Henry Knox letter June 9, 1794

H. KNOX, SECRETARY OF WAR, TO THE GOVERNOR.
War Department
June 9th 1794
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s favor of y'r 25 May last, which has been submitted to the President of the United States.
Major Rivardi estimated that twelve hundred dollars would be required in addition to the sum appropriated to Norfolk, and he was informed that he might proceed upon the principle of that sum being added. Your attention to this important object is acknowledged by all to have greatly facilitated and accelerated its progress.
I have also the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 31 of May and the 2nd instant, enclosing sundry papers relatively to the British Ship Charles and the British schooner delight, alledged to have been captured within the limits of our protection. The prompt zeal which your Excellency manifested on this occasion, is highly acceptable to the President of the United States.
The British Minister has made a memorial on this occasion, to which your Excellency's conduct will afford the grounds of satisfactory reply. The Governor of Maryland has been written to on this occasion.
A further sum of money shall be forwarded for the mounting of the cannon.
Permit me, in confidence, to request your information as to the practicability of building at Norfolk one of the largest frigates, so as to have it completed for the Sea by the first of May next; the price at which Journeymen Ship Carpenters and Blacksmiths will work per diem. The security of the place in case of a war. If any doubt should remain as to this point it ought to be removed, for from a general view of the naval stations which will be proper on our Sea Coast, the situation and circumstances of the Chesapeake, that place must be one of the most important.
I shall also be particularly obliged by a confidential opinion of the merits of Mr. Rivardi as an Engineer, and, as far as you have opportunity, of his talents as an artillerist.
Mr. Vermonot is employed upon the fortifications at Alexandria, which will be upon a small scale, upon Jones' point, below the Town. Captain Hannah had marched his recruits before he received my orders. But I shall order Captain Richard Scott Blackburn, who is appointed a Captain of Artillery, upon your Brother's recommendation, and others to recruit for the artillery and send his recruits to Norfolk.
I have, &c.

Fort Norfolk Documents

Before 1794, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

Source of Information

CALENDAR of VIRGINIA STATE PAPERS and OTHER MANUSCRIPTS, FROM JANUARY 1, 1794, TO MAY 16, 1795, PRESERVED IN THE CAPITOL AT RICHMOND. ARRANGED AND EDITED BY SHERWIN McRAE and RALEIGH COLSTON, UNDER THE AUTHORITY AND DIRECTION OF Hon. H. W. FLOUENOY, SECRETARY Of THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, AND STATE LIBRARIAN. VOLUME VII. RICHMOND: J. H. O.BANNON, SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC PRINTING. 1888