Fort Trumbull Working Party, Monday, 08/01/11

Lt. General U. S. Grant
Commander
All Federal Armies

Brig. Gen. M. Burbank
Commander
New England Brigade

Major D. Erickson
Commandant (acting)
U. S. Corps of Topographical Engineers

Most Esteemed Sirs;

I beg your kind indulgence to make my Chief Engineer's Report on the subject activity at Fort Trumbull at New London, CT.

In Attendance:

--Brig. Gen. Ian McKay;
--2nd Lt. Greg Webster;
--Lady M. Mathews.

I visited the local materials supply store this morning for some last minute needed materials and then proceeded to the 10:00 A.M. rendevouz with the unit. The following members were indisposed and were excused:

--Major Duarte;
--Capt. Lafleur;
--Sgt. Proctor;
--Corp. Grossman;
--Lady Webster.

Upon reaching the fort, we immediately started to work. In accordance with the desires of the Fort Ranger, we moved four of the newly renovated and painted metal shelving stacks into place in front of two windows in the Engineer's Bunk Room, one window in the Display Room, and one window in the Chief Engineer's Office. Once placed, we filled each shelf visible from outside the rooms with various engineering models. The shelf models in the display room were rearranged.

Lt. Webster then went to work completing the partially built wine rack that Major Duarte had begun at an earlier work party. The wine rack was finished and BG McKay placed the special labels (provided by Lady Germain) on the wine bottles that had been provided that morning. The wine rack and wine bottles were placed near the outside fireplace in the Bunk-room. BG McKay also crushed a large bowl of charcoal into powder to simulate the gunpowder in the magazine being used to fill artillery cartridge bags. The wooden powder bowl is now full of the simulated gunpowder topped with a wooden ladle.

When the charcoal crushing, and wine rack were finished, Lt. Webster and BG Mathews undertook to paint the remaining two steel shelving stands that will be utilized in the dining room. The Fort Trumbull Maintenance Supervisor was working in the fort and I mentioned to him about the interior access doors sticking due to moisture swelling, and the problem with the apparent lock's not opening fully. Also the door handle to the Magazine and Jail area fell off in my hand as I was trying to open the door. He said that he would look into the problem. Later he came back and notified us that the magazine door was open so I could put the crushed charcoal in the wooden powder bowl.

Lt. Webster had some additional duties to fulfill, so we completed the above work early and enjoyed a nice lunch together with Lady Mathews at a favorite restaurant.

Your Most Humble and Enduring Servant;

Very Respectfully;

Ian McKay, Brig. Gen. of Engineers (by brevet);
Chief Engineer
Chief of Staff (acting)
Lt. General U. S. Grant's Personal and Military Staffs
On Jun 28, 2011, at 1:12 AM, James Mathews wrote: