618 , about the time Louis XIII comes to Morgiou to fish tuna!
This early date for the Back-up is validated by some of the culinary pots identified by Jean Ferdinand Petrucci as 16 century Vallauris "toupins"
La Grotte St Barbe is a small hole closed up by a wall almost one meter thick. It points in direction of Cape Morgiou. I have not been able to find any reference to this gun, if there ever was a gun, but the pottery sherds belong to the second half of the 18th century. Obviously someone spent some time there. A storage jar, some Montelupi spirali verdi, some St Quentin pots . Towards 1744 , the British were prevalent in the area and the coast was put on alert. They were present in that area until 1814.
Around the Massif des Calanques, in 1614 to combat the Saracenes, Morgiou, Cacao, Cap Croisette are said to be fortified. In addition there are the 3 watch towers of Riou, Marseilleveyre and Cap Gros. Riou will be closed in 1695, the other 2 by the British in 1814. Towards 1661 Vauban rethinks the defenses of Marseille. There is a batterie of 2 guns at Cap Croisette, another one on a map of the cove of Marseilleveyre, rather poorly drawn around 1740 .
In 1793 , after the revolution, Toulon's monarchists turn the town over to the British helped by the Spanish. This is well documented. Bonaparte comes south to inspect the defenses, he stays in La Ciotat for a month, then attacks the British in Toulon and kicks them out.
Then we get to a local legend. first, it is said that in a hurry to meet Desiree Clary in Marseille he does not attack Morgiou which is also at the hands of the British, with at their head, Lowe, who will be his jailer at St Helene.
Jean Courtin tells me that it was Captain Matthews , who then becomes an admiral and commands the ship which takes Napoleon to St Helene. I have found an admiral Mathews commandant of the Courageux in Toulon in 1744, but nowhere have I found him on Morgiou. In 1794 there is a Matthews in the British Navy but he is not an admiral nor is he the commandant of the Bellophoron or the Northumberland (Admiral Cockburn).
According to the Atlas of 1818 , all the batteries are initiated by the Genie (instituted by Napoleon) at a rather late date 1812. Unfortunately there is no mention of the one on Riou, but worse there is no mention of the back-up of the 2 in Marseilleveyre.
Pipes from Holland, Pottery from the Huveaune , point to a site which could have been built as soon as 1675 as late as the mid 18th century.. In 1812 they are recommending to build a tower to back up the 2 batteries near the shore, and never mention the third post in the hills which must have been built before.. the pavers 5" thick point to work of galerians.
An incredible stroke of good luck has delivered a copper coin called a "double tournois" (a two-pence) dated 1618 , about the time Louis XIII comes to Morgiou to fish tuna!
This early date for the Back-up is validated by some of the culinary pots identified by Jean Ferdinand Petrucci as 16 century Vallauris "toupins"
A liard from 1693 in the name of Louis XIIII confirms this battery was built before Napoleon's time. Most likely at the time Louis XIV and Colbert decided on making Marseille a port of galleys to trade with the Middle East.
In 1718 , the Sieur Michelot, captain of a royal galley makes a map, and calls out a batterie du Four à Caux,
In 1718 , the Sieur Michelot, captain of a royal galley makes a map, and calls out a batterie du Four à Caux,
Cliquer ici pour modifier.
At the top right of the picture, the battery of Mounine built in 1812. After spending 3 days in Vincennes in utter frustration I finally found a report where a man claims that they built the path from Calelongue with retaining walls, so they could come on horseback . The batteries are supported by sea, and there is no water. This at least seems to be backed by the map drawn by Matheron in 1825 which shows a path from Mounine to St Michel d'Aigue Douce, where there is water in the grotto.
In 1773 the Sieur Bresson calls it Batterie de St Michel d'Eau Douce, but shows it crossing fire with a batterie on the island of Riou
From 1804 to 1814 the British are blocading the south of France. They hide behind the island of Riou where one of the coves is called la Calanque des Anglais to this day.
November 17, 1810 , a decree of Napoleon orders the building of batterie on Morgeon (Morgiou). A fourneau à reverbere is also to be built.
November 17, 1810 , a decree of Napoleon orders the building of batterie on Morgeon (Morgiou). A fourneau à reverbere is also to be built.
March 31, 1813 the British send 200 men from Sormiou to the Cape and take 16 prisoners, destroy everything, throw 7 canons in the sea, and take 10 boats anchored in the cove of Morgiou.
The walls are rebuilt, but before they are re-armed on May 2, the British fleet guns the place, and they take it again, destroying the kiln to heat up the canon balls, and the mortar (Isaac Shaw will be wounded in the explosion) and capture 7 commercial ships.
In april 2012, we retraced the attack of March . On the way from Sormiou over the hills; we found a spot littered with uniform buttons of the 62 and 145 regiments, and various artefacts which make us think the few men garding the post were probably the first killed in an ambush before the attack, because they had a commanding view of Sormiou. Afterwards, Jean Marc found 5 death certificates in the archives of the Hotel-Dieu in Marseille of young soldiers dying less than one week after the attack
In the archives of the British Navy one can read the reports of the attacks by the British of the positions on Morgiou, Cap Cacaù Cassis, and Ile Verte. They are very similar to the french report, hence quite credible:
- The boats of VOLONTAIRE, UNDAUNTED and REDWING, under the command of Lieut. Isaac SHAW of the VOLONTAIRE attacked Morgiou, a few miles east of Cap Croisette, on the night of 30 March.
