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 Cannon firing at Fort Norfolk, Norfolk VA - Photo by Steven Forrest

Fort Norfolk History 1794

In early 1794, Congress formed a Committee on Fortifications.  The committee's task was to prepare defenses for port cities in the event of French attacks, and to provide "secure bases" for the proposed United States Navy.  

Congress passed a law "Chapter IX. - An Act to provide for the Defence of certain Ports and Harbors in the United States" which was approved by George Washington on March 20, 1794. This law stated "That the following ports and harbors be fortified under the direction of the President of the United States, and at such time or times, as he may judge necessary, to wit: Portland in the district of Maine; Portsmouth in the state of New Hampshire; Gloucester, Salem, Marblehead and Boston, in the state of Massachusetts; Newport in the state of Rhode Island; New authorizes London in the state of Connecticut; New York; Philadelphia; Wilmington in the state of Delaware; Baltimore in the state of Maryland; Norfolk and Alexandria in the state of Virginia; Cape Fear river and Ocracock inlet in the state of North Carolina; Charleston and Georgetown in the state of South Carolina; and Savannah and Saint Mary's in the state of Georgia." The law also stated "That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States to employ, as garrisons in the said fortifications, or any of them, such of the troops on the military establishment of the United States, as he may judge necessary; and to cause to be provided one hundred cannon, of a caliber each to carry a ball of thirty-two pounds weight, and one hundred other cannon, of a caliber each to carry a ball of twenty-four pounds weight, together with the carriages and implements necessary for the same, and carriages with the necessary implements for one hundred and fifty other cannon, with two hundred and fifty tons of cannon-shot."

To fund these forts congress passed "Chapter X. - An Act making appropriations for the support of the Military establishment of the United States, for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four" which was approved by George Washington on March 21, 1794. This law provided "for fortifying certain ports and harbors; and for the purchase of cannon, implements and shot, there be appropriated a sum of money, not exceeding one million, six hundred and twenty-nine thousand, nine hundred and thirty-six dollars, and one cent". "For fortifying certain ports and harbors of the United States, and purchasing the lands necessary for the erection of the same, seventy-six thousand dollars: For the purchase of cannon, implements and shot, ninety-six thousand dollars."

The law congress passed did not state how much of this appropriation would be spent to fortify Norfolk. The Department of War divided up the appropriation and the sum of $3,737 to defend Norfolk harbor (Clary 1990: 16).  Almost half the budget was to go toward "batteries, embrasures, and platforms." Just over $800 was allocated for a "redoubt with embrasures," while the plan called for a $200 magazine and a "block-house or barracks" at $500.  An additional $500 was set aside for "contingencies" (Bradshaw and Tompkins n.d.:4).

Secretary of War Henry Knox supervised the overall project of "fortifying the Principal Sea Ports of the United States" (CVSP VII:30).  However, in 1794 the federal government lacked both the far-reaching authority and resources that it would later command.  State governments exercised a large measure of control over the construction of the proposed forts (Clary 1990:17).  In February 1794, the secretary wrote to Virginia's governor, Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, apprising him of the impending legislation that would provide for the Norfolk fortifications.  "The case of the ships of war on opposite sides being at Norfolk creates a delicate and dangerous situation for that town, " Knox told the governor, "which nothing can remedy so effectually as its being put in a state of respectable defence" (CVSP VII:30).

On March 24, 1794 Henry Knox, Secretary of War wrote to the Governor that "Colonel Parker has recommended Mr. Daniel Bedinger of Norfolk as a proper person to have new carriages made for the cannon at that place." He went on to say "Proper arrangements will also be made for the transportation of shot and ammunition for the cannon at Norfolk. Captain Hannah will be ordered to embark at Alexandria with his recruits, and proceed to Norfolk as soon as the Secretary of the Treasury shall make arrangements with some person at that place to furnish the necessary supplies of provisions, &c., for the troops."

In addition to the financial and political constraints he faced while trying to implement the defense plan, Secretary Knox found that the army possessed few if any military engineers (Clary 1990:17).  Technical education was virtually nonexistent in late eighteenth century America. The United States Military Academy at West Point, which would later supply the Army's officer corps with professionally trained engineers, was not founded until 1802 (Tindall 1984:492).  Knox sought out foreign-born military engineers who had been schooled in Europe and lived in the United States.  In early March 1794, Knox hired John Jacob Ulrich Rivardi, a Swiss engineer living in Pennsylvania, to oversee the fortifications in Baltimore, Alexandria, and Norfolk.  Rivardi was designated as a "temporary engineer" in the army and initially was allowed the trappings, but not the official status, of the rank of major (Clary 1990:17; CVSP VII:92).

On March 28, Knox informed Governor Lee that Rivardi understood that of the three cities under his charge, the need for the fortifications at Norfolk was "considered as the most pressing" (CVSP VII:87).  On April 3, Rivardi received official instructions from Secretary Knox.  The engineer was directed to inform the governors of Virginia and Maryland of his arrival.  After making "the necessary surveys and investigations relative to [his] mission," Rivardi was ordered to submit his findings to the governors for "their consideration" and to follow their subsequent orders.  While Rivardi was to use his own judgment "in the choice of ground on which the batteries and works are to be erected," the final selection of the site was subject to the approval of the governor. Rivardi was also required to provide the governor with weekly reports on his activities (Clary 1990:18; CVSP VII:92-95).

Congress passed a law "Chapter XXIV.- Act providing for raising and organizing a Corps of Artillerists and Engineers" which was approved by George Washington on May 9, 1794. This law stated "That the number of seven hundred and sixty-four non-commissioned officers, privates and artificers, to serve as privates and musicians, shall be engaged for the term of three years, by voluntary enlistments; and that the proper proportion of commissioned officers shall be appointed to command the same." "That the aforesaid commissioned and non-commissioned officers, privates, artificers and musicians, shall be incorporated with the corps of artillery now in the service of the United States, and denominated the corps of artillerists and engineers, and that the entire number of the said corps, exclusively of the commissioned officers, shall be nine hundred and ninety-two." "That the organization of the said corps be as herein mentioned, to wit: One lieutenant-colonel commandant, one adjutant, one surgeon; four battalions, each to consist of one major, one adjutant and paymaster, and one surgeon's mate; and four companies, each to consist of one captain, two lieutenants, two cadets with the pay, clothing and rations of a sergeant, four sergeants, four corporals, forty-two privates, sappers and miners, and ten artificers to serve as privates, and two musicians." The Department of War planned to station one of these companies to defend Norfolk.

On May 9th 1794 Henry Knox, Secretary of War, wrote to the Governor "By a vessel which will sail in a few days from this place, ammunition will be forwarded for the cannon which are at Norfolk, and also a number of carriages and implements for nine eighteen-pounders, which are at the head of Elk, and which will also be forwarded. Major Rivardi will see that these pieces are put in perfect order, and prepare a reverbratory furnace or two for hot shot; and as Norfolk, from its situation, appears to be pre-eminently important, compared with the other places in the Chesapeake, it may be proper for Mr. Rivardi to continue there as long as possible consistently with the other objects. A Mr. Vermonet may therefor be employed at Alexandria and Annapolis, which is probably to be fortified.

Some appointments in the artillery will be shortly made, and Recruits endeavoured to be obtained, some of which will repair as soon as possible to Norfolk. In the mean time Captain Hannah will be ordered to Norfolk with twenty Recruits, which he has at Alexandria."

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Source of Information

A CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN OF FORT NORFOLK, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District by the College Of WILLIAM & MARY, November 1995 under Contract No. DACW65-94-Q-0075.

David A. Clary's Fortress America: The Corps of Engineers, Hampton Roads, and United States Coastal Defense (1990)

William Bradshaw and Julian Tompkins's Fort Norfolk, Then and Now (n.d.).

The Norfolk Public Library vertical file of recent newspaper articles on Fort Norfolk.  Including articles by James Melchor of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that describe archaeological and architectural findings on the fort property.