Sixth U.S. President - 1825-29

U.S. Congressman John Quincy Adams submits information relating to the loss of a Seminole War troop transport in Tampa Bay, Florida

Autograph Letter Signed, 7 ½” x 9”, to “James Collier Esqr., Cohassett, Mass[achuse]tts,” with excellent early-Florida, Seminole War association.

As Congressman from Massachusetts, the former U.S. President informs Collier that he has submitted a report to Secretary of War Joel Poinsett regarding payment for the services of the schooner Rubicon in the rescue of the transport Charles Wharton, lost while carrying U.S. troops bound for service in the Second Seminole War. Congressional records state: “the ship Charles Wharton was chartered by the United States for the purpose of transporting nearly three hundred volunteer troops, with arms, provisions, baggage, and a quantity of sauer kraut from Philadelphia to Tampa Bay. While on the voyage, and so laden, about the 20^th of December [1837], she grounded on a shoal near the entrance of Tampa Bay, and was found in a very perilous condition…” The same record further indicates that the crew of at least one other vessel, “…at great risk, and with much labor, aided and assisted in saving the troops, the guns, ammunition, and private property of the officers.”

“Washington, 24 Feb[ruar]y 1838. Sir, I have submitted your Letter of the 6^th inst[an]t to the consideration of the Secretary of War, and have received an answer from him enclosing a report from the acting Quartermaster General T[rueman] Cross of the following report: ‘In reply to the Letter of Mr. James Collier referred to me by the War Department a few days since I have the honour to state that this office possesses no information whatever in relation to the loss of the ship Charles Wharton or the services alleged to have been rendered by the Schooner Rubicon. It appears however, by Mr. Colliers own admission, that the Quarter Master at Tampa Bay, paid the Captain of the Rubicon six hundred dollars, which it is a fair presumption was the value of his services.’ The fair presumptions of the Quarter-Master General may doubtless be rebutted by positive testimony. If you have any such, I shall be happy to give any assistance in my power to exhibit the same before the proper department. I am, very respectfully, Sir, your obed[ien]t Serv[an]t, J.Q. Adams.”

Interestingly, Adams’s nephew, Thomas Boylston Adams, a lieutenant in the U.S. Army and a Seminole War veteran, had died of disease at Fort Dade, Florida just two months earlier, on December 14, 1837. Also of note, Trueman Cross, the acting quartermaster general mentioned in this letter, was killed on April 21, 1846 by Mexican bandits near Fort Brown, Texas, just three days before the United States declared war with Mexico.

The sheet bears general soiling and wear.  Paper weakness and minor separation at the usual folds, along with several chips and tears in the margins, none affecting the text of the letter, have been professionally stabilized with archival backing on the reverse.

First President – NationalAcademy of Sciences; Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey – 1843-67; A Founder of the Smithsonian Institute; Grandson of Benjamin Franklin

Signature, a free-frank on the 4” x 8 ¼” front portion of an imprinted envelope, “A.D. Bache,” as Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey; addressed in another hand, to “Doct[o]r Ch. F. Peters, Albany, New York.”

The panel bears general soiling and wear, along with several light wrinkles and creases, and it has been backed with fabric.

American Historian & Diplomat; U.S. Navy Secretary – 1845-46; U.S. Minister to Great Britain – 1846-49; Governor of Massachusetts - 1844

Mexican War-Date Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, as U.S. Navy Secretary during the presidency of James K. Polk, to “John Clapham, Gunner, U.S. Navy Yard, Washington.” In a circular letter designed for distribution to Navy officials shortly after the outbreak of war with Mexico, Bancroft urges a prompt accounting of the Navy officers available for active duty.

“Circular. Navy Department, July 30^th 1846. Sir, With a view to ascertain as accurately as possible, the services of the officers of the Navy, you will be pleased to fill up the enclosed blank in conformity with the headings of the several columns and return it to the Department as early as practicable. Where the information called for cannot be furnished from original documents in your possession, you will state it from recollection as nearly as you can, designating the instances in which it is given from memory. Temporary duty – such as attendance on Courts Martial, accompanying recruits from port to port or annual survey of stores, and the like – is to be omitted. I am respectf[ull]y, Yours, Geo. Bancroft.”

There is scattered foxing, along with two light horizontal folds, and general soiling and wear to the integral leaf.

