Ammunition for the fort's guns was kept in underground storage facilities called magazines and filling rooms. Shells were armed and sometimes stored in the filling room, while the magazine held black powder and prepared rounds. Implements for firing the cannons could also be kept in the filling room. Duty in either the filling room or the magazine was hazardous because the slightest spark could ignite the highly explosive black powder. Soldiers assigned to this task were required to remove all metal from their persons and to wear protective coverings on their shoes.
