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MASTERS OF ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIR-
GINIA.
The degree of Master of Arts of the Uni-
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versity of Virginia was first awarded in 1832, the recipient being George N. Johnson, of Richmond, Virginia. Between 1832 and 1900, including the session of 1899-1900, there have been 343 Masters. Omitting five years, 1862- 1866 inclusive, during which the degree was not conferred, the average number a session has been about five. The number prior to 1861 and between 1867 and 1894 was less than the average, while the average number for the last seven years has been about 10. Of the 343 Masters of Arts, 287 have been from Virginia. The counties best represented have been Al- bemarle (56), Henrico (40), Norfolk (20), Louisa ( II), Loudoun ( II). Of the remain- ing 56 Masters of Arts, representing 15 States, South Carolina has II and Maryland IO.
The following is a list of citizens of Nor- folk County, who have taken the M. A. degree at the University :
William R. Galt. Norfolk. 1842
Crawford H. Toy, Norfolk ... IS56
Dr. Douglass C. Cannon. Norfolk. IS59
Richard Walke, Norfolk. 1860
Richard B. Tunstall. Norfolk. I868
Robert M. Hughes. Norfolk. 1877
Kenneth A. Bain, Portsmouth 1882
John B. Jenkins. Norfolk. 1882
Walter D. Toy. Norfolk .. IS82
George McK. Bain, Portsmouth 1883
Minton W. Talbot, Norfolk 1839
Mallory K. Cannon. Norfolk. 1892
William W. Old. Tr ... 1891
HI. St. George Tucker, Norfolk. 1805
G. Winston Parrish, Portsmouth. 1896
Robert A. Stewart. Portsmouth. . ISOS
Everett O. Eastwood, Portsmouth. 1890
James W. Hunter. Jr. 1800
Morris P. Tilley. Berkley. 1899
Robert B. Tunstall, Norfolk.
Littleton T. Walke, Norfolk. 1899
Princess Anne County has to her credit two Master of Arts degrees. . Cincinnatus Morris took the degree about 1857, and Cap- tain William W. Old, then a resident of Prin- cess Anne, but now of Norfolk, took it in 1861. All the degrees of M. A. credited to Norfolk County go to the account of the cities of Nor- folk and Portsmouth and the town of Berkley.
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Virginia was first offered to stu- dents who proposed to devote their energies to special study and research in some of the various departments of letters or science in the catalogue for 1880-81. This degree was awarded Robert A. Stewart of Portsmouth, Virginia, June 12. 1901.
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CHAPTER XXV
THE UNITED STATES NAVY YARD
ADVANTAGES OF ITS SITUATION -- VIRGINIA OWNERSHIP-GOSPORT NAVY YARD-PURCHASES OF LAND FOR THE NAVY YARD-CONSTRUCTION OF THE STONE DRY DOCK-IMPROVE- MENT OF THE NAVY YARD.
The greatest public institution in Norfolk County is the United States Navy Yard, lo- cated on the west side of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River ; on the south and part- ly within the limits of the city of Portsmouth. It is about three-fourths of a mile from Hig, street and the ferry wharf. The main en- trance is by an arched way through a large building extending from the river to the yard of the Admiral's residence. On the right of the entrance is the marine guard-room. on the left the labor board's quarters and the watch- men's room. This Navy Yard is one of the oldest, the best located geographically in the United States, and is excellently equipped for constructing, fitting out and repairing men-of- war of all classes. It is located near enough to the Virginia capes to be easily accessible, for Hampton Roads carries the ocean up to its very wharves, and at the same time it is in a position readily defended from attacks either by water or land. Fortress Monroe and Fort Wool are the grim barriers which guard it from foeign foes and the benign effects of the Gulf Stream keep away ice blockades, which have only occurred twice in two centuries. The mildness of the climate allows work of all sorts to be carried on at all seasons of the year without interruption. It is in every aspect the finest location for a great naval station on the
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Atlantic Coast. The products of the great Pocahontas coal mines are unloaded from cars within its walls, and coal is the life of the great iron battleships, which are necessary to protect our coasts and the great Chesapeake Bay with its navigable rivers penetrating into the very heart of some of the richest States in the Union, one of them, the Potomac, leading from its magnificent capital. England first estab- lished a marine-yard on the site of our Navy Yard, but the Virginians took charge of it on the departure of Lord Dunmore and used it with varied fortunes until it became the United States Navy Yard at Gosport. The name Gos- port was doubtless taken from Gosport, near Portsmouth, England, where one of the most important of the British dockyards is located. There is a tradition that this place had been used for some time, before the establishment of the marine yard by the British, as a careen- ing-ground for their ships. A letter written in 1824 by Miles King, Esq., United States navy agent, states that scarcely had the British government commenced its work for the com- pletion of the naval establishment, when the Revolution began, and the yard, together with the adjoining property of Andrew Sprowle, the British navy agent, became confiscated and forfeited to the State of Virginia.
Virginia immediately commenced prepara-
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tions for establishing a navy and vigorous measures were adopted to that end. In Oc- tober, 1776, the Virginia Convention passed an ordinance for building a navy and directed the commissioners of the navy to provide ma- terial for two 32-gun frigates and four galleys, also to enlist sailors to serve on the fleet three years from March 1, 1777.
furnish timbers for the frame of a frigate to be built by the Continental Congress. The contract price was £ 1,000 ($3,333.33), and it was estimated at the outset by the experts that it would require 200 oak trees and 120 pine trees. The following are the dimensions of the timbers furnished and give some indi- cation of the size and character of this frigate (or cruiser ) of that era :
In the fourth volume of the Virginia His- torical Register there is given a brief account of the invasion of Virginia by Sir George Col- lier and General Mathews, in May, 1779. cop- ied from a volume published in England, en- titled a "Detail of some particular services per- formed in America during the years 1776. 1777, 1778 and 1779" supposed to be chiefly taken from a journal kept on board the ship "Rainbow," commanded by Sir George Col- :
lier. After giving a detailed description of the attack and capture of the American forti- fications and the dispersion of the Virginian flotilla, the account goes on to say: "The town of Portsmouth, within half a mile of the fort, was taken possession of at the same time. Norfolk of the opposite shore, and Gosport, where the rebels had fixed a capital marine- yard for building ships, were all abandoned at the same time by the enemy, and the men-of- war moved up into the harbor, where they moored. The enemy, previous to their flight,
In March, 1777, Thomas Talbot entered into a contract with Paul Lovall and David Stoddard, commissioners of the Continental shipyard, located at Gosport, near Portsmouth (on the site of the present Navy Yard), to : set fire to a fine ship of war of 28 guns, ready for launching, belonging to Congress; and also two large French merchantmen, one of which was loaded with bale goods and the other with a thousand hogsheads of bacon. The quantity of naval stores of all kinds found in their arsenals was astonishing. Many ves- sels for war were taken on the stocks in dif- ferent forwardness; one of 36 guns; one of IS guns ; three of 16 guns ; and three of 14 guns, besides many merchantmen. The whole num- For Keel and Keelson, 324 feet. Stem and Linding, 100 feet. ber taken, burnt and destroyed while the King's ships were in the river amounted to 137 Stern Post. Quarter Pieces. Logs and Knee, 120 feet. 73 Floor Timbers. 18 ft. long each. sail of vessels. A most distressing stroke to 226 Lower Futtocks, 15 ft. long each. 113 Fair of Timbers of a side. middle and upper Futtocks and Top Timbers-containing 53 ft. in each Fair. the rebels, even without other losses. Many of the privateers and other vessels fled up the different branches of the river, but as there was 67 Large Beams. 34 ft. each. 208, Knees for Do. 30 Beams for Quarter Deck, 30 ft. each. * 120 Knees for same. 13 Hooks, 20 ft. each, For Bends, 1.500 feet. Water ways. Rudder and Counter Timbers. Head Stock and 6 Knees. Pieces for Ribbons. no outlet the Commodore either captured or destroyed them all. * General Mat- hews having made application to the Com- modore that the troops might be re-embarked on the 24th of May. in order to return to New York, Sir George endeavored to dissuade that measure being carried into execution till the return of the express he had sent to the com- mander-in-chief of the army, to whom he had wrote in very strong terms, pointing out the infinite consequences it would be to the King's service, the keeping possession of Portsmouth, as the doing so would distress the rebels ex- ceedingly, from their water communication by the Chesapeake being totally stopped, and by which Washington's army was supplied with provisions, and an end put to their foreign trade; that the natural strength of the place
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was singularly great, both by sea and land, and · might be maintained with a small force against a very superior one; that the marine-yard was the most considerable one in America, and the quantity of seasoned oak timber there for ship- building very large; which, as well as a vast deal of other stores, could not be embarked -then for want of vessels. but might be sent by degrees to England, where it was much wanted. General Mathews, however, conceiv- ing himself tied down to the letter of his in- structions, did not care to recede, and prepara- tions were therefore made for abandoning this valuable settlement. As many of the naval stores as could be carried away were shipped off, but great quantities were unavoidably left .behind and set on fire. The conflagration in the night appeared grand beyond description, ·though the sight was a melancholy one. Five -thousand loads of fine seasoned oak-knces for ship-building, an infinite quantity of plank, masts, cordage, and numbers of beautiful ships-of-war on the stocks, were at one time in a blaze and all totally consumed, not a vestige remaining but the ironwork that such things had been." The account from which the above is quoted states that on the day fol- lowing that on which the squadron got to sea, they were rejoined by the express-boat, whic had been sent by Sir Henry Clinton, and which brought his answer, "Now of no consequence, -as the evacuation of Portsmouth had taken place -- a fatal and unfortunate measure, un versally regretted by all who were acquainted with its importance, and the advantages which would have resulted to Great Britain from it being in possession of the King's troops."