American Historian & Diplomat; U.S. Navy Secretary – 1845-46; U.S. Minister to Great Britain – 1846-49; Governor of Massachusetts – 1844

SHUBRICK, WILLIAM BRANFORD (1790-1874) U.S. Navy Rear Admiral; Awarded a Congressional Medal for Gallant Conduct in the War of 1812

Mexican War-Date Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, Navy Department, April 27, 1846, “Geo. Bancroft,” as U.S. Navy Secretary during the presidency of James K. Polk, to “Mr. John Clapham, Gunner U.S. Navy, Paterson, N.J.” Just three days after the United States declared war with Mexico, Clapham is ordered to report to Commodore William B. Shubrick for duty at Washington, D.C. In the lower margin, Shubrick further directs Clapham, “Report to Commander D… W. Branford Shubrick, 5^th May 1846.”

A lifelong navy man, Shubrick was awarded a Congressional Medal, the antebellum precursor to the Congressional Medal of Honor, for gallant conduct during the War of 1812. As commander–in-chief of the U.S. naval force in the Pacific during the war with Mexico, he was responsible for the capture of several port cities in Mexico and southern California. In 1862, Shubrick was promoted to rear admiral on the retired list.

The sheet bears scattered foxing and light wear and staining along two horizontal folds. While the signature of Bancroft is light, Shubrick’s notation is quite distinct.

Union Navy Captain; U.S. Navy Rear Admiral

Executive Officer of the U.S.S. Decatur in Action against Hostile Indians during the Battle of Seattle, January 26, 1856

As stated in Navy Department records, Middleton, a lifelong navy man, most notably “served as executive officer on board of the U.S.S. Decatur in operating against a combination of hostile Indians of the various tribes of Washington and Oregon territories during the war of the winter of 1855-56, particularly on the occasion of the attack upon Seattle, Washington Territory, on January 26, 1856.

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 8”, United States Navy Yard, New York, June 1, 1858, “Edward Middleton,” a partly printed receipt for Middleton’s pay of $101.71.

Overall condition is very good, with a minor paper break in the lower left margin.

U.S. Navy Commander; Was Presented a Sword by Resolution of Congress for the Battle of Lake Champlain – War of 1812

Document Signed, 2 ½” x 6 ½”, United States Navy Yard, New York, June 1, 1845, “Charles T. Platt, Com[man]d[e]r U.S. Navy,” the endorsed receipt on the reverse of Platt’s partly printed pay check.

There is light soiling and wear, along with two cross-cut cancellations.

Union Commodore

A lifelong navy man, born in New Orleans, Porter commanded Union naval forces at Ft. Henry, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Baton Rouge. He held no active command after promotion to commodore and died on May 1, 1864.

War-Date Signature, with sentiment and the rank Porter held from July 15, 1862 until his death during the Civil War, “Yours Respectfully, W.D. Porter, Commodore, U.S. N[avy],” on a 1 ¾” x 3 ¼” slip of paper.

Lightly and evenly toned, with old mounting traces on the reverse.

Union Navy Captain; U.S. Navy Rear Admiral – 1870-71

A lifelong navy man, Walke was instrumental in saving Fort Pickens for the Union when the Civil War broke out in 1861. He was actively engaged at Forts Henry and Donelson, Island No. 10, and in the bombardment and siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Tranferring Men to the Lafayette - Before Her Departure for Vicksburg

Civil War-Date Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, to “Paymaster F.M. Hawley, U.S. Steamer ‘Carondelet,’ Miss[issippi] Squadron,” directing the transfer of four men to the Lafayette.

“U.S. Steamer ‘Lafayette,’ Cairo, Ill[inoi]s, Jan[uary] 31^st 1863. Sir: You will please transfer the following men from the ‘Carondelet’ to this vessel, from Jan[uary] 18^th 1863 – the day they left the ‘Carondelet’: John G. Morrison, John Ford, Terry Robinson, Benjamin Holmes, and Maurice Phillips. Very Respectfully, Your Obed[ien]t Servant, H. Walke, Captain U.S. Navy.”

Under Walke’s command, the Lafayette, an iron-clad ram, would soon embark down the Mississippi River, where she ran the batteries at Vicksburg to participate in the battle of Grand Gulf on April 29, 1863. The Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg was surrendered to Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant just two months later, on July 4, 1863.

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds.