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
New Alcatraz New Alcatraz New Alcatraz (named Boa on VHS and DVD), is a 2002 American direct-to-video science fiction action horror film. It was directed by Phillip Roth and starred Dean Cain. In New Alcatraz, the world's most secure prison located in Northeastern Antarctica, a drilling operation occurs which inadvertently releases a giant boa constrictor from the ice. The snake chews a hole through the ice, and security discovers it days later. However, during an inspection of the hole, the snake is let loose into the prison, killing three workers in the process. The prison sends out a distress call which is