Virginia's Fort Nelson

In the last post, I came across the name of a Fort Nelson, located across the Elizabeth River from Fort Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia.

From HMDB.

Fort Nelson, currently the site of Portsmouth Naval Hospital.  Built by Virginia in 1776, during the Revolutionary War of timber and earth.  Three years later, the British fleet captured it and removed the artillery and tore down the parapets.  From 1779-1781, it was occupied by the British under Lord Cornwallis and Benedict Arnold.

The U.S. reconstructed it in 1799 of earth lined with brick.

The Confederates occupied the fort until the capture of Norfolk in 1862.

--Brock-Perry