Henry Dearborn Report 13 February 1806
9th Congress,
1st session
document number 60
Fortifications
Communicated to the House of Representatives, February 18, 1806.
To the house of representatives of the United States:
I now communicate to the House of Representatives the information desired by their resolution of January 24, relative to the fortifications erected at several ports and harbors of the United States, and their territories, and to the Navy and Navy Yards of the United States.
Thomas Jefferson
February 18, 1806.
Report of the Secretary of War, made by direction of the President of the United States, in pursuance of the part of a resolution of the house of representatives of the United States, of the 24th ult. relating to fortifications within the United States, and the territories thereof.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Portland, District of Maine.
Name of the forts. - Fort Sumner
Sums expanded on the works.
1795 - $791
1796 - $369
1797 - $68.25
1798 - $1,200
1799 - $4,294.06
1800 - $1,419.48
1801 - $357.46 .
1802 - $60
Total - $8,559.25
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
a small enclosed work, with a block house, magazine, and barrack, and a detached battery, near the water, for heavy canon, with a store house, and furnace for heating cannonball; authorized by an act of Congress, of 20th March, 1794. The works generally require repairs.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Name of the forts. - Fort Constitution.
Sums expanded on the works.
1791 - $250
1795 - $266
1796 - $316
1797 - $0
1798 - $1,000
1799 - $0
1800 - $2,570.81
1801 - $6,699.87
1802 - $6537.51
1803 - $0
1804 - $100
1805 - $3,000
Total - $14,740.22
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$6,000
A general description of the works with remarks:
The remains of an ancient fortification, which have been repaired, at different periods, with some improvements; but still require considerable improvements and repairs.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Cape Ann, Massachusetts.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
Fortifications authorized by an act of Congress, of 20th March, 1794. A site selected, and drawing made, by the engineer, of works contemplated; which were commenced but never completed.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Salem, Massachusetts.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $93.60
1795 - $0
1796 - $0
1797 - $0
1798 - $0
1799 - $2,000
1800 - $500
Total - $2,593.60
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
A block house, magazine, and battery; authorized by an act of Congress, of 20th March, 1794. Wanting repairs.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $300
1795 - $1,011.68
1796 - $508.87
1797 - $114.84
1798 - $0
1799 - $8,500.32
1800 - $2,560.15
1801 - $639.05
Total - $13,634.91
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
A block house, magazine, and battery; authorized by an act of Congress, of 20th March, 1794. Wanting repairs.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.
Name of the forts. - Fort Independence.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $496.27
1795 - $1,312.50
1796 - $0
1797 - $0
1798 - $0
1799 - $0
1800 - $46,304.21
1801 - $66,710.14
1802 - $58,814.42
1803 - $10,497.57
1804 - $2,000
Total - $186,195.11
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
A regular, strong, enclosed work; the ramparts of stone and brick, with magazine, quarters, barracks, and other buildings; commenced in the year 1800, and completed in 1803. In good repair.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Newport, Rhode Island.
Name of the forts. - Forts Adams and Wolcott.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $500
1795 - $864.75
1796 - $198.91
1797 - $0
1798 - $5,900
1799 - $50,700
1800 - $40,731.25
1801 - $8,500
1802 - $240.33
Total - $107,635.24
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
Two enclosed works, with batteries, magazines, and barracks; and, in addition to a stone tower at the entrance of the harbor, and a block house and battery on Rhode Island, near the town of Newport, and extensive regular fort was commenced on a small island, but no part completed except a range of stone barracks. These works were principally erected in the years 1798, 1799, and 1800. To complete the whole would require very large expenditures; and, when completed, would not, in the smallest degree, annoy ships of war, but in one of three open and convenient passages by which Rhode Island may be approached.
Ports and harbors fortified. - New London, Connecticut.
Name of the forts. - Fort Trumbull.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $350
1795 - $943.88
1796 - $200.85
1797 - $0
1798 - $0
1799 - $7,520
1800 - $413.66
1801 - $0
1802 - $204.14
1803 - $0
1804 - $4,398.19
Total - $14,030.72
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
Fortified in the course of our revolutionary war. Several repairs have been made, at different periods, sense, with considerable improvement. No considerable repairs are now necessary.
Ports and harbors fortified. - New York Harbor.
Name of the forts. - Fort Jay.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $1,327
1795 - $6,866.54
1796 - $1,124
1797 - $0
1798 - $30,117.24
1799 - $40,116.18
1800 - $10,124.40
1801 - $10,348.05
Total - $100,023.41
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$60,000
Remarks in relation to New York Harbor:
In the years 1794, and 1795, considerable expenses were incurred in the harbor of New York, in fortifications on Governor’s, Bedloe’s, and Ellis's Islands, and in front of the city.
On Governor’s Island, a regular enclosed work, with detached batteries for heavy cannon and mortars, was erected with a magazine and barracks, which require considerable repairs and improvements. On the other islands, there were batteries and magazines, and some barracks, which also require repairs.
A formidable battery of heavy cannon and mortars (which is now in ruins) was erected in front of the city. A heavy park of artillery was also mounted on traveling carriages, and placed in a building belonging to the state, within the city.
No considerable improvement have been made on the above mentioned works, or additional fortifications erected, for the defense of the Harbor of New York, within the last five years; they are having been no funds for those objects furnished by the state, as contemplated by the act of Congress of 3rd May, 1798, and understood two have been intended by the state.
Engineers were employed by the governor of the state to survey and examine the harbor, and to report the best practicable mode of defence. The report, accompanied by drawings and estimates, was transmitted to the President of the United States in the year 1801. By this project, the principal works work to be at Sandy Hook. The estimates, amounting to 3,908,658 dollars, were considered as a sufficient reason for rejecting the report; the debt of the state of New York (which was the limit of the sum authorized to be expanded) being only $1,852,035. In January, 1805, a report was also received from another engineer, accompanied by a letter from the mayor of the city, in which the Narrows were contemplated as the principal place of defense. The estimate for completing the works amounted to 2,000,000 of dollars, and the plan of defense proposed inspired no confidence.
Lieutenant Colonel Williams, of the corps of engineers, was, last autumn, directed to make such a survey of the Harbor of New York, as would enable him to report, with accuracy, the width of the Narrows, from the waters edge on each side; the distance from Governor’s Island to Bedloe's, to Ellis’s Island, and to the battery in front of the city, and from the city to the nearest point on the jersey shore. This duty he performed, and reported, accompanying his rapport with a drawing of the harbor, showing the relative situation of the several points alluded to in his instructions, with remarks on the subject generally, and particularly on fortifying the Narrows.
I will here take the liberty of offering some general remarks, on the subject of defending our ports and harbors.
Notwithstanding the experience of ages of the contrary, and opinion appears to have been prevalent, and in many cases relied upon, that fixed batteries, on the margins of channels not more than one mile in width, might, under the direction of skillful officers, render the passage of ships of war so difficult and unsafe, as to prevent their attempting such passages. It is the more remarkable, that such an opinion should have continued to prevail, after so many instances have occurred of ships of war not only having passed the best batteries within even point blank shot, (which is less than 500 yards) but of their presenting their broadside to such batteries, with springs on their cables, and sustaining the fire for a considerable length of time, and even, in many cases, of silencing the batteries.
The action, in the year 1801, between a British squadron and several strong batteries, in the harbor of Copenhagen, where, probably, there was no want of skill or bravery on the side of the Danes, (the result of which is in the recollection of every one) proves, beyond any reasonable doubt, the incorrectness of the opinion alluded to. Many other instances might be added, as evidence of the impropriety of relying on fixed batteries for for preventing ships of war, with a fair wind and tide, passing through a channel of one mile in width, or even within point blank shot of the batteries, especially where the course is nearly direct, as is the case at the Narrows, at the entrance of New York Harbor. This passage cannot be reduced two less than seven-eights of a mile in width, and that only by erecting works on a reef 500 yards from Long Island shore, where there are three feet of water at the lowest time of tide, and nine feet at high water.
It will be recalled by many, that in the summer of 1776, a British ship, of about forty guns, had been some distance up the Hudson, above New York; that it was known she will soon pass down by that city, and the batteries were prepared at several places on the bank of the river, in and above the city, with the most sanguine expectations of destroying the ship on her passage; but, although she descended in the daytime, with a moderate breeze, which afforded full time for the batteries to act on her, and a tremendous cannonade commenced from the respective batteries as she passed, no apparent injury was received by the ship, and it was generally remarked, that she appeared to be no more incommoded by the batteries then if no shot had been fired. Her distance from the batteries was about half a mile, which is little more than the distance of the center of the channel in the Narrows from any batteries which could be erected on either side or both shores.
It now remains to be decided: 1st. Whether the Narrows, or any other points, are susceptible of being so fortified as to afford a significant defence to the harbor and city?
2dly. Whether any other practicable system of defence may be sufficiently relied upon? and,
3dly. What general or particular system ought to be adopted?
That the harbor of New York is not susceptible of such defence as are to be relied on by permanent or fixed batteries, must be evident to everyone who will reflect upon the subject; and, consequently, that some other system are to be adopted. This, it is presumed, should consist of at least one regular inclosed work, capable of being defended against a sudden assault, together with such fixed batteries as may most effectively annoy ships of war on their approach to the city, and while in a situation assault to batter it; and also of a suitable weight of moving batteries, by land and water, such as a heavy park of cannon and howitzers, mounted on traveling carriages, and placed in the city, together with a sufficient number of well constructed gun boats. Should such a system of defence not be considered as sufficient for the security of the harbor and city of New York, it will be difficult, if not impracticable, to propose any adequate to the object, short of heavy ships of war, in sufficient number to meet any force which an enemy may direct against that place.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Mud Island, below Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Name of the forts. - Fort Mifflin.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $5,142
1795 - $2,382
1796 - $0
1797 - $0
1798 - $12,576.52
1799 - $28,000
1800 - $15,000
1801 - $1,169.25
1802 - $0
1803 - $91.32
Total - $61,361.09
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$2,000
A general description of the works with remarks:
A regular enclosed work, with batteries, magazines, and barracks, principally erected in the years 1798, 1799, and 1800. Some repairs are necessary.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Wilmington, Delaware.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
A general description of the works with remarks:
A selection and survey of a site for a fortification, authorized by an act of Congress, of 20th March, 1794, but no works erected.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Baltimore Harbor, Maryland.
Name of the forts. - Fort McHenry.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $500
1795 - $900.69
1796 - $1,068.39
1797 - $802
1798 - $17,624.50
1799 - $11,538.41
1800 - $53,044.66
1801 - $8,185.71
1802 - $1,052.58
1803 - $316.18
1804 - $40
Total - $95,073.12
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
A regular fortification of mason work, with batteries, magazine, and barracks, erected principally in the years 1798, 1799, and 1800. No considerable repair necessary.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Annapolis, Maryland.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
1795 - $268.50
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
An examination and a survey of a site for fortifications, but the works not completed.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Alexandria, District of Columbia.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $800
1795 - $1,208
Total - $2,008
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
Temporary works erected in the year 1795, now in ruins.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Norfolk, Virginia.
Name of the forts. - Fort Nelson.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $3,210.85
1795 - $1,193.50
1796 - $0
1797 - $0
1798 - $0
1799 - $402
1800 - $1,181.58
1801 - $0
1802 - $4,000
1803 - $7,600
1804 - $2,000
1805 - $600
Total - $20,087.93
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$8,000
A general description of the works with remarks:
Commenced in the year 1794, repaired and improved in the years 1802, 1803, and 1804, with extensive batteries, a magazine, and barracks. Considerable improvement and repairs yet necessary.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Ocracok Harbor, North Carolina.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
On an island, called Beacon Island, a work was commenced in the year 1795, but not completed; and in the year 1799 measures were directed for the erection of an enclosed work on the ruins of the former work, but from a believe that no work could be erected and supported at that place, which would afford any considerable protection to the harbor, none has been erected. It is presumed that two gun boats would more securely protect that harbor than any fixed batteries that might be erected.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Cape Fear River, North Carolina.
Name of the forts. - Fort Johnston.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $2,418
1795 - $1,463.50
1796 - $1,430.95
1797 - $0
1798 - $0
1799 - $6,333.33
1800 - $9,457.16
1801 - $3,823.79
1802 - $0
1803 - $0
1804 - $2,900
Total - $27,826.73
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$1,000
A general description of the works with remarks:
The site of an ancient fortification. In the years 1799 and 1800 some progress was made in erecting new works on the old site, which, from unfortunate arrangements and delays, on the part of the gentleman who contracted to complete them, are yet unfinished, but will probably be completed the present year. They will, when finished, require the aid of some gun boats to afford sufficient protection to the river, and the town of Wilmington.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Georgetown, South Carolina.
Name of the forts. -
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $250
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
A general description of the works with remarks:
Some canon were mounted in the year 1794, but no works erected.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Charleston, South Carolina.
Name of the forts. - Forts Moultire, Pinckney and Johnston.
Sums expanded on the works.
1794 - $3,850
1795 - $5,625.45
1796 - $1,149
1797 - $912
1798 - $1,205.98
1799 - $11,500
1800 - $0
1801 - $48.68
Total - $26,291.11
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$30,000
A general description of the works with remarks:
Forts repaired and improved on the ruins of works erected in the course of our revolutionary war; but as the State of South Carolina has not considered it expedient, until the last season of its legislature, to sede the sites of those works, or of any others, no considerable repairs have been made on them. or any new works commenced.
The fortifications are now almost in ruins, principally occasioned by an unusual storm which happened in 1804.
If the cession recently made should meet the approbation of Congress, improvements on the fortifications in Charleston Harbor ought, without delay, to be commenced.
Ports and harbors fortified. - Savannah, Georgia. St. Mary's, Georgia
Name of the forts. - Fort Green.
Sums expanded on the works.
Savannah, Georgia.
1794 - $1,050
1795 - $86
1796 - $426
Total - $1,562
St. Mary's, Georgia
1799 - $2,000
1800 - $2,578.91
1801 - $2,090.38
Total - $6,669.29
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$15,000, if suitable sites can be obtained.
A general description of the works with remarks:
On a small island called Cockspur, near the mouth of the river, irregular fortifications were erected in the year 1794, with a battery, magazine, and barracks. In the year 1804 the works and barracks were totally destroyed, and a part of the garrison drowned, by a storm which occasioned such a rise of the water as overflowed the island to a considerable depth; but as no cession has been made to the United States, by the State of Georgia, of any suitable site or sites, for permanent fortifications, and it not having been in the power of the Executive of the United States to procure any, on reasonable terms, either on the Savanna River or the St. Mary's, no considerable expense has been incurred on the sea coast of that State, for the last five years, and the garrison has been removed from the St. Mary's as well as from Fort Green.
Suitable gun boats, with some heavy cannon, on traveling carriages, would, it is presumed, afford the safest protection to Savannah and St. Mary's, aided by some fixed batteries.
Ports and harbors fortified. - New Orleans.
Name of the forts. - Forts St. Louis, St. Charles, and St. Philip.
Sums expanded on the works.
Probable sums necessary for repairs and improvements.
$25,000, for New Orleans and its dependencies.
A general description of the works with remarks:
The town of New Orleans is surrounded, except the front, by a mud wall, with three redouts in the rear, and two in front; the two ladder called forts. If the works were in repair they would be incapable of sustaining a siege, or of affording any considerable protection against an assault.
About 50 miles below the town there is an ancient fortification called Saint Philip, with a battery, magazine, and barracks, which require considerable repairs and improvements.
At the junction of Bayau St. John with Lake Ponchartrain, a small ancient work remains, intended to guard that communication with New Orleans, against the approach of an enemy, by way of the lake. This work is out of repair, and will probably require considerable improvement. Gun boats will be necessary for the defence of the river and lake, in addition to fix the batteries.
War Department, February 13th, 1806.
H. Dearborn
Fort Norfolk Documents
1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799,
1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809,
1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817,
1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859
1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869
1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879
1880,
Source of Information
Libraury of Congress