The letter of Sir George Collier, above re- ferred to, was published in the Westminster Magasine of June 17, 1779, and bears the .date of May 19, 1779. It says: "You are too good a. judge, Sir, of the very great im- portance of this place, we now hold, to render my saying much upon the subject necessary; permit me, however, as a sea officer, to observe that this port of Portsmouth (Virginia) is an exceedingly safe and secure asylum for
ships against an enemy, and is not to be forced even by great superiority. The marine-yard (Gosport) is large and extremely convenient, having a considerable stock of seasoned timber, besides great quantities of other stores. From these considerations, joined to many others, I am firmly of opinion that it is a mcasure most essentially necessary for His Majesty's service that this port should remain in our hands since it appears to me of more real consequence and advantage than any other the crown pos- sesses in America; for by securing this the whole trade of the Chesapeake is at an end. and consequently the sinews of the rebellion destroyed. I trust and hope, Sir, you will see this matter in the same important light I do, and give such directions for reinforcements to be sent here as you may think necessary in order to our preserving and improving those advantages which we have with so much good fortune acquired."
Jefferson's notes, 1781-82 .- "Before the present invasion of this state by the British un- der the command of General Phillips, we had three vessels of 16 guns, one of 14, five small galleys, and two or three armed boats. They were generally so badly manned as seldom to be in condition for service. Since the perfect possession of our rivers assumed by the en- emy, I believe we are left with a single armed boat only."
"At a Norfolk County Court, held on the 20th day of July, 1834, Capt. William Moffat of the town of Portsmouth in Norfolk Coun- ty, made oath before Samuel Watts, a justice of the peace, that he was the mate of the brig 'Neptune' and that whilst he was at Ports- mouth in 1780, he saw the State ship 'Re- nown,' which was built at the State Navy Yard at Gosport by Stoddard, the master ship-build- er, and commanded by Capt. Robert Elliott, drop down from the Navy Yard and when she passed the wharf where the 'Neptune' lay. Cap- tain Elliott inquired when the 'Neptune' would be ready for sea and expressed a wish that she would get ready and proceed to sea under convoy of his ship. The 'Neptune' followed
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the 'Renown' and when they reached Hampton Roads they found 16 or 17 sail of other vessels waiting the departure of the 'Renown' and wishing protection under her. Captain Mot- fat further made oath that in May of the year 1779, a sloop-of-war was burnt at the Gosport Navy Yard by the enemy and that the ship 'Renown' was built on the same stocks and was pierced to carry 20 odd guns, but at the tinie of her first sailing in April, 1780, in conse- quence of the great deficiency of arms at that time, she had only eight or ten guns: that the 'Renown' went into the port of Eustalea and there fitted with her full complement of guns and returned to the Colonies. He further made oath that Captain Elliott went to sea a second time in the 'Renown' and was chased. into St. Martin. The 'Renown' was captured and Captain Elliott taken prisoner. This de- ponent did not return to Portsmouth until after peace, being more than three years from the time of Captain Elliott's first cruise in the 'Re- nown.' This affiant does not know at what time Capt. Robert Elliott entered the service, but supposes the sloop-of-war that had been built in 1778, and was burnt in May, 1779, was designed for his command, as he commanded the ship built in the place of that sloop-of-war. On the return of this affiant. it was then peace and Captain Elliott was then at home. He does not know how long Captain Elliott. was in prison."
