4 October 1773

Brown, Christopher, fl. 1772-1774

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Reports shipment of publications to Knox from Thomas Longman, with Brown writing on Longman's behalf. Also comments on the progress of other shipments. Longman was a London bookseller.

GLC02437.00091

January 28, 1840-June 28, 1840

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Journal of a Cruise of the United States Sloop of War Decatur

A look at the journey of the USS Decatur, commanded by Henry W. Ogden with a crew of sixteen officers and sailors. Information contained includes a daily account of winds, sea conditions, supplies, charts, bearings, etc. The Decatur sailed from New York on 16 March 1840 for duty with the Brazil Squadron. Quarter calf binding and corners, red "mottled" boards.

GLC05911.01

1856-1857

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Journal of a cruise in the U.S.S. Portsmouth on the East Indian station. A. H. Foote Esq. commander book I.

Calf cover. As part of the East Indian Squadron, the U.S.S. Portsmouth, under the command of Andrew Hull Foote, was ordered to observe British operations against Canton, China during the Second Opium War (1856-60) and to protect American interests there. On 16 November, 1856, Foote and a landing party were returning to the ship when they were fired on by Chinese shore batteries, despite prior promises of safe passage. The shots fell short, but Foote determined to retaliate. On 20-21 November, he led a landing party that quickly seized the Cantonese barrier forts. The action was both a…

GLC05911.02.01

1857-1858

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Journal of a cruise in the U.S.S. Portsmouth on the East India station, A. H. Foote Esqre commander, book III.

Calf cover. Refit at the Norfolk, VA Navy Yard completed on 26 April 1856. Covers U.S. activity in Asia, cruises to Hawaii, Hong Kong, China, attacks on the Barrier Forts and the second visit to Japan by an American ship. Excerpts: [21 September 1857] Continues from GLC05911.02.02. Argument between Capt. Foote and governor of Hakodadi over supplying the ships. "It was all a miserable attempt on the part of the Governor to keep us out of an article of the treaty by which he hoped to gain credit with the government at Yeddo." [25 September 1857] "I took a look to-day (only for a…

GLC05911.02.03

1862

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: Captain's letter book. Reports, letters and orders, U.S. practice ship John Adams.

The John Adams was a training ship for midshipmen at the Naval Academy. As such, the daily orders have many references to extra duties and "watch" dealt out as punishment for minor ("smoking", "for not having hammocks up in time") and more serious ("throwing salt cellar at sevt", "kicking a servant") offenses. The John Adams returned to New York in January 1862 after operations in the Pacific and Far East. She was then sent to Newport, Rhode Island, the wartime location of the Naval Academy, to serve as a training ship midshipmen. In mid-1863, she joined the South Atlantic Blockading…

GLC05911.03

20 July 1863-15 May 1864

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Diary

Title: Diary of Lt. Commander Edward Simpson

Diary of captaincy of the "Submarine Battery 'Passaic'". Details attacks upon Charleston, Fort Moultrie and Battery Gregg; inner workings of a Monitor and intraservice rivalries. Quarter calf, marbled boards, pencil loops. The USS Passaic, one of a series of single-turret ironclad gunships designed by John Ericsson, was commissioned in November of 1862 and assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. She saw action at Fort McAllister in March of 1863 and at Fort Sumter in April of that year. Following the latter engagement, she was sent to New York for repairs and command was…

GLC05911.04

20 July 1863-17 August 1864

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Letters U.S.S. Passaic S. Atlantic squadron from July 20, 1863 to May 13, 1864 and U.S.S. Isonomia N. Atlantic and Gulf squadron from Augt 17th 1864 to October 11th 1864

Majority of letters written and signed by Simpson, though several are clerically written and signed. Battle action of the Passaic off Charleston and battle reports of the steamer frigate U.S.S. Isonomia off Alabama and Western Florida. Also includes a typed letter from Charles W. Stewart to Lt. Commander Edward Simpson. The letter, dated 5 February 1906, is in regards to the return of Simpson's father's Civil War Journal. Enclosed with the letter are two circulars discussing the collection of US naval officers' papers and the desire to obtain them from families for public availability.…

GLC05911.05

19 August 1864-18 November 1864

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: Journal of a cruise in the U.S.S. Isonomia no. 1

No. I and II cover the record of the blockade ship Isonomia from the beginning of its service off Wilmington SC in August 1864 to 25 December 1864 when Simpson released command of the vessel. Calf covers. [30 August] "At daylight, Flag Pond battery & half moon opened fire on 'Dunbarton'" [this entry also includes a list of the nine blockaders present and the names of their officers; Simpson includes himself in this list] [31 August] "Had a false alarm and chased a shadow directed by a falling meteor which was mistaken for a rocket" [evidently Simpson's skittish crew was prone to…

GLC05911.06.01

19 November 1864

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: Journal of a cruise in the U.S.S. Isonomia, no. II

