Union Rear Admiral

WELLES, GIDEON (1802-78)  U.S. Secretary of the Navy - 1861-69

As commodore in the U.S. Navy, Foote provided naval support in the Federal operations against Forts Henry and Donelson and in the bombardment of Island #10. Promoted to rear admiral for those actions, he died shortly after being transferred to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in 1863.

As the Country Prepares for War - Just a Month Before the Bombardment of Ft. Sumter - a Union Sailor is Detached to Await Orders

Endorsement Signed, “Forwarded by A.H. Foote…March 11/[18]61,” on the reverse of the attached leaf of a Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, by Navy Secretary Gideon Welles. In an action undoubtedly replicated throughout the military, emblematic of the nation’s preparation for the Civil War that would break out just a month later, Welles orders “3^rd Ass[istan]t Engineer Oscar H. Lackey, U.S. Navy, New York,” detached from his prior assignment aboard the Crusader, to await further orders:

“Navy Department, 9 March 1861. Sir, You are hereby detached from the Crusader and you will regard yourself as Waiting Orders. I am, respectfully, Your Obed[ien]t Serv[an]t, Gideon Welles...”

The letter-sheet is lightly and evenly toned, with an old clip hole in the upper margin. The integral leaf signed by Foote bears heavier soiling and wear, and contains an extremely detailed Navy Department watermark.

Union Rear Admiral

A distant cousin of Robert E. Lee, Samuel P. Lee remained loyal to the Union when war erupted in 1861. He commanded numerous ships during the course of the war, most notably on blockade duty, from which he received more than $100,000 in prize money for the capture of Confederate blockade runners.

Letter Signed, 8” x 13 ½”. As commander of the North Atlantic Fleet in Key West, Florida, Lee directs Commodore Joseph F. Green in the use of coal for U.S. Navy vessels at St. Thomas, due to the expiration of a contract for its receipt and storage.

“U.S.S. Severn (2^nd Rate), Key West, Fl[orid]a, February 13^th 1871. Commodore Joseph F. Green, U.S.A., Commander of Squadron, North Atlantic Fleet, or Senior Naval Officer in Dominican Waters. Sir, The Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting under date of January 24^th 1871 informs me that as it intends to discontinue its contract with Mrs. Johanna Gordon, from and after the 24^th June next, (the date of its expiration) for the receiving, storing &c. of the Government coal at St. Thomas, it is desirable that the stock of Coal on hand (263 tons) as per report of 25 Dec[ember] 1870, should be used up before the expiration of the contract. Please therefore give such directions to cruisers under your command, as will accomplish this object. When the stock of Coal on hand has been used up, Coal may be bought at ‘St. Thomas,’ to the best interests of the Government, whenever required by cruisers touching at that port. Respectfully Yours, S.P.Lee, Rear Admiral Com[mandin]g N[orth] A[tlantic] Fleet.”

The letter has three horizontal folds, and there is a diagonal break, with no loss of paper, at center left. A strip of old paper backing along the left edge is still present.

U.S. Navy Admiral; Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet – 1941-45

During the Final Months of World War II, Nimitz Expresses Support for a Rehabilitation Center for Wounded Veterans on Staten Island – Modeled after FDR’s Facility at Warm Springs, Georgia

War-Date Typed Letter Signed, 8” x 10 ½”, on imprinted stationery as Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet during World War II, to “Irving Geist, 1372 Broadway, New York, New York.”

Writing from his Advance Headquarters on Guam during the final months of the war, Nimitz expresses support for “constructing swimming pools, similar to those at Warm Springs,” the facility founded by Franklin Roosevelt in Georgia to treat victims of polio, for the rehabilitation of wounded World War II veterans at the Halloran General Hospital on Staten Island. He further declines to submit a statement and a photograph for publication, due to the demands of the war. A well-known New York philanthropist, Geist had committed to the task of raising the estimated $150,000 to finance the project at Halloran General Hospital the previous year.

Dear Mr Geist:

This will acknowledge your letter of 3 May 1945, which has just reached my Advance Headquarters at Guam.  You may be certain that measures undertaken for the benefit of our returning wounded veterans have my most sympathetic approval. I congratulate you and the men associated with you on your project for constructing swimming pools, similar to those at Warm Springs, for the Halloran General Hospital and I hope and believe that they will prove beneficial to the men for whose use they are intended.

The increasing momentum of the Pacific war has made so many demands upon my time that I have been obliged to adopt a policy of not making statements for publication in connection with endeavors which are not of national scope, however worthwhile such endeavors may be. Therefore I must regretfully decline your request that my photograph and a statement from me be sent for publication in the Dedication Journal.

I deeply appreciate the patriotic motive which prompted you in making the request and offer you my good wishes for the success of your endeavor.

Sincerely yours,

C.W. Nimitz,

C.W. NIMITZ
Fleet Admiral, U.S. Navy.”

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds, and there are two pinholes and a light paper clip indentation in the upper margin.

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.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy - 1861-69

Signature, as U.S. Navy Secretary, “Gideon Welles,” on a 1 ¾” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, removed from a letter.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few small stains and a slightly irregular upper edge.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy - 1861-69

Signature, as U.S. Navy Secretary, “Gideon Welles,” on a 1 ¼” x 3 ¾” portion of an appointment document.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a vertical crease through the signature.