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 Fort Norfolk 1852

Fort Norfolk History - 1852

Captain Samuel L. Breese took command of the Gosport Navy Yard, Hospital, and Fort Norfolk on April 1, 1852.

Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport wrote Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, on June 21, 1852 to ask if a contractor could deliver bricks due under his contract required for the “Magazine” and “Keepers” House at Fort Norfolk, because operations on both had been suspended for lack of funds. He also asked if funds could be provided to enable him to resume work upon these buildings.

Commodore Joseph Smith replied on June 23, 1852; “The suspension of work upon the Magazine and Keepers House at Fort Norfolk will have to remain until further funds are provided for the completion of those objects. The yard having neglected to ask for any further sums in the estimates furnished for the next fiscal year, none were included in those submitted to Congress from this Bureau and consequently no appropriation will be made at the present session of Congress; you will be please therefore to include the necessary amount in the estimates for 1854”

Captain Samuel L. Breese wrote Commodore Joseph Smith on June 24, 1852; “It is to be regretted that the sum necessary to complete the Magazine will not be included in the appropriation for the ensuing year. The cause of the omission in the last estimate from the Yard was no oversight. The item was left out, as I am informed by direction of my predecessor who in consequence of a change in the plan of the building by the Bureau called attention to the insufficiency of the sum allotted for it, in his letter of April 23d 1851. And again on the 25th April 51 having forwarded a schedule of the additional materials required, with estimates of the additional sum that would be wanted for its completion in accordance with the plan as altered, he deemed it unnecessary to include the amount in the general estimates. It appears that these additional materials were included in the contract, but no provision has yet been made for the additional sums.”

Commodore Joseph Smith replied on June 26, 1852; “By reference to paper No 3 of the annual estimates, you will perceive, that there is a column allotted for all additional appropriations that may be required to be made, to complete the objects, the sums previously appropriated for which, have not been sufficient for that purpose - from these estimates the Bureau makes up its annual report and estimates for Congress. The Report from the Norfolk Navy Yard, forwarded in August last, requiring no additional some to complete the Magazine &c., none was asked from Congress for the ensuing fiscal year; the work must therefore stop on that building until further appropriations shall be made.”

Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, on July 2, 1852; “The statement of balance of Naval Appropriations, shows a balance in the treasury to the credit of Magazine at Norfolk of two thousand four hundred twenty two dollars and forty seven cents on the 1st instant; you will go on therefore until this sum is expanded, applying so much thereof as may be necessary to pay for the Bricks yet due under the contract with Pendergast for the Magazine, and the residue so far as it will go, to labor and the same. The Bureau does not see why the work on the Magazine was suspended before all the funds applicable to that object have been exhausted.”

Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport wrote Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, on July 5, 1852 to explain why work had stoped. He sent a copy of Commander R.B. Cunningham, Executive Officer at Navy Yard Gosport wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, on July 5, 1852; “I beg leave to inform you that Capt. Stringham previous to his turning the command of the Yard over to me, told me that there was very little money on hand for caring on the building of the Magazine and the Saw Shed, that the Bureau was very anxious that the Saw Shed should be finished and as there was not money enough for both, the Masons were to be withdrawn from the Magazine as soon as the work they were then at was squared off and put upon the Saw Shed. He also instructed Mr. Satimer to close his work on the Magazine as soon as it was proper to do so. These instructions were past to you by me as soon as you assumed the command of the Yard.”

Captain Samuel L. Breese continued in his July 5 letter; “The instruction to that officer were given by my predecessor under the authority contained in the letters from the Bureau of 11th & 23rd March ultimo, I presume.

The bricks yet to be delivered under the contract with Pendergrart, if received for the magazine will absorb in their payment considerably more than the balance to credit of that object Viz. $2422.47 and consequently there would be none applicable to the payment for labor upon it. As nothing will be gained by resuming work at Fort Norfolk before I can again hear from the Bureau I have concluded to await your further instructions for my government in receiving materials for, and expanding labor upon the Magazine. In accordance with instructions from the Bureau of the 30th ultimo. I have directed Mr. Pendergart to deliver the remainder of his brick at the at the yard, it is not too late to counterman that order and cause them to be delivered at Fort Norfolk. The payment of which I would again remark will more than absorb the whole amount of money available for the Magazine and leave none for labor.”

Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, on July 7, 1852; “The Magazine may remain as at present, but the Bricks you will cause to be delivered at Fort Norfolk, informing the Bureau how much more than the amount now available for Magazine will be required to complete the contract for Bricks.”

Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, on July 12, 1852; “In addition to the balance on hand for Magazine of $2422.47, there is also a balance on hand under the head of Navy Yard Norfolk, applicable to the Magazine, of $1685.66; these sums together will make $4108.13 out of which the amount due for Bricks must be paid. The $2422.47 to be drawn for by requisition on account of Magazine and the residue $992.53 by requisition under head of Navy Yard Norfolk, for the Magazine.”

Commodore Joseph Smith wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese on October 30, 1852; “Please have made for the Bureau, as early as practicable, a plan on trace paper of Fort Norfolk, showing the fence and wharf, and the site for the Keepers House, with the Powder Magazine, and it's various internal details, showing the various dimensions thereof, and state also the maximum space occupied by a barrel of powder.”

Captain Samuel L. Breese sent the drawing to Commodore Joseph Smith on November 11, 1852. (See above)

Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, on November 13, 1852; “I return herewith the plan of the grounds, Magazine &c. at Fort Norfolk, that all the buildings in the Fort may be traced upon it. Let the thickness of the Walls of the Fort be stated, the condition of the buildings and the progress made in the new Magazine building.”

Lieutenant Robert T. Scott filed a report on the condition of the Fort Norfolk buildings.  Generally, Scott found "all the buildings in a very dilapidated and decaying state, both internally and externally."  He found the old barracks at the rear of the fort (labeled as Building I on the plat) to be "a mere ruin."  It had lost one of its gable ends as well as doors, sash, and shutters.  Inside, the floors were "utterly decayed". The barracks nearest the guardhouse (Building 2) were in somewhat better condition, but the attached shed (Building 7) had neither roof nor floor.  The officers' quarters (Building 4) were then occupied by the "keeper of the premises," but the building was still in poor condition even though it had been recently shingled (BY&D, Letters Received, Box 157, Scott to Breese, November 17, 1852).

Scott observed that the foundation of the magazine was complete and that the "first course of Tablet for the entire Building had been prepared."  The joiners, he reported, had made little progress on the magazine other than to "commence the centers on which the arches are to be turned."  Scott declared that "the materials for these buildings are on hand and ready for use at any moment" (BY&D, Letters Received, Box 157, Scott to Breese, November 17, 1852).

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Source of Information

"Plan of Grounds at Fort Norfolk", November 4, 1852, National Archives, College Park, MD - Cartographic (RDSC), Record Group 74: Records of the Bureau of Ordnance, 1818 - 1967, Series: Red Number, 368A.

Samuel L. Breese, "Samuel L. Breese to Joseph Smith", June 21, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 3 1852 - June 28 1853, Box No. 157, Entry 5.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", June 23, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 234.

Samuel L. Breese, "Samuel L. Breese to Joseph Smith", June 24, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 3 1852 - June 28 1853, Box No. 157, Entry 5.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", June 26, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 242 - 243.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", July 2, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 248.

Samuel L. Breese, "Samuel L. Breese to Joseph Smith", July 5, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 3 1852 - June 28 1853, Box No. 157, Entry 5.

R.B. Cunningham, "R.B. Cunningham to Samuel L. Breese", July 5, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 3 1852 - June 28 1853, Box No. 157, Entry 5.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", July 7, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 257.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", July 12, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 265.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", October 30, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 416.

Samuel L. Breese, "Samuel L. Breese to Joseph Smith", November 11, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 3 1852 - June 28 1853, Box No. 157, Entry 5.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", November 13, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 07 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 446.

College Of WILLIAM & MARY, "A CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN OF FORT NORFOLK, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA", November 1995, prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District under Contract No. DACW65-94-Q-0075, 27.

Samuel L. Breese, "Samuel L. Breese to Joseph Smith", December 28, 1852, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 3 1852 - June 28 1853, Box No. 157, Entry 5.