Fort Norfolk History - 1856
Captain Thomas A. Dornin took command of the Navy Yard Gosport, Naval Hospital, and Fort Norfolk on May 6, 1856.
Captain Thomas A. Dornin, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, wrote Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, on July 11, 1856 to submit the annual report for the Navy Yard. He stated that “As in consequence of the Epidemic which prevailed here, no Report was made last year, this Statement, will contain the Reports for the last two fiscal years.”
He reported that the Filling Houses at Fort Norfolk had been finished since the Report of June 30, 1854. He also reported that the following projects were still underway at Fort Norfolk:
The Reservoirs for Rain Water at the “Magazine Fort Norfolk, has been completed, as to its masonry; and guttering of the buildings for its supply of water, will be finished in a few days. The pipes for the service of the ships, leading to the wharf, will be ready in a course of a few weeks, and the whole work ready for use.”
The “Keepers House Fort Norfolk; The Contractor reports, that he will have this house ready for the occupant, in a few days, as he is now finishing the painting.”
Captain Thomas A. Dornin wrote Commodore Joseph Smith on July 19, 1856, “Part of the appropriation for completing Keepers House at Magazine, was expensed for Store House for filling, and it is proposed to use the balance on the ladder object to complete the former.”
On July 25, 1856, A requisition was submitted to the Washington Navy Yard for 100 sheets 16 oz cold rolled copper for the Reservoir at Magazine Fort Norfolk.
Captain Thomas A. Dornin wrote Commodore Joseph Smith on September 10, 1856; “The Magazine Keepers House, having been completed, and received from the hands of the contractor. I have directed the Keeper of the Magazine, (Gunner Thomas Robinson,) to move into it. ”
Commodore Joseph Smith wrote Captain Thomas A. Dornin on November 3, 1856; “ Under the Bureau letters of the 1st July last, you were authorized to apply the unexpanded balance of Store House for filling, to the completion of the Magazine and Keepers House. It seems that you have already exceeded that amount, & the building not yet reported as complete. You will stop all further work on this, as well as the other objects of improvement, where the funding exhausted, as you were indicated in the Circular, from the Bureau of the 12th September last. “
More History
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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.
Thomas A. Dornin, "Thomas A. Dornin to Joseph Smith", July 11, 1856, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, July 3 1855 - April 29 1857, Box No. 160, Entry 5.
Thomas A. Dornin, "Thomas A. Dornin to Joseph Smith", July 19, 1856, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, July 3 1855 - April 29 1857, Box No. 160, Entry 5.
For Thomas A. Dornin, "For Thomas A. Dornin to Joseph Smith", July 25, 1856, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, July 3 1855 - April 29 1857, Box No. 160, Entry 5.
Thomas A. Dornin, "Thomas A. Dornin to Joseph Smith", September 10, 1856, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, July 3 1855 - April 29 1857, Box No. 160, Entry 5.
Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Thomas A. Dornin ", November 3, 1856, 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. 12 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 486.