| Pierre L'Enfant recognized this site
as strategically significant and recommended that a fort
be built on Pea Patch Island to defend the cities of Philadelphia
and New York. Several forts have been located here
since 1819. This concrete and brick version was finished
in 1859, two years before the Civil War. The property extends
over six acres, with 32-foot high granite and brick walls,
from seven to thirty feet thick. The sally port is
entered by a drawbridge over a 30 foot wide moat.
It was armed with three tiers of guns. Twenty-five
million bricks were used to build the fort and interior
buildings, which includes circular granite stairways.
Wooden barracks were built on the perimeter to house the
Confederate prisoners of war.The first prisoners were casualties
from the Battle of Kernstown in 1862, and most of the 1863
prisoners from Gettysburg were brought here, staying for
the remainder of the war. A total of 32,000 prisoners
passed through Fort Delaware. While conditions were
not admirable, it was relatively disease free with a low
death rate of 7.2%, compared to Andersonville (15%) and
Elmyra (22%). Most of the 2,700 prisoners who died
here are buried at nearby Finn's Point, New Jersey.
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Sightseeing in Delaware City as
we wait for the Three Forts Ferry to take us across to Pea
Patch Island.
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Ed previews the day's upcoming
activities as the Fort comes into view.
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And when we arrive, we're in for
a surprise. This is "Garrison Weekend" at
Fort Delaware, and the Commander and his wife greet us at
the gate. They were Brigadier-General Albin Schoepf,
and his very young wife, Julia Bates Kesley. Ed then
asks the Commander's assistance for Martha Hopkins, our
Smithsonian assistant. She is "searching"
for her great-grandfather, who was a prisoner at Fort Delaware,
after his capture at Spotsylvania Court House in May, 1864.
The General assures us he will do his best to find him among
the prisoners. Far right, photo of the real General
Schoepf.
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| An aerial view of
the grounds of Fort Delaware. |
Ed begins
the tale of Fort Delaware, describing the brick and concrete
fortifications, and the Revolutionary and Civil War history
of the area. |
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| The inhabitants of
the Fort. |
Ed meets Lt. MacConnell,
sent to assist us during our visit. |
Young Union soldiers
being punished, forced to sit on the hot cannon in the sun
and recite Shakespeare. We suffered as well. |
We continue on to
the officers' quarters and parade grounds. |
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| The soldiers
prepare for a review of the troops. |
Ed explains
Martha's search to the chaplain, who pledges to assist in
finding her great-grandfather. |
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| Packages
of goods for delivery to the prisoners.
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Inside the living
quarters, the General tells us about the Schoepf family's
life at the Fort. |
Captain Jastremski
tells us about the artillery at the Fort. |
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| No hostile fire was ever exchanged to defend
the Fort. |
A view of the drawbridge leading to the sally
port entry. |
Ed requests permission to visit with the prisoners.
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About two dozen re-enactors answer our questions
about prison life. |
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A prisoner at left almost falls
out of character as he excitedly shakes hands with Ed Bearss.
We go through the barracks listening to the soldiers' tales
of Southern life, their capture, and daily life as prisoners
at Fort Delaware.
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| Fort Delaware held over 12,500
prisoners at one time, but was originally built to hold
6,000. The last prisoner was F. R. Lubbock, governor
of Texas, released in 1866. Most could have been released
earlier, but they refused to sign the oath of allegiance
to the Union. |
The final part of the day was devoted to
Revolutionary War history.
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The path leads to Head of Elk, where the
Elk and Susquehanna Rivers meet to create the Chesapeake
Bay.
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Other Revolutionary War sites
included Cooch's Bridge and Glasgow-Aikens Tavern.
At Head of Elk, Ed discusses the significance of the location
and the impact on the local residents. During the
Revolutionary War, the English led by General Howe landed
here in August, 1777 and began the "cat and mouse"
game with General Washington.
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Of course, we never found Martha
Hopkins' handsome great-grandfather, William Albertus
Burns of York, South Carolina. But we met people
who were like him, we heard their war stories and we learned
about their lives. We walked past places where he'd
walked, and we took in sights he surely must have seen.
She didn't find him, but she's closer than she was before.
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| text & photos
Susan Dennis used with permission; aerial view, Fort Delaware
Society |
