Jutting out into the sea below the historic Castillo San Cristobal in San Juan, Puerto Rico, there’s an old 17th century sentry box which has captivated the imaginations of local people for generations. It was here, under a moonlit night many years ago, that a young soldier placed on duty mysteriously disappeared – leaving only his musket and side-arm behind. 



In the years that followed, stories of the Devil's Sentry Box were passed down through families, but nobody ever found out where the missing soldier went, why he disappeared, or what became of him. Superstitious locals give the old sentry box a wide berth these days, and in the years since the soldier’s disappearance, a number of sinister theories have worked their way into local myth and legend... 

The Cursed Soldier 

In this chilling theory, the sentry box was cursed by a Spanish soldier named Sanchez, who was betrayed by his comrades. It's said that the soldier was stationed at the box one fateful night, when his fellow soldiers attacked him and left him for dead. As he lay wounded and dying, the soldier cursed the sentry box and the fort, swearing that they would be haunted forever by the Devil himself. 

His curse was so powerful that it has lingered for centuries, and those who spend too much time in the sentry box are said to fall under the Devil’s spell. The cursed soldier's restless spirit is said to roam the fortress, seeking vengeance against those who wronged him. 

A slightly more palatable – if equally mysterious – version of the soldier’s story relates that Sanchez was a talented guitar player, who would pass away his time on duty at the sentry box by strumming his guitar as the waves rolled in. One night, a fellow soldier called down the line to Sanchez, checking in on him, but heard no reply. The soldier alerted the night watchmen, who claimed to not have seen anyone pass by. Perturbed, the men concluded that something sinister was afoot, but were too scared to check it out until morning. 



When the sun rose, the watchmen headed to Sanchez’s sentry box, only to find his musket and side-arm abandoned. Scared that Sanchez had been accosted by the Devil, they refused to stand guard there ever again. It’s said that on quiet nights, you can sometimes hear the soft notes of a guitar being carried on the wind. 

The Devil's Bargain 

The Devil's Sentry Box is also rumored to be the site of a sinister pact with the Devil. This version of the story goes that a Spanish soldier stationed at the sentry box made a deal with the Devil in exchange for wealth and power. However, the soldier soon realized that the Devil’s bargain was not worth the price he had paid, and he tried to break the deal. 



In retaliation, the Devil cursed the sentry box and the fort, promising to haunt them for the rest of time. Those who enter the sentry box are said to be at risk of being trapped by el Diablo, their souls taken as payment for the cursed soldier's treacherous deal. 

The Spirit of a Tormented Boy 

This is perhaps the most disturbing theory behind the Devil's Sentry Box. The story concerns a young boy who was locked inside the box as punishment for a minor offense. The boy was never released and eventually died of starvation, trapped in the dark, cramped space of the sentry box. 



It is said that the boy's tormented spirit now haunts the sentry box, seeking revenge against those who wronged him. Visitors to the fort report feeling an eerie presence when they enter the sentry box, as if the boy's spirit is still trapped there, hoping one day to exact brutal revenge on his captors. 

There are many theories behind the Devil's Sentry Box, yet there remain visitors to the Castillo San Cristobal who believe the hauntings are nothing more than a figment of the imagination. Whether there’s any truth to the tales is up for debate, but many people who spend time there still report feeling a dark or foreboding presence, almost as if the Devil himself were watching on. 

Myths and legends play a huge part in Puerto Rico’s culture and society, and you can read the sorry tale of La Llorona here. For more sinister tales from this colorful corner of the world, check out our ghost walks in Puerto Rico. 

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