No. I and II cover the record of the blockade ship Isonomia from the beginning of its service off Wilmington SC in August 1864 to 25 December 1864 when Simpson released command of the vessel. Calf covers. [24 November] "…a seaman by the name of Wallace must have left the ship with the intention of deserting by swimming to one of the Keys. His pants and shoes were found n deck, and he had sold a lot of mess stores, that he had purchased from the "Union," a few days ago. Searched for him today, but could find no trace of him. Sent a boat to search sponging sloop in the neighborhood, but…

GLC05911.06.02

12 October 1864-1 June 1867

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Letterbook of U.S.S. Isonomia East Gulf squadron from Oct 12th 1864 to Dec. 24th 1864 and U.S.S. Mohican N. Pacific squadron from Augt 14th 1866 to June 1st 1867

Majority of letters written and signed by Simpson, though several are clerically written and signed. Attacks on Fort Sumter, engagements with blockade runners and attacks on various gun batteries. Includes two letters regarding deserters of the U.S.S Mohican (stored in separate folder). Quarter morocco, marbled boards. Commissioned in 1859, the steam sloop USS Mohican served in the African Squadron in 1860-1861, before joining the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. In October of 1862, the Mohican was sent on a fruitless search for Confederate raiders, the Florida and the Alabama; she…

GLC05911.07

18 August 1866-11 August 1867

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: Abstract journal U.S.S. Mohican N. P. [North Pacific] squadron

Written as commander, details cruises to and from South America. Photograph of the U.S.S. Mohican on p. 1. Hand drawn coastal and harbor charts for northern coast of South America, Panama and Uruguay. Engravings (clipped from magazine, news papers and cartes de visite) pasted in relevant portions of the log. Also includes a hand-drawn map of the North Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans (stored in separate folder).

GLC05911.08

6 September 1866-18 August 1868

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Manuscript

Title: Remark book. United States stmr "Mohican" & U.S. steamer Mohengo

Commander Simpson details cruises on the Mohican and Mohengo along the coasts of Central and South America and as far west as Hawaii. Log contains mainly observations of weather, position and conditions of the various ports and harbors visited. Envelope inscribed "Remark Book" pasted to the front.

GLC05911.09

15 December 1873-30 April 1874

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Letterbook

Title: No. 1 Letters, U.S.N.

Correspondence of Captain Simpson.

GLC05911.10

10 February 1874-13 April 1874

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: No. 3 journal U.S.N.

Log begins aboard the Franklin in Florida Bay. First Rate Captain Simpson was transferred to the Wabash in April 1874.

GLC05911.11

15 December 1873-9 February 1874

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: No. 3 journal U.S.N.

Log of the U.S.S. Franklin.

GLC05911.12

July 7 1875-15 November 1875

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: No. 3 journal U.S.N.

Captain Simpson's log of the U.S.S. Omaha "2nd Rate" on a cruise from "Panama Bay" [the Gulf of Panama] down the western coast of South America and around the Straits to Valaparaiso, Chile concluding at Callao, Peru.

GLC05911.13

26 June1875-3 May 1876

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Manuscript

Title: No. 1 letters U.S.N.

Captain Simpson's correspondence aboard the U.S.S. Powhatan (June 26 - 29, 1875) and the U.S.S. Omaha (July 9, 1875 - May 3, 1876). Original bookmark removed from page 221 to collateral file.

GLC05911.14

31 May 1876-16 July 1877

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Manuscript

Title: No. 2 letters. U.S.N .

Captain Simpson's letters from the U.S.S. Omaha cruising off the western coast of Central and South America. Includes two letters from Newport, Rhode Island dated April 1877.

GLC05911.15

January 14, 1881-March 2, 1886

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Manuscript

Title: Letter press book

Commodore Simpson's letterpress book with blotter papers and original correspondence interleaved in chronological order.

GLC05911.16

5 September 1880-31 March 1882

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: Journal of Edward Simpson, Jr.

Lt. Simpson's personal journal on board the U.S.F.S Richmond in the South Pacific Ocean.

GLC05911.19.01

October 14, 1880-February 25, 1882

Simpson, Edward Jr., fl. 1880-1882

Manuscript

Title: Navigation note book

Lt. Simpson's navigational logbook aboard the U.S.F.S. Richmond in the South Pacific Ocean. Pages 156 - 180 are a series of question and answer exercises on the theory and practice of navigation. Page 181 contains a series of translation exercises from English into both Spanish and French.

GLC05911.19.02

September 17, 1894-January 19,1896

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Lieutenant Edward Simpson, Jr.'s personal journal of a voyage on the U.S.S. Concord and the U.S.F.S. Baltimore in the South Pacific].

Written aboard the U.S.S. Concord and the U.S.F.S. Baltimore. Particularly focused around Port Arthur, Japan. U.S.F.S. Baltimore containing 1) 9 October 1894 Nippon, Japan, "S. Ito, Commander-in-chief of H. I. Japanese M.'s United Squadron" "Official Report of the Naval Engagement which took place in the sea off Taikoshan . . . (Extract [and translation] from the report made by our commander-in-chief of the Fleet" and 2) 2 October 1894 Jiji Shimpo "The Real Condition of the Great Naval Battle in the Yellow Sea." