Review of Situation & Accounting for Construction of Fort McHenry; Need for Additional Funds
Item
Type
Letterbook Copy
Title
Review of Situation & Accounting for Construction of Fort McHenry; Need for Additional Funds
Description
Expresses the Baltimoreans' concern that insufficient money to finish the fortifications at Fort McHenry will leave the harbor defenseless. After affirming Baltimore's vital state as a port, Gilmer re-states the issue of the fort thus far, concluding with the point that Major Tousard estimated a cost of almost $31,000, while only $20,000 was allotted by the federal government. Notes that the superintendent government engineer, Mr. Foncin, has found that additional parts of construction are necessary which were not part of Tousard's original estimate. Says that the hoped-for voluntary contributions of the citizens will not be sufficient to make up the needed difference, now estimated at $32,000 after Foncin's estimates. States hope that the government will invest additional funds in Baltimore's fortifications. Mentions that the current project, the "tower battery," will be continued to completion, and annexes Foncin's new set of estimates.
year created
1799
month created
05
day created
06
author
sent from location
Baltimore
recipient
in collection
in image
note
Enclosed in McHenry to Adams, 08/19/1799.
notable person/group
James McHenry
Robert Gilmor
Secretary of War
Major Tousard
Mr. Foncin
superintendent
engineer
congress
chairman naval committee
notable location
Baltimore
Maryland
harbor
Fort McHenry
notable item/thing
plan
estimate
fortifications
tower battery
construction
funding
harbor defense
lower battery
foundation
wall
rampart
lime
bricks
land
masonry
earth
parapet
powder magazine
cistern
buildings
document number
1799050640101
page start
22
Item sets
Transcribe this document
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (5 pages) | IDI08 (34 pages) | Collection: John Adams Papers | R: 396 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Robert Gilmor | Baltimore | [n/a] |
| Recipient | James McHenry | [unknown] | [n/a] |