Rebel Yell

Fortress  Monroe

		One of four gates to Fortress Monroe.  If you look closely at the right side of the road, you should be able to make out the imprint of the old railroad that was used to bring supplies into the fort.  There is a war photo of a guard standing at this point with the railroad in view.
Picture to the right and below show some of the history of this fort and it's importance in the War Between the States. Edger Allen Poe was stationed here while in the army.  Below left is a cardboard mockup of a gun crew, with gun, as it would have been in the early 1860's.
In 1865 the old casemate was enclosed for a cell to house the president of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis.  The windows were added in the late 1800's.  The room was dark and damp, with little or no light coming through the small gunport of the outer wall.  Davis was allowed one candle.  As his health began to fail, he was moved to quarters such as those in the pictures above.  Davis, while held here, received a crown of thorns from the pope. The plaque above the door reads: "In this casement Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States, was confined May 22 - Oct 2, 1865. As his health suffered in the casement, he was removed to Carroll Hall in the Fortress where he remained from October 1865 until May 1867 when he was released on bail. He was never brought to trial."
		Davis was held here for over 6 months until it almost ruined his health.  Never being brought to trial, he was released on bond after two years of imprisonment.  The bond was paid by Horace Greely, the New York newspaper publisher.  Federal officials were told, if it went to trial, the question of seccession would be on trial also  and that they would more then likely lose.
Hampton Roads, where the ironclads C.S. Virginia and U.S. Monitor met.  The first time in history for two iron ships to meet in combat.  This clash would be a draw, but it kept the Virginia from finishing the job she had started the day before: sinking the blockading Union ships.  The North did lose 2 ships that day.