San Deigo Historic Site 69 FORT GUIJARROS SITE

This fort, or castillo, San Diego's first harbor defense, was a thickwalled adobe thrown up about 1797. It commanded the entrance to the bay from the first little rise at the base of Ballast Point, from which it took its name,which is "Fort Cobblestones" in English. The ten guns mounted in its emplacements were fired in action only once. That was in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the American brig Lelia Byrd, which was under arrest for smuggling otter skins, from making an escape, after her seamen had overpowered the Spanish soldiers posted aboard as guards. Fire from the ship's guns drove the fort's cannoneers to cover. This, "The Battle of San Diego," is the only naval action, if it can be called that, on record in the history of the port.

El Jupiter, one of the cannon from the battery now is to be seen at Fort Stockton. El Capitan in the Old Town Plaza is another such gun.