The Spanish chose this ground for Presidio La Bahía because the San Antonio River provided a ready water supply, the fort's garrison could easily watch over Mission Espíritu Santo a short distance to the northwest, and mounted soldiers could ride out on patrols to combat hostile Indians and keep out foreigners such as the French, the English, and later the Americans. Bastions served as platforms for cannons, and rounded stone watch towers protected sentinels from the weather and the enemy. This bastion would have overlooked the original town of Goliad, which extended to the walls of the fort; much of that town was destroyed in 1835-36, and after the Texas Revolution Goliad was relocated to the north side of the San Antonio River.