Fort Granger’s ‘Sally port’
Near the main entrance was the ‘Sally Port’. The word ‘Sally Port’ is of French origin. Sally means to rush forth suddenly, and Port means a gateway.
Because the fortification was built on Figuer’s Bluff, a steep limestone cliff overlooking the Harpeth River, it was deemed inaccessible and safe from that point. Persons wishing to enter the fort thus had to cross Liberty Pike and ascend a gentle slope to the Sally Port, affording an extensive field of view to the soldiers inside. Figuer’s Bluff was chosen as the site for the fort also because it held command over the southern and northern approaches to Franklin and held military control over the Harpeth River bridge of the Tennessee & Alabama Railroad.
- The Sally Port, looking east
To see a photo gallery of Fort Granger visit this link.
To read archived blog posts about Fort Granger click here.
- This Franklin resident’s home was spared from destruction when Granger was built.
- This Franklin resident was not so lucky, losing their home to the Federals.
- Which Federal troops built Fort Granger? Read this soldier’s letter.