Fort Norfolk History - 1857
Captain Thomas A. Dornin, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, wrote Commodore Joseph Smith, Chief of the Burrow of Yards & Docks, on April 8, 1857 to inform him that Calvin Brown, the civil engineer, recommended “the fitting of the water pipes at the Magazine Reservoir as the weather is now favorable for these operations”. He also requested “permission to give the necessary order for carrying into effect this recommendation, and as the appropriation for these objects have been exhausted, that the means be borrowed from some other in which there may be a surplus.”
Commodore Joseph Smith replied on April 10, 1857 that the work on the water pipes at the Magazine Reservoir, may go on as recommended by the Engineer, charging the work to Magazine.
Captain Thomas A. Dornin wrote Commodore Joseph Smith on June 25, 1857; “ Referring to your letter of the 6th December 1854. I find the Commandant of this station is authorized to sell the Old Magazine at auction, “the materials to be removed by the purchaser in a given time”, for some cause or other, to me unknown, the sale has been deferred, but I would now ask a renewal of the authority to sell as it will interfere with the Surgeon’s House about to be erected, in appearance and otherwise.”
Commodore Joseph Smith replied on June 26, 1857 that “you will now sell the building &c, at auction through the N. Agent after advertising for 10 days, the materials to be removed in twenty working days during working hours; the terms cash.” The time allowed to remove the bricks and materials was later extended to two months.
Calvin Brown, Civil Engineer, Navy Yard Gosport, wrote Captain Thomas A. Dornin, Commandant Navy Yard Gosport, on November 6, 1857; “The services of Mr. Henry Cook during the late unusual deliveries of materials at this Yard, were required as a receiver and to keep the accounts of these deliveries, in which duty he has been constantly employed.
As we shall have in a few days a considerable force employed at the Naval Hospital and at the Magazine Fort Norfolk, upon the Sea Wall, I would recommend the extension of Mr. Cook's duties to report the time of the workmen employed at these places, as the falling off of the delivering referred to, will permit him to be thus employed to the advantage of the work at these points. For these additional duties I would also recommend the rate of his pay to be fixed at two dollars per diem.”
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", April 8, 1857, 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 ", April 10, 1857, 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. 13 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 214.
Thomas A. Dornin, "Thomas A. Dornin to Joseph Smith", June 25, 1857, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 1 1857 - Dec 31 1857, Box No. 161A, Entry 5.
Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Thomas A. Dornin ", June 26, 1857, 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. 13 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 351.
Thomas A. Dornin, "Thomas A. Dornin to Joseph Smith", July 2, 1857, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 1 1857 - Dec 31 1857, Box No. 161A, Entry 5.
Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Thomas A. Dornin ", July 6, 1857, 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. 13 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 367.
Calvin Brown, "Calvin Brown to Thomas A. Dornin", November 6, 1857, National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks, Letters Received from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk, May 1 1857 - Dec 31 1857, Box No. 161A, Entry 5.