Actuaciones tras el bombardeo de Alicante en 1691. La fortificación temporal de Bernet y Herrera

Abstract

After the start of the bastion of San Carlos as the first defensive element of Alicante´s fortification, it was essential to undertake the second of the points that was urgently in the city, its provisional defense. Thanks to a letter dated November 10th of 1691, we know that the field master Don Simon Bernet and Sergeant Don Diego de Herrera Davila acknowledged the city and they arranged everything to execute urgently "with the short time allowed and the resources to the most necessary as a paper which has been formed." Simon Bernet presented the proposal to the king. He expressed the town regret by not remedy its situation more than three months after the fatal bombing. Also he mentioned the fear of a new offensive by the French fleet and the inability to defend the city for more than an hour. Everything was evidenced by the recognition of the city by Sergeant Don Diego de Herrera. Unfortunately, only the letter of Bernet and Herrera has come down to us. Thanks to it we can find out the intentions of the project to prevent the landing on the beach of Bavel.