"Ravelins question" Topic

The Vauban forts used ravelins in their outer works to break up the besieging forces attacking the walls. The question I have is the troops and guns that were posted to these ravelins, were the left abandoned during an attack? Or was there a possible way for them to retreat inside the fort to avoid being over run?

Looking at pictures of forts, one ravelin usually guarded the main gate, and troops in it could retire through the gate. There would be additional ravelins on other sides of the fortress, and it isn't clear how their troops could retire on the fortress. They may have been expected to run back to the dry moat behind the ravelin, then along the moat to the main gate. This sounds like it might have been dicey, though better than trying to scramble up the walls of the fortress.

Grelber

Troops could easily move from the Ravelin back to the main fortress. Stairs would lead down from the Ravelin to the dry ditch then they could walk to a gate or sally port. If wet ditch then they would have small boats to move about. Artillery would likely be small and left behind as they would be very difficult to move like infantry.

I believe some forts had subterranean tunnels from the ravelin to inside the fort.

In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin",
When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a Javelin,
When such affairs as sorties and surprises I'm more wary at,
And when I know precisely what is meant by "commissariat"
When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery,
When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery
In short, when I've a smattering of elemental strategy
You'll say a better Major-General has never sat a gee.

Someone had to you know.

At old Fort Niagara, the Ravelin has a large gate behind it that could be used in case of retreat. It is covered by the Ravelin. If the Ravelin was occupied, the main curtain walls and bastions were higher and could easily bring down fire on the occupants of the Ravelin.