Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Pick a city or area, check for starfort structures, canals and field systems, etc.
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ranman
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Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:31 am

Much of Americas history is tied to this peninsula, it is bordered by the James River and the York River.

We are told that in 1607 English settlers founded Jamestown just 10-15 miles up river from Fort Monroe and that this was the foothold of what would become America, which took place on the other side of the peninsula in Yorktown when the English surrendered.

Today this area is called the "Historic Triangle" with Colonial Williamsburg in the middle. There is a 23 mile (37km) parkway that runs from Jamestown along the James river across the peninsula thru Williamsburg and then along the York river to Yorktown.
The parkway really is a beautiful drive, I found this statement while searching for the mileage: " Free of any modern commercial development, the parkway was designed to provide continuity to the visitor experience of motoring through nearly 400 years of American colonial history."

This has always seemed a little too convenient for me to believe, personal observations and common sense has had me looking for other answers for years.

I have a lot to add to this case study, many observations and information that now needs further investigation, it will take me awhile to get it all posted in a credible manner.

But let me end this post with this:

I figured if Fort Monroe was the head, where is the body? I looked at Yorktown and it looked, to me, a lot like it too could been a starfort. I knew there where earthworks on the other side of the river and if Yorktown was a starfort then there was a good chance these earthworks would be too.

So I went to check it out and much to my surprise, within minutes, was reading a sign describing the star-shaped fort named "Fort James". I picked up a pamphlet that says the same thing, it had this web address for the site.
http://www.gloucesterva.info/facilities ... intpark-10
But the website does not mention the shape, so I started searching the web for conformation. First I found this website
https://www.northamericanforts.com/East ... ml#tyndall
It had this to say:
" Tyndall's Point Fort
(Gloucester Point Archaeological District)
(1667 - 1699, 1710 - 1749, 1756 - 1760's, 1781, 1807 - 1815, 1861 - 1864), Gloucester Point
Colonists first built palisaded Fort James (3) at Gloucester Point (then known as Tyndall's Point) in 1667 to defend against the Dutch. It was rebuilt with brick in 1671. Ten mounted and eleven unmounted guns were reported here in 1690. Gloucester Fort (1710) (15 guns) was reported in ruins after 1749 and was rebuilt with 12 guns in 1756. British fortifications also existed here during the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, consisting of a main fort (Tyndall's Fort) and four outer redoubts. The point was refortified again in 1807. The Confederate star-shaped Fort Brown (1861 - 1862) (three guns) is located at what is now Tyndall's Point Park. A small portion is still extant, but well preserved. The Union occupied it in May 1862. A 12-gun CSA water battery was located adjacent to the old colonial wharf (no remains). Other unnamed CSA seacoast batteries were also in the area. "

Then I found this 2 year old newspaper story:
https://www.dailypress.com/features/his ... story.html

The story stated that old maps and hand drawn pictures had recently been discovered (I will post them next) it went on to make this statement:

" It also accounts for the elaborate defenses captured by the Powers map some eight months later, by which time the Confederacy had not only completed a formidable water battery defended by 11 guns but also erected two additional lines of intermediary earthworks between the river and the large, star-shaped fort that occupied the top of the adjacent heights. "

So, this starfort is across the river from Yorktown, but take a look at these maps and drawings !

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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:42 am

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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:35 am

I am told it is common for starforts to have a underground. Yorktown is no different.

This is what we are told:

"Cornwallis' Cave. Located on Water Street in downtown Yorktown, legend has it that this is where British General Cornwallis hid during the Siege of Yorktown. While this has been debunked, the natural cave was used for ammunition storage during the Civil War. The interior of the cave has been gated so visitors cannot enter the cave."

And that is about all you can find on it. At least for now.
Cornwallis' cave.jpg
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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:49 pm

Something just clicked in my brain as I was looking at the picture of Cornwallis' cave. I was thinking- how stupid do they think we are, that we would believe this is natural ? - When it hit me.

This picture was taken close to the road, this is what you see when you drive by. I have not been up to look thru the gate in probably 40 years, but I drive by it all the time. I know it has not changed at all in 40 years and they are telling us it was pretty much the same 250 years ago.

This would be no big deal if it was rock and I do think it is, but this is what clicked. That should be dirt, this is a peninsula created by the erosion from the mountains, there are not any rocks here naturally - certainly not of this size.


next time I drive by I will stop and check it out.

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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Sun Dec 15, 2019 6:34 pm

The leaves have fallen off the trees so I can now see the terrain for the first time since learning about starforts, looking forward to discovering many new finds this winter with boots on the ground research. I have recently made several new discoveries on the computer and will share them in the next several posts,
First I found a larger version of one of the maps.
vapennisula.jpg
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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Sun Dec 15, 2019 7:20 pm

Yorktown north center, Fort Monroe east center, Williamsburg west center - Richmond 30 miles further west and Jamestown Island just south of Williamsburg.
Directly south of Yorktown on the James river today lies Fort Eustis, it became the headquarters of the U.S. Army Transportation Command in 1946 (until 2010) when it became part of Joint Base Langley - Eustis in 2010. Current headquarters of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (from Fort Monroe).
There are two starforts directly across the river from fort Eustis.
His story -
Fort Boykin:
(1623 - 1862, intermittent)
Originally built for protection against Indians and the Spanish and called The Castle or Fort at Warraskoyack. Also known as Roger Smith's Fort.
Patriots rebuilt the fort during the American Revolution and gave it its present name, also known as Fort at the Rocks. It was rebuilt four times and is now in a seven-pointed star shape.
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.0346291 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Fort Huger:
(1861 - 1862),
A CSA 13-gun earthwork located directly across from Mulberry Point in Newport News. Originally known as Hardin's Point Battery. Also spelled Hardy. Abandoned by the CSA and then taken by Union troops in May 1862. The earthwork still exists.
forthuger.jpg
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https://www.google.com/maps/@37.1093094 ... a=!3m1!1e3

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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:26 pm

(1861 - 1865), Williamsburg
Fort Magruder was the main defensive position of the four-mile long CSA Williamsburg Line across the peninsula from Queen's Creek to Kingsmill Neck. Also known as Redoubt #6. Captured by Union forces in May 1862 during the Battle of Williamsburg. It was an elongated pentagonal eight-gun earthwork with walls 15 feet high and nine feet thick, and a dry moat nine feet deep. A small portion still exists with a monument located in a small park on Penniman Road.
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.2639975 ... a=!3m1!1e3

This is his story,
"The College of William and Mary was surrounded by earthworks and ditches by the Union to protect the grounds and buildings from Confederate raids after the town was occupied in 1862 - 65" , but you won't learn this in any school.

I have more to add to my story, but first I must go mow my leaves.

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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:36 pm

just realized I have never posted links to the Yorktown forts.
Yorktown https://www.google.com/maps/@37.2309488 ... a=!3m1!1e3
Tyndalls' Point https://www.google.com/maps/@37.2499316 ... a=!3m1!1e3

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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Wed Dec 25, 2019 10:39 pm

I just found a number of more old maps of this area.
This first map counts 17 starforts around Richmond Va.
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ranman
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Re: Fort Monroe and the peninsula it sits on

Post by ranman » Wed Dec 25, 2019 10:51 pm

I was unable to load these pictures in their original format here.
If you would like the best images, I was able to load them here.
https://www.minds.com/newsfeed/1056659639252418560

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