Alex Nowall Letter 7 January 1865
U.S. Navy Yard Norfolk
Jauy 7th 1865
Sir,
With respect to the claim of Mr. Jos. Mascott for a quantity of dressed stone said to have been landed at this yard a short time previous to it evacuation by the U. S. Forces is in April 1861.
I would state, Mr. W. H. Jamison testifies that he brought by request of Mr. Mascott about (4) four loads of dress stone say from 150 to 200 tons from Ft Norfolk to the Navy Yard and landed it by permission of Mr. Calvin Brown the civil engineer of the Navy Yard at that time, in the spring of 1860 the stone was landed on the north side of the entrance of the Timber Dock by the means of the crane since destroyed.
Mr. Allen Williams, the president foreman of the Masons engaged in this yard, testifies, that there were over a two hundred tons of dress stone, at this Point seemingly by itself, and not stacked with the main bulk of the stone that was presumed to be long to the government and that there was a few pieces used for yard purposes since the reoccupation by the U. S. Government. He not knowing but that it was the property of the government.
There may have been some of it used by the Rebel Government in 1861 & 1862 whilst they held possession of the Yard of this there is no one to testify. The claimant states that he surveyed the lot of stone in June 1862 shortly after the reoccupation and he thought that the pile looked pretty much as he left it in the spring of 1860 for myself I know nothing about it whatever.
I am Very Respectfully,
your obedient servant,
Alex Nowall
Civil Engineer
Captain J M Berrien
Commandant Norfolk Yard
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,
Source of Information
National Archives, Record Group 71 Bureau of Yards and Docks
Letters Recieved from Commandants of Navy Yards -- Norfolk
Dec 1 1864 - April 29 1865
Box No. 163, Entry 5