▁some ▁miles ▁distant ▁from ▁the ▁city ▁when ▁first ▁built ▁and ▁is ▁still ▁distant ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁developed ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Che f ▁M ente ur ▁Pass ▁is ▁a ▁water ▁route ▁from ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁Mexico ▁to ▁Lake ▁Pont chart rain ▁and ▁the ▁la kes h ore ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans . ▁( The ▁other ▁route ▁is ▁the ▁R igo lets ; ▁both ▁stra its ▁connect ▁Pont chart rain ▁to ▁the ▁G ulf ▁via ▁Lake ▁Borg ne .) ▁An ▁earlier ▁fort ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁called ▁Fort ▁Che f ▁M ente ur . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁built ▁the ▁current ▁brick ▁fort ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 2 , ▁just ▁seven ▁years ▁after ▁British ▁forces ▁inv aded ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁area ▁from ▁the ▁sea , ▁at ▁the ▁close ▁of ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 . ▁It ▁was ▁named ▁Fort ▁Wood ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁renamed ▁Fort ▁Ma comb ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁for ▁General ▁Alexander ▁Ma comb , ▁former ▁Chief ▁of ▁Engine ers ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁Command ing ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army . ▁ ▁The ▁small ▁fort ▁sh aped ▁like ▁a ▁pie ▁w edge ▁has ▁a ▁cur ved ▁front ▁facing ▁the ▁channel ; ▁the ▁curve ▁over laps ▁the ▁two ▁straight ▁walls , ▁forming ▁demi - b ast ions . ▁At ▁the ▁sal ient ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁straight ▁walls ▁is ▁a ▁full ▁bast ion ▁facing ▁land ward . ▁The ▁fort ▁was ▁surrounded ▁by ▁two ▁wet ▁d itch es ▁( mo