Dwight A. Hemenway a member of Company I of the 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery writes home to his father on April 28th, 1864.  The letter is 4 pages in ink and gives a nice description of the location of their fort… Fort O’Rourke located near Portsmouth, Virginia. 

 

                                                                                                                                Fort O’Rourke April 28^th/64

                        
                        Dear Father,

             Your favor was gladly received and should have answered sooner had I not
hurt my eye that is getting better now it is weak yet.  I repairing a gun for the
Major when a piece of a cap flew in my eye.  I had it taken out in a few minutes. 
My health is quiet good.  My work is not hard.  I am detailed in armorer for the
battalion.  There is but one company here, the rest are in forts back at Portsmouth. 
We have a small fort here.  There is 4 guns mounted and one to mount.  There is one
100 pounder Parrott Gun and four 48 pounder, 10 Coast guns.  The fort is an earth
work with a ditch around it.  The walls of the fort are some 10 feet high and about
as thick.  Our Camp is just outside of the fort on a plain about one mile from Norfolk
across a draw bridge on the South Branch of the Elizabeth River not more than 1 ½
 miles from Naval Yard at Gosport on the other side of the West Branch of the same
river. Portsmouth lies on the same side of the river and is a pleasant place.  Norfolk
is a dirty place and not very good looking.  There are some good looking buildings
but not many.   The soil on Ferry Point (where we are) is clayey but not as cold as
clay ground is in the North. It dries quick and is hard, it is good for farming. 

          
               There has been a great deal of moving in this Department in the last two
weeks.  I think the movement has begun.  There has been heavy firing yesterday
and today towards Yorktown I should think I do not know what.

            There was a soldier shot in Norfolk today for desertion.  He belonged to the
8^th Conn.  I don’t know his name, nor what part of the states he was from.  I have

got a letter from Geo.  He is at camp Marshall D.C.  Tell Julia that got the Box on
Monday.  The quickest that any box has come through.  I will write a letter to her
in a few days.  I got one from her today.  It has been quite warm but today it is
cold.  The trees have been blossoming for some time.  We have built a lay home for
the carpenter and myself and I like it well but I must close.  Remember me to
Mother and all the folks.  

                                                                                            Your Aff. Son, D. A. Hemenway

There was a soldier shot in Norfolk today for desertion.  He belonged to the 8th
Conn.  I don’t know his name, nor what part of the states he was from.  I have got
a letter from Geo.  He is at camp Marshall D.C.Tell Julia that got the Box on
Monday.  The quickest that any box has come through.  I will write a letter to her
in a few days.  I got one from her today.It has been quite warm but today it is
cold.  The trees have been blossoming for some time.  We have built a lay home
for the carpenter and myself and I like it well but I must close.  Remember me to
Mother and all the folks.

                      
                         P.S. Tell Julia that Henry Barton was at Plymouth, N.C.  I have not heard from 
                        and don’t know whether he was killed or not.  The place is taken and all inside.  
                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      Your Dwight.

A nice letter for the Massachusetts collector or someone living in the Portsmouth/Norfolk area. 

#HB59 - Price $95