The Battle of the Castle was a pivotal event in the history of the Commonwealth Minutemen, mentioned in Fallout 4.
Background[]
Sometime after their founding and subsequent rise to prominence in defending Diamond City against a super mutant assault in 2180,[2][3] the volunteer militia organization occupied the pre-War ruins of Fort Independence, situated on a small islet in South Boston, adjacent to the Boston Harbor. They renamed their new headquarters to "the Castle."[4][Non-game 1]
The Minutemen utilized the Castle in their region-wide operations to protect the settlements of the Commonwealth and their inhabitants "at a minute's notice." This was primarily achieved with the placement of a transmitter at the Castle broadcasting Radio Freedom, the Minutemen's personal radio station, where they could receive and deliver calls for aid to all corners of the Commonwealth.[5] Part of their restoration efforts involved members including Ronnie Shaw establishing an armory within the Castle's west wing, guarded by a sentry bot named Sarge,[6] in which they kept stored the most important part of their arsenal: blueprints for old artillery batteries allowing them to bolster their efforts to safeguard their territory with long-range explosive bombardment.[7]
Battle[]
After many years of success protecting the Commonwealth, the Minutemen's luck eventually ran out. Sometime in 2240, at 2 a.m., Lieutenant Foster reported to General McGann that the fortifications were besieged by a horde of mirelurks, led by a mirelurk queen rising from the ocean surrounding the fort, taking the defenders by surprise. McGann was cut off from the battle early on when he was left trapped in the subterranean tunnels and the door to his quarters was inadvertently sealed by collapsed debris. Forced to wait for rescue, McGann used the opportunity to reach the other end of the tunnels and activated security on the armory, thinking super mutants were trying to gain access to the artillery, managing to prevent the mirelurks from getting inside.[8] As a consequence of both entrances to the tunnels being sealed up, and left with dwindling supplies,[9] the Minuteman leader conceded that help was not coming and chose to drink away his final moments, sampling bottles of Amontillado wine as starvation eased him into oblivion.[10]
Aftermath[]
The mirelurks' attack on the Castle cost many Minutemen their lives and ultimately drove the surviving members from their headquarters. The loss of the Castle was a devastating blow to morale among the organization. While subsequent generals attempted to reorganize and mend the fragmenting Minutemen together, this only lasted until the term of General Joe Becker, considered the last "true" leader, whose death in 2282 was seen as the proverbial straw breaking the organization's back.[11][12] Without his leadership, the damage was irreversible and the Minutemen effectively collapsed into disparate groups.[13][14] Some abandoned the mission entirely, while others tried to continue until meeting their own ends, like Colonel Ezra Hollis' squad, which tried and failed to protect Quincy from the Gunners during the Quincy Massacre in 2287.
Apparances[]
The Battle of the Castle is mentioned only in Fallout 4.
References[]
- ↑ Fallout 4 loading screens: Fort Independence was named in 1797, at a ceremony presided over by President John Adams. Before then, it was known as Castle William, and then Fort Adams. Before its destruction in 2240, the fortification served as an apt headquarters for the Minutemen.
- ↑ Fallout 4 loading screens: "The Minutemen were formed over a century ago by ordinary people who simply wanted to defend their home, the Commonwealth, from any threat imaginable. Sadly, the group has fallen into disarray in recent years."
- ↑ Fallout 4 loading screens: "The Minutemen first rose to prominence in the year 2180, when they defended Diamond City against a horde of Super Mutant attackers."
- ↑ Fallout 4 loading screens: "The Minutemen once made their headquarters in South Boston's Fort Independence, also known as "the Castle." That ended when a giant creature rose from the sea decades ago and laid it to waste."
- ↑ Sole Survivor: "Can you explain what the Minutemen are all about?"
Preston Garvey: "We're citizen soldiers. The people of the Commonwealth banding together to protect ourselves and decide our own future."
(Preston Garvey's dialogue) - ↑ SARGE: "Comparing intruders to known Minutemen roster."
Ronnie Shaw: "Well I'll be. I would've never guessed the Sarge would still be down here. Don't worry, it's one of ours."
(SARGE's dialogue) - ↑ Ronnie Shaw: "Now let's see what kinds of goodies are left. Excellent. The armory's still intact. Everything we need, just waiting for us. And the cream of the crop. Schematics for building artillery."
The Sole Survivor: "I have to admit, Ronnie, having artillery would help out quite a bit."
Ronnie Shaw: "We used to rain down fire on deathclaws and super mutants alike. It was a glorious thing. Alright, grab that schematic and let's get going. Don't forget to grab some smoke grenades, too."
(Nate's/Nora's and Ronnie Shaw's dialogue) - ↑ The Castle terminal entries; security terminal, Attacked in the night
- ↑ The Castle terminal entries; security terminal, Bolstered my position
- ↑ The Castle terminal entries; security terminal, Final entry
- ↑ Preston Garvey: "Our last leader was General Becker. After he died back in '82, nobody could agree on who should take his place."
(Preston Garvey's dialogue) - ↑ Preston Garvey: "You're the best leader the Minutemen have had since General Becker was killed. I'm proud to call you a friend."
(Preston Garvey's dialogue) - ↑ Libertalia terminal entries; Wire's terminal; May - 2282: "General Becker was the only thing holding those folks together. Now that he's dead, it's just a matter of time until the militias start turning on each other."
- ↑ Ronnie Shaw: "I'm Ronnie Shaw. Commonwealth Minutemen. As least I was. Back before Joe Becker got himself killed and the idiots took over."
(Ronnie Shaw's dialogue)
Non-game
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Collector's Edition p. 517: "[18.08] THE CASTLE
Historians have noted the original name for this settlement was Fort Independence, but the people of the Commonwealth now refer to it simply as the Castle. This place has a long and storied history; it is one of the first forts in America and predates the Revolutionary War. In recent times, it served as the base of operations for the Minutemen as they attempted (and failed) to establish a Provisional government. In 2240, the Castle was partly destroyed by gigantic Mirelurk, and most of the Minutemen leadership died. Still, it is generally agreed that the location could yet become an excellent base of operations for the Minutemen (and an exceptional settlement) if it can be reclaimed from the sea creatures. Note that the map information refers to interior corridors within the fortification walls."
(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Map)