Fall of Fort Nelson 1779.

Admiral Gambier in the command of the British fleet, a predatory expedition into Virginia.  To establish and maintain there a permanent post, was not in his power.  To pillage and destruction, he must confine his present attempt.  Two thousand men were embarked at New York, under the command of General Matthew.  Collier undertook to convoy them in person. The fleet stood to sea on the 5th of May; on the 9th, it anchored in Hampton Roads.

The topography of the present scene of invasion is so well known to Virginians, as to render descriptive remarks unnecessary.

We have mentioned the steps taken by the Legislature and the Executive for internal defence and security.  Several points had been fortified, and garrisoned with proportionate numbers of the regiment of artillery.  The most important of these fortifications was Fort Nelson erected on the Western side of Elizabeth river, some distance below Portsmouth.  Like other works intended merely against maritime annoyance, Fort Nelson was finished only on the water side, and entirely open in its rear. - Its structure was extremely simple, yet strong.  Parallel rows of large logs of timber were closely dove tailed together, and the intermediate space filled with hard rammed earth - the whole presenting a front 14 feet high, 15 feet thick, and proportionately long. -  Major Thomas Matthews commanded in this post, - with about 150 men - some heavy cannon and a few field pieces.  To secure from insult the Towns of Norfolk and Portsmouth - and the marine yard at Gosport, was the object for which Fort Nelson had been constructed.  Its inadequacy against such a force as the present British armament was obvious.  The fleet consisted of the Raisonable of 64 guns, the Rainbow, Otter, Diligent, Haarlem Sloop, Cornwallis's galley, and some private vessels of war, besides the transports. The troops as before mentioned, amounted to two thousand chosen men.

The reduction of Fort Nelson was the first thing attempted by the British Commanders. Leaving the Raisonable in the roads, on account of her great draught of water.  Colliar transferred his broad pennant to the Rainbow, and with the rest of the fleet proceeded up Elizabeth river.   A contrary wind, and the ebbing of the tide soon obliged the ships to anchor - a calm succeeded and prevented their further progress, till the next morning. Brigadier General Mathew, anxious to avoid a loss of time, embarked the troops in flat boats, and, under cover of the Cornwallis galley, and two gun boats, effected a landing a few miles below the Fort, at a place called the Glebe.  The cannonade from the Fort was ineffectual owing to the distance of the point, where the debarkation took place. A favourable breeze brought up the ships, before troops were entirely landed. It was now agreed between Collier and Mathew, that the next morning, the Rainbow should, with the tide move up in front of the Fort, and batter it from the water, whilst the troops should storm it on the land side, where the fortifications were yet unfinished.  A forward movement of the British troops immediately after their landing, apprized Major Mathew of their intention.  Aware that efficient defence was impracticable, and that, unless speedily executed a retreat would be impossible, he sent his ammunition up the Southern branch to the Great Bridge, and immediately evacuated the Fort, leaving his colours flying, and spiking up all his guns, except one, a brass field piece, which he removed; the large vessels off Portsmouth were burnt his orders, and the small ones retired up the Southern branch.  The enemy thus becoming possessed of the Fort, took a strong position between Portsmouth and the country and thence detached strong parties to Norfolk, Gosport, Kemp's Landing, and other places of deposit. A naval force was at the same time sent up Elizabeth river, and its branches, where a great number of vessels, and an immense quantity of naval and military stores, merchantdize, and provisions of all kinds were either taken or destroyed.  Major Mathew, closely pursued by the enemy with a vastly superior force, burnt all the powder he had with him, except what his men could carry off, and effectcd a further retreat by way of Northwest landing as far as Peynemine in North Carolina protected by a deep and extensive swamp, called the Dismal.

Fort Norfolk Documents

1776 1782 1779 1790, 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

HISTORY OF VIRGINIA; commenced by JOHN BURK, AND CONTINUED BY SKELTON JONES AND LOUIS HUE GIRARDIN, Vol. IV, 1816.