They landed at Sormiou and marched over the hills at daylight to attack two batteries from the rear.
After some resistance from 40 troops they were carried and five 36-pounders in one, and two 24-pounders in the other, were thrown into the sea. A mortar was spiked and all the ammunition destroyed. Other boats, though opposed by two field pieces, brought out 11 vessels of between 25 and 45 tons laden with oil and destroyed two others. UNDAUNTED lost one marine killed and two marines severely wounded. - The French immediately started preparations to remount the cannons in the batteries so Capt. MOUBRAY in REPULSE, learning of this from Capt. WALDEGRAVE of VOLONTAIRE, sent in 100 marines from his ship on 2 May to join those from the frigates to finally destroy the enemy works. They were led by Lieut. SHAW because of his local knowledge and, covered by REDWING and launches with carronades, they landed and drove back a detachment of the 4th. battalion of the 1st. regiment of the line, the enemy losing at least 12 killed. The batteries, gun mountings and the 13 inch mortar were blown up (Lieut. SHAW was wounded by the explosion) and six vessels, variously laden with salt, wine, leather, flour and bricks, were brought out. Capt. USSHER, noticing that they were fastened to the shore by hawsers from the masthead, went along side one vessel under a heavy fire of musketry from soldiers on the cliffs. As he and his boat's crew scrambled uninjured aboard the prize, his gig filled up to the thwarts.
UNDAUNTED lost one seaman, L. NOSKI, killed and two seamen, John DALE and J. SULLIVAN, wounded.
The following day UNDAUNTED chased a ship under the guns in the Bay of Marseilles and kept up an animated exchange of fire while Lieut. William OLDREY and a boat's crew brought out a brig lying at the entrance to the port.
On 7 May UNDAUNTED's boats captured two coasting vessels out of a convoy and drove several ashore.
A squall prevented them taking the schooner escort although they gave chase for as long as they could, but Lieut. OLDREY was dangerously wounded and his crew had also suffered. - Early in August UNDAUNTED and ESPOIR discovered a number of vessels at Cassis, about 8 miles east of Cap Croisette. Capt. USSHER left ESPOIR to blockade the port and sailed to meet Sir Edward PELLEW off Cap Sicie. He returned with REDWING, 200 marines and a detachment of boats from CALEDONIA, HIBERNIA, BARFLEUR and the PRINCE OF WALES. Contrary winds prevented the attack for several days and when it took place on the 18th. UNDAUNTED could not take up her planned anchorage abreast the town.
- Four batteries defended the entrance of the bay and two French gunboats were moored across the entrance of the mole but REDWING and ESPOIR swept in under heavy fire to within 50 yards of the town to cover the landing. The marines under Capt. Jeremiah COGHLAN, RN drove the French before them at the point of the bayonet, through the batteries to the heights behind the town.
Lieut. Hunt, RM being the first to enter the citadel by a ladder which broke, leaving him alone on the parapet.
The boats under Capt. SINCLAIR of REDWING then entered the mole and brought out two gunboats and 24 merchant vessels and destroyed one gunboat and one tartan A small party under Capt. SPENCER of ESPOIR in a windmill at the back of the town covered the re-embarkation which was accomplished without any of the houses or private property being touched.
Canons thrown over board on March 31, 1813
24" gun retrieved by Albert Falco, right arm of Commandant Jacques-Yves Cousteau . 2 of these guns came from the smaller battery on the Cap Morgiou
In 2012 we were looking for the 4 soldiers killed in the attack of March, and the 12 killed in May. The Hotel Dieu in Marseille admitted some of the wounded who died within one week . Joseph Viel, 20 , Louis Vigneron,20, Jean Augustin Vincent,21, Jean Lavernas,20. In May Pierre Ducos,20, dies also.
The cemetery next to the hospital was replaced by the Gare St Charles at the end of the 19th century. We do not know if the killed were buried there, but we have not found any trace of them.
We were not able to account for the 7 guns the British reported thrown into the sea. Albert Falco retrieved one 36-pounder and one 24. A friend , a diver who lives in Sormiou took us in his zodiac to show us where there are 4 of them at the end of the cape. One 36 is missing.
We had better luck with the furnace . After visiting Lerins where some of these devices are still standing, I was able to identify the V shape bricks for loading the canon balls into the furnace; They lay on top of a pile of rubble, and then under the bushes we spotted 3 carved slabs of rock. They were obviously to roll the heated balls towards the guns. The "goulotte " is intact . We also found some pieces of steel littering the area which must be what remains of the mortar which was blown up, wounding Isaac Shaw.
The cemetery next to the hospital was replaced by the Gare St Charles at the end of the 19th century. We do not know if the killed were buried there, but we have not found any trace of them.
We were not able to account for the 7 guns the British reported thrown into the sea. Albert Falco retrieved one 36-pounder and one 24. A friend , a diver who lives in Sormiou took us in his zodiac to show us where there are 4 of them at the end of the cape. One 36 is missing.
We had better luck with the furnace . After visiting Lerins where some of these devices are still standing, I was able to identify the V shape bricks for loading the canon balls into the furnace; They lay on top of a pile of rubble, and then under the bushes we spotted 3 carved slabs of rock. They were obviously to roll the heated balls towards the guns. The "goulotte " is intact . We also found some pieces of steel littering the area which must be what remains of the mortar which was blown up, wounding Isaac Shaw.
Napoleon will board the UNDAUNTED under the command of Isaac Shaw at St Raphaël on his way to his first exile on the island of Elba in 1814