ALS signed “J. Tyler,” one page both sides, 4.5 x 7, no date. Letter to Captain William C. Bolton of the “U.S. Ship Pennsylvania,” in full: “Jarvis one of your crew represents that he was drawn off for a moment from his boat from a desire to visit some of his old shipmates on the point and was most unexpectedly absent when you returned to Norfolk. He seems to be sincerely repentant and has begged a line from me in his behalf. You know best what is due to discipline, but if you can excuse the poor fellow I am sure he will give you no further cause for complaint. He was one of my bargeman last fall twelve months and behaved himself remarkably well. The whole matter however is in your hands." In very good to fine condition, with light irregular toning, and some staining and seal-related paper loss to the integral address leaf.
Captain William C. Bolton (1791-1849) commanded Gosport Navy Yard at Norfolk, VA (where the USS Pennsylvania served as receiving ship) throughout the entirety of Tyler's presidency. His time there for the short periods before and after Tyler was in office strongly suggests that the letter was written while Tyler was president. Bolton's widow, Mary, later married Naval Explorer Captain Charles Wilkes of the infamous ‘Trent Affair’ at the outset of the Civil War.
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