 Although the fort was built for defense, its first use (as with most of Maine's second system forts) was to enforce the embargo.This embargo was not popular with Maine's merchants, and it is said that one of two times Fort Edgecomb's cannon were fired was in salute at James Madison's inauguration on 4 March 1809 (or, less tactfully, to celebrate his lifting of Jefferson's embargo).Eventually the War of 1812 broke out.