‘Civil War Lodge takes Fort Monroe’

    

The Lincoln Gun, located on the grounds of Fort Monroe. Cast in 1860 and named for the president in ’62, this beast fired 300-pound projectiles more than four miles against Confederate batteries on Sewells Point.

Let me begin with the news just announced: Civil War Lodge of Research 1865 will not meet in December for elections and installation of officers as usual, but instead will meet Saturday, January 16 at 10 a.m. in the lodge room at MAHOVA.

Light turn-out for our October 10 meeting
at Monitor 197.

But this edition of The Magpie Mason concerns our meeting last Saturday in Virginia, which was another great time split between the lodge communication and the extracurricular activities. We gathered at Monitor Lodge 197 in Hampton for a shorter-than-typical meeting. Some of the officers were unable to attend, so I had the privilege of serving as tyler.

(It is worth studying and appreciating the differences among grand lodges’ rituals regarding our tylers/tilers. For example, New Jersey’s Opening includes a fairly elaborate portion when the master summons the tyler, who enters, approaches the East, discusses his ritual duties with the master, receives the implement of his office and retires, and then the lodge is tyled and the Opening proceeds. Here in New York, nothing like that happens. The tiler remains outside the door and only receives news from the junior deacon. It is the JD who discusses the tiler’s duties with the master. In Virginia, there is yet a third way, one that is closer to New York’s ritual, albeit with something for the tyler to say to the junior deacon.)

Likeness of the USS Monitor displayed
in the lodge.

You probably guessed Monitor Lodge 197 was named for the U.S. Navy’s first ironclad ship, launched January 30, 1862, which famously fought the ironclad CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads in March. The USS Monitor was lost at sea in a storm on December 31 of that same year.

Painting of the USS Monitor in the lodge.
A gift from Bro. John D. Bell.

This was a quick meeting, maybe because, unfortunately, only eleven of us were present. We balloted on two candidates, one for restoration, and one for affiliation—both clear, making our membership 332 Masons strong. (That’s a lot or a research lodge.) One petition for membership, from Ontario, was received.

212 East Mellen Street, built in 1963,
is a short walk from Ft. Monroe.

Our annual meeting in December still was in planning, and, as noted above, this will take place in January. Looking at the rest of 2027, our meetings will be:

✔ April 10 at St. John’s Lodge 3 in New Bern, North Carolina;

✔ July 10 at either somewhere in the District of Columbia or in the GWMNM in Alexandria; and

✔ October 9, hopefully in Maryland, maybe at either Philanthropic 168 or Columbia 58 (the two are only about twelve miles apart).

And December 2027? I think that will have to be figured out by the then incoming Worshipful Master.

I assume this is one of the reasons the rebels never got around to capturing this U.S. fort despite its location in Virginia.

During WM Hare’s preview of our post-meeting visit to Fort Monroe, we learned:

⭑ Ft. Monroe remained a U.S. installation throughout the Civil War. Built in the early 19th century, it is named for James Monroe.

⭑ Edgar Allan Poe had served there as a sergeant major of artillery in 1828. Hard to envision, but there you go.

⭑ Robert E. Lee, a second lieutenant and engineer, was stationed there 1831-34.

⭑ Harriet Tubman factors repeatedly in the fort’s Civil War story, having served as a nurse and in other capacities 1861-65.

⭑ Jefferson Davis, having been captured in May 1865, quickly was sent to Fort Monroe for incarceration, and was released two years later. After touring the fort and its grounds, I can say there would have been zero chance of escape or forcible liberation from the site.

Outside Davis’ jail cell…

…and inside. Jefferson Davis was charged with treason, conspiring to assassinate President Lincoln, and committing atrocities against Union POWs. The murder charge didn’t stick; the other charges were dropped; he was a free man by the end of 1868. I don’t know who prosecuted, but if Jeff Davis walks on treason, you’re hopeless.

⭑ Fort Monroe became known as Freedom’s Fortress on account of its commanding officer providing sanctuary for escaped slaves.

Click to enlarge.
Didactic panels in the fort’s museum.

⭑ The Haunted Fort: Because of its four centuries of history, Fort Monroe is said to be home to spirits ranging from Davis and Poe to Abraham Lincoln and a number of lesser known local personalities.

But the proof is in the touring. We didn’t have a formal group tour so we visited independently, occasionally bumping into each other.

 

 

The 3-Inch Ordinance Rifle Model 1861 was manufactured by Phoenix Iron Co. in Pennsylvania. Weight: more than 800 pounds. Fired a nine-pound shell 2.25 miles.

Tobacciana is scarce in the fort’s Casemate Museum,
but I found this.

One of the gates to ingress and egress.
Obey the traffic light!

Quarters No. 1, where Lincoln stayed, May 1862,
while planning the attack on Norfolk, Virginia.

 

Eight, nine, and ten-inch Rodman Gun cannon balls,
recovered from the moat.

