What was it's role in the civil war? I thought most of the action was in the East coast of the United States

It had been a Spanish fort which we took and it located is so ideal they keep it for protection for the bay

San Francisco had gold. The Confederate South was in need of capital to buy what it could not manufacture. During the Civil War, Fort Point and Alcatraz worked together to defend against a possible (however unlikely) Confederate attack on the bay and seizure of the gold held in the City's mint.

It was a protection for ships entering the bay. It was a strong hold. The entire top has rotating canons amd artillery.