Collection of 11 items from various naval officers, consisting of letters, documents, and two signatures. Items are:
Civil War–dated LS signed “S. C. Rowan,” one page, 8 x 10, off Morris Island, April 28, 1864. Letter to Captain John DeCamp of the USS Wabash. In part: “You will please transfer to the following named vessels, from the supernumerary firemen and coal heavers on board the U. S. S. ‘Wabash’ the number of men required.” Rowan was a vice admiral who commanded the broadside ironclad New Ironsides on blockade duty off Charleston.
ALS signed “Geo Henry Preble,” four pages, lightly-lined on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 8, December 15, 1869. Letter to Benjamin Lossing. In part: “I glanced for the first time this A.M. at your notices of the Oreto affair in your ‘Civil War’ and thank you for your recognition of the ‘cruel injustice’ that was done me by my dismissal, and which has not yet been entirely rectified to my satisfaction—I think however you might injustice to me qualify one of your statements—that while ‘waiting a few moments to see what to do’—she escaped etc—It is not one of my traits. No my dear Sir, I gave her only what I considered proper warning ‘The rule of the War’ as I considered it then & do now, and which I should follow under similar circumstances again—I have always considered I was very prompt in firing into her in three minutes & indeed as you will see even sooner for the third shot was aimed at her forefast.” Preble was an officer and writer best remembered for taking the first photograph of the Fort McHenry flag that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner.
LS, signed “C. R. P. Rodgers,” one page, lightly-lined, 7.75 x 10, Navy Department letterhead, March 25, 1873. Letter to Chief Engineer William W. W. Wood. In part: “On the reporting of your relief…you will regard yourself detached from the Navy Yard, New York, proceed to Washington City, and report, in person, at the Department.” Rodgers served in the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War, and as superintendent of the Naval Academy.
ALS signed “J. A. Dahlgren,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.75 x 7.75, US Navy letterhead, January 8, 1869. Letter to a gentleman. In part: “After some uncertain answers I asked the Secretary to day—he demurs to granting my request that you should be ordered here, because Congress had abolished the office of the Assistant, and ordering you might seem to be a contravention of the Congressional action.” Dahlgren headed the Union Navy's ordnance department during the Civil War and developed a number of guns and cannons.
Partly-printed DS from Hiram Paulding, signed “H. Paulding Cmdt,” one page, 8 x 9.75, April 21, 1863. Naval order for Engineer Nelson H. Lawton to report to Paulding “for duty on the Boiler experiment of the Steam Sloop San Jacinto.” Signed at the conclusion by Paulding and countersigned by Gideon Welles. Paulding was a Rear Admiral who served from the War of 1812 through the Civil War.
Partly-printed DS from Stephen Platt Quackenbush, signed “S. P. Quackenbush,” one page, 8 x 2.75, May 1, 1851. US Navy document confirming receipt of a $61.44 payment. In fine condition, with a vertical fold to the left side. Quackenbush commanded the USS Delaware.
Partly-printed DS, signed “William H. Low,” one page, 8 x 2.75, March 2, 1857. US Navy document confirming receipt of a $57.34 payment.
Civil War–dated partly-printed DS from Emile Gavarret, signed “E. Gavarret, M. D., Ac. Assist. Surgeon,” one page, 8 x 10, December 24, 1862. Gavarret confirms receipt of one pound of “Scillae” and two pounds of “Chloroform” upon the “ship ‘Clara Dolson’ at Cairo, Illinois.” Gavarret served as a surgeon in the Union Army.
Partly-printed DS, signed “David D. Porter,” one page, 8 x 13, August 19, 1865. Porter grants a four month leave of absence to an assistant engineer aboard the USS Penguin. Signed at the conclusion by Porter, with two endorsements in other hands near the bottom. Porter served as superintendent of the US Naval Academy after significant service in the American Civil War.
Ink signature, “Chief Engineer B. F. Isherwood, Chief Bureau Steam Engineering, Navy Department,” on an off-white 5.25 x 2 lightly-lined slip. Isherwood served as engineer-in-chief of the Navy during the Civil War and helped to found the Navy's Bureau of Steam Engineering.
A very nice 2.25 x 4 carte-de-visite portrait of Edward York McCauley in uniform and sporting fluffy facial hair, published by F. Gutekunst of Philadelphia, signed in the lower border in black ink. McCauley served on the USS Fort Henry.
In overall very good to fine condition. RR Auction COA.
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