Alcatraz Island Engineers began fortifying the island, work which continued until 1858, eventuating in Fortress Alcatraz. The island's first garrison at Camp Alcatraz, numbering about 200 soldiers and 11 cannons, arrived at the end of that year. When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, the island mounted 85 cannons (increased to 105 cannons by 1866) in casemates around its perimeter, though the small size of the garrison meant only a fraction of the guns could be used at one time. At this time it also served as the San Francisco Arsenal for storage of firearms to prevent them falling into
Alcatraz Island banks of sweet peas, manicured gardens of cutting flowers, and wildly overgrown sections of native grasses with blackberry and honeysuckle. Alcatraz Island appears often in media and popular culture, including films dating from 1962: "The Book of Eli" (2010), "" (2006), "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), "The Rock" (1996), "Murder in the First" (1995), "Escape from Alcatraz" (1979), "The Enforcer" (1976), "Point Blank" (1967) ", Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962) and J. J. Abrams' 2012 television series "Alcatraz". It also was featured in the "Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters" anime, in the book "Al Capone Does My Shirts", in the video game