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A protest was entered at Edenton, North Carolina. on the 6th of June, 1779, for ship "Le Soucy," Capt. Pierre Raphael Chorlet, of Bordeaux in the Kingdom of France, which states that on the 8th day of May. 1779, his ship was laying at moorings before the town of Norfolk, Virginia, having 366 hogsheads of tobacco part of her cargo on board, and he was informed that an English fleet of ships of about 40 sail was in the Bay of Chesapeake and had anchored before Hampton on that day, that on Sunday the following morning the fleet came to anchor in the Elizabeth River. This made him apprehend that the enemy in- tened to make a descent on, Portsmouth : the fort at which place having but a few soldiers
was incapable of making any defense. That the inhabitants were in great confusion, each shifting for himself. He went on board his ship and got her into the Southern Branch be- fore the shipyard, where he tarried until next morning. About 10 o'clock, the enemy being within cannon-shot of the fort, he sailed with- out a pilot three or four miles up the river and grounded. He fastened a small cable to a tree on shore and waited in that situation until the next morning, having passed a. very tedious night, the sailors with matches in their hands to burn the ship in the event.of threatened at- tack. He received information that the Brit- ish had landed with 2,500 inen and made them- selves masters of the fort and were preparing to come up the river. His ship had seven guns but his sailors showed no disposition to fight, he called his officers together in council of war and all agreed to burn the ship, to prevent a valuable cargo and the ship, which with a small expense might be fitted out as a frigate- of-war, falling into the hands of the enemy. He caused all the pitch and tar to be put under the scuttles of the main deck ready to be fired on the approach of the enemy. He put into the long boat such provisions as were neces- sary should the crew be compelled to fly to the woods for safety. About seven o'clock next morning he saw a defile of boats coming with great swiftness toward him, on which he dis- patched the long-boat and crew, reserving the boatswain to light the fire, which being fully accomplished they proceeded to join the long- boat's crew.
This statement was also affirmed by Ist Lieut. Pierre Vallet, and 2nd Lients. Louis Virginer and Armie Bourgeois.
Tliese court orders throw some light on the reports of the British commanders aforemen- tioned.
The Virginia Navy was employed mainly for the defense of the bays and rivers of the State. Commodore Samuel Barron was ap- pointed its commander-in-chief, being styled "Commodore of all the armed vessels of the . Commonwealth."
In May, 1776, an ordinance of the Virginia
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Convention appointed Thomas Whitney, John Hutchings, Champion Travis, Thomas New- ton, Jr., and George Well naval commissioners to direct the naval affairs of the Colony.
On the 24th of December, 1790, the legis- lature passed an Act placing Mary Boush, wife of Capt. Goodrich Boush, on the pension list, allowing her three years half-pay of a captain in the navy of the state for immediate relief and also allowing her annually said half-pay for seven years, reciting in the preamble that Goodrich Boush entered into the service of his country at the first establishment of a naval armament and continued in the service until his death, leaving his widow and four young children in distressed circumstances.
On October 30, 1789, Jack Knight and William Boush, two negro slaves belonging to the Commonwealth, were mannumitted for faithful service on board armed vessels of the State, which were no longer continued in the public establishment.
On the 27th of March, 1794, by an Act entitled an "Act to provide a naval armament," the President was authorized by Congress to procure, by purchase or otherwise, equip and employ, to protect our commerce from the Al- gerines, four ships to carry 44 guns each and two ships to carry 36 guns each, and to ap- point the requisite number of officers to com- mand them. The duty of carrying out the pro- visions of this law was assigned to the Secre- tary of War, Hon. Henry Knox.
.It was resolved that the ships should be built, and immediate preparations were inade for procuring materials and plans for executing the work. Joshua Humphreys was appointed naval constructor, and seems to have had the general charge of all the ships that were laid down. Six captains were appointed, and one was assigned to duty as superintendent of the construction of each of the frigates.
In a report submitted to the House of Rep- resentatives by Secretary Knox, under date of December 27. 1794, after stating the character. armament, etc., of the vessels ordered. the materials to be used and how to be obtained and
prepared, he goes on to say that, in order as well to distribute the advantages arising from the operation as to ascertain where the work could be executed to the greatest advantage, the building of the ships had been ordered in six different ports of the Union; one of the ports. selected was Portsmouth, Virginia, where a frigate of 44 guns was laid down. The Secretary further says that the following ar- rangement had been adopted for the construc- tion and equipment of the frigates, viz:
Ist. All contracts for the principal mater- ials for construction and equipment had been made, under pursuance of law, under direction of the Secretary of the Treasury.
2nd. All labor and inferior materials, not otherwise provided by the Secretary of the Treasury, were to be procured by agents, who were to be allowed a compensation of two and a half per cent. upon money expended by them.
3rd. The captains of the frigates were to superintend the construction and equipment.
4th. A master builder or constructor was appointed at each yard, and also a clerk of the yard to receive, issue and account for all public property belonging to the ships. To each of these officers had been sent his special instruc- tions.
The Secretary concludes his report by stat- ing that at the time the work was commenced few or no materials for construction or equip- ment existed in their proper shape : that every- thing, if not to be created, was to be modified ; the wood of which the frames were to be made was standing in the forests, the iron for cannon lying in its natural bed, and the flax and hemp probably in the seed: but that vigorous meas- ures were being made for collecting the ma- terials and pushing on the work, and it was hoped that the ships would be afloat during the following year ( 1705).
The marine-yard at Gosport was lent to the government by the State of Virginia, and. as will be seen further on, it was not purchased by the United States until several years later. Capt. Richard Dale was appointed superin- tendent of the yard: Josiah Fox, naval con-
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structor or master builder; and William Pen- nock, navy agent.
Timber of sufficient size for the purpose re- quired was not to be had in the market, and the government was compelled to contract for live oak and red cedar, standing in the forests of Georgia, the governinent to cut the wood, and the contractors to haul it to navigable wat- ers. A large number of ship carpenters and choppers were sent out from New England. John T. Morgan, a master ship-builder of Bos- ton, was appointed to superintend the opera- tions of the party; to select the timber to be cut ; cause it to be shaped by molds ; and to ship it north to the various vards. As the work could be done only at certain seasons, much de- lay was experienced, and the end of the year 1795 found not one of the frigates ready for launching.
In a report of the Secretary of War, dated December 12th of that year, it is stated that about two-thirds of the live oak frame of the frigate at Norfolk (Gosport) had been re- ceived, a part of the planking, the copper for sheathing and fastening, most of the iron work, tlie masts and spars, and the most of the other materials necessary were in store or being pre- pared. The keel had been laid and part of the frame bolted together and ready for raising.
On the establishment of peace, early in 1796, between the United States and Algiers, work was suspended upon the ship at this yard, and such of the materials collected as were thought perishable were sold, and the rest put in store, Mr. Pennock, the agent, being em- ployed to take charge of them. In June, 1797. the materials on hand at Gosport were valued at $52,989.
The breaking out of the war with France in 1798 gave a fresh impetus to the infant navy, and considerable sums of money were appro- priated by Congress for building, purchasing, or hiring vessels to be used against that repub- lic.
By an Act of Congress, approved April 30, 1798, a separate department was created for the administration of the affairs of the navy,
and Benjamin Stoddert was appointed the first Secretary of the Navy, George Cabot, of Massachusetts, having declined the appoint- ment.
In July, orders were sent to Mr. Pennock to recommence work on the frigate at Gosport, for which the name of "Chesapeake" had been chosen. During the same month, a brig of 200 tons, which had been built near the Navy Yard, by Mr. Herbert, and which was nearly ready for launching, was purchased by the govern- ment and fitted out, under the name of "Nor- folk.". Capt. Thomas Williams, of Norfolk, was appointed superintendent, and afterward commander of the brig, being regularly com- missioned in the navy.
Josiah Fox, who had been discharged from the yard upon the suspension of work in March, 1796, was now reappointed as naval construc- tor and directed to proceed with the work upon the "Chesapeake" on a plan proposed by him- self. by which the size of the vessel was reduced from a 44 to a 36-gun ship. The following ex- tract of a letter from Mr. Stoddert to the navy agent, under date of August 17, 1798, will be of interest, as showing the reasons for reduc- ing the size of the ship, and which is referred to more particularly, as a distinguished naval his- torian has made a very different explanation of the matter in his efforts to correct history. Mr. Stoddert says:
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