Known as the Algernourne Oak, it is approximately named for Fort Algernourne, a 1609 English stockade where Ft. Monroe would be constructed. It is approximately 500 years old, so it is credited with seeing the first slaves brought from Africa to the New World. Its trunk’s girth spans about 288 inches, and it stands 58 feet, with a crown measuring 88 feet.

 

This tree was planted June 6, 1984 to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of D-Day in France, and is planted in soil from Omaha Beach in Normandy.

The Parade Grounds.

While driving around the fort, I espied a directional sign pointing to a brewery. Despite my terrible sense of direction, I found Oozlefinch Beers…

…and had a Moat Monster (the fort is ringed by a moat) Stout Ale. It’s a dark beer, of 5% ABV, not a stout. It was okay.

Has Ft. Monroe a connection to New York City? Yes. Prior to the War of 1812, the government constructed a first, then a second, system of coastal fortifications to guard major harbors and ports. These included Monroe at Chesapeake Bay; McHenry at Baltimore; Mifflin at Philadelphia; and both Fort Columbus and Castle Clinton at Manhattan.

Origins of Monitor Lodge 113/197

A few days ago, I excerpted from Edward T. Schultz’s multi-volume History of Freemasonry in Maryland, and in Vol. 3 we find:

At the Semi-annual Communication [of Grand Lodge], May 1863, Grand Master McJilton reported that he had granted a dispensation to Bro. C.W. Thomas, Past Master, and others, for the opening of a Regimental Lodge, temporarily at Fortress Monroe. He stated, that “although the Fortress is in the State of Virginia, it is the property of the United States, and as it was impossible for the Brethren residing there to obtain a dispensation from Virginia, they accordingly made application to Maryland. The Brethren desiring the Lodge privileges were not residents of Virginia, but of Maryland and other States.”

Upon the recommendation of the Committee to whom the subject was referred, a Charter was ordered to be issued for Monitor Lodge, No. 113, at same Communication.

At the Semi-annual Communication, May 1865, upon the motion of Past Grand Master Ohr, preambles and resolutions were adopted to the effect that whereas regular communications can again be held with the Grand Lodge of Virginia, the Grand Master be requested to take such steps as in his judgment shall be proper for the withdrawal of the Charter of Monitor Lodge, and its transfer to the Grand Lodge of Virginia. In accordance with which the Charter was surrendered at the conclusion of the Communication, and turned over to the Grand Lodge of Virginia, which body at its Annual Communication, December 1865, adopted the following:

WHEREAS, A charter was granted in May 1863 by the Grand Lodge of Maryland to certain Masons at Fortress Monroe, empowering them to open a Lodge under the name of Monitor Lodge;

And whereas, the Charter was surrendered to the said Grand Lodge in November 1865;

Now therefore, in consideration of the fact that these Brethren at Fortress Monroe were cut off from communication with the Grand Lodge of Virginia, and therefore could not apply to her for authority to organize, and that the Grand Lodge of Maryland has acted so honorably and fraternally, in withdrawing their authority as soon as they could communicate with this Grand Lodge; that these Brethren yielded so readily, and have shown so commendable a spirit: now therefore,

Be it resolved, That their application for a Charter be granted under the name and style of Monitor Lodge, No. 197, with such officers as may hereafter be designated to the Grand Secretary; provided, the officers and members of said Monitor Lodge, No. —, who have received the degrees in said Lodge, shall first be duly healed.

The records of Monitor Lodge, No. 113, while working under dispensation and charter from the Grand Lodge of Maryland, and under charter of Virginia, as No. 197, to the year 1879, have kindly been placed by the Master in the hands of the writer, and from them the following items are quoted:

The first meeting under the dispensation recorded is March 31st, 1863, although reference is made to prior meetings. May 14th, Bros. Robert Quynn, David Martin, Wm. J. Stowell, Thos. J. Cooper of Baltimore, and Brethren from other jurisdictions were present, when the Lodge was constituted under the Charter, and the officers installed by Bro. Quynn, of Arcana Lodge, No. 110, Baltimore. Meetings were held nearly every week and many applications were received and acted upon. In accordance with the instructions of the Grand Lodge applications for initiation were refused from everyone not connected with the army or navy of the United States. It is to be regretted that in many cases, the rank and former residence of the applicants are not stated in the records. Brig . Gen. Rufus King of Milwaukee, and many others, were elected to receive the degrees, but the exigencies of the service requiring their presence elsewhere, never received them. The last meeting held under the Maryland Charter was November 28th, 1865. The following Brethren having served as Masters: Charles W. Thomas, Ely McClellan, Joseph G. Fulton, and John Bogart. The records have been well kept by the following secretaries: Anthony E. Stocker, James M. Meade, and John Bogart. In accordance with the resolutions of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, a meeting was held under its new Charter Number, 197, January 2nd, 1866, when Worshipful Bro. J.G. Smith, by authority of D. Grand Master Samuel Seldon of District No. 1, proceeded to formally heal the officers and members of Monitor Lodge, No. 113, in accordance with the requirements of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. The Lodge under its present Charter appears to have had a prosperous existence.