Hunt for historic plantation instead turns up Civil War fort

[Matthew.Rector]

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--plantationsearch0228feb28,0,4475136.story?coll=dp-headlines-virginia

Hunt for historic plantation instead turns up Civil War fort

By the Associated Press
Published February 28, 2004

SMITHFIELD, Va. -- Archaeologists combing a historic site in northern Isle of Wight County haven't found a sought-after 17th-century plantation.

But they have made several other discoveries, including an Indian village and relics from a Civil War fort.

The plantation may be the first English settlement in the county. Capt. Christopher Lawne built it in 1619, but it was abandoned less than a year later. If found, it would serve as a "time capsule," said Randolph Turner, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources' Portsmouth Office.

Local historians estimate the plantation is on about 1,550 acres of land in the county's northern tip. A developer, VA Timberline of Richmond, plans to build a 155-home subdivision on the property. County officials required the corporation to conduct an archaeological survey before construction.

The survey began in January. Archaeologists dug holes every 50 feet on the land and screened the dirt for artifacts. They found the village, fort relics, two early 17th-century structures and other objects ranging from pottery shards to a hand ax, said Dawn Reid of Archaeological Consultants of the Carolinas Inc., the survey's senior archaeologist.

The Civil War fort, named Fort Huger, was at Lawne's Creek. It's visible as earthen hills buried under century-old vegetation.

The findings have excited some local historians.

"We can learn about the art of earth fortification from Fort Huger and how Confederates defended the capital," said John Quarstein, Virginia War Museum director.

The developer has agreed to donate 21.5 acres of the fort site to the county, along with another 50 acres for a park. A decision has not yet been made on whether to send archaeologists back to the land for more excavations and analysis.

Historians still hope to continue searching for the plantation. Isle of Wight Historical Society members have told the county they want the development's remaining 950 acres surveyed. The land consists primarily of wetlands and other open spaces where no construction is planned.

Historical Society members also have expressed a desire to have another 41 acres of state land searched. The land is next to the planned subdivision.

Expanding the survey area, however, will depend on the county's budget.

"We have to balance our priorities," said Richard MacManus, who represents Smithfield on the county Board of Supervisors. "It probably will come down to cash flow."

[Jimmayo]

Re: Hunt for historic plantation instead turns up Civil War fort

This may have been an Archaeologists discovery but relic hunters have been hunting that fort for over 30 years and knew exactly where it was. It was a CS fort and when Portsmouth and Norfolk was evacuated by CS forces it had to be abandoned. There wasn't enough time to remove all the large caliber cannons which had been removed from the Gosport Ship Yard in Portsmouth and sent to the fort. They simply put several charges of powder followed by some 32 lb solid shot in the barrels and fired them. Pieces of cannon barrrels have been found all around the works. One section had to be removed by a back hoe it was so heavy. This section was donated to a museum in Newport News and now they can't find it.

[Jack Booda]

Re: Hunt for historic plantation instead turns up Civil War fort

Hey Jim,

My period map shows Fort Huger (aka Hill's Point) on the west side of the Nansemond River, just south of where the West Branch dumps in, right? Was Lawne's Creek known as the West Branch at that time? Are we talking about the same place here?

McPherson in "Lamson of the Gettyburg" gives the following account:

"...At dusk on April 14 [1863] four gunboats commanded by Lamson carrying two infantry regiments (8th Conn. and the 89th NY) did carry out the surprise attack on the Confederate earthwork named Fort Huger, capturing 161 prisoners (Lamson's count) and five artillery pieces. It was a brilliant action for which Lamson earned great praise from the top army as well as navy commanders..."

It could be that our dates differ, so could you dig up some info and give us the date the works were evacuated. Perhaps they were evacuated in '62 when Norflok fell and then reoccupied in '63 during Longstreet's attempt on Suffolk.

You know, since money is such a problem for the County, we should keep this up, get someone to check the infantry accounts on both sides, and we can have the research done for the Park Service. :)