After the Battle of Marianna on September 27, 1864, sixty-five miles to the east, officials in Tallahassee were concerned that the city was inadequately defended. Under the direction of Brigadier General William Miller and Captain Theodore Moreno a series of earthwork forts and batteries were built in the fall of 1864 on hilltops around the city designed to create converging fields of fire for artillery. These works were connected by trenches and rifle pits. Only one of these, Fort Houstoun, in Old Fort Park still survives. The fort was so named because it was on the Houstoun Plantation. The line of earthworks was built by a group of about 1,000 slaves. During the Battle of Natural Bridge, it was occupied by home guards. The redoubt is in a city park and is well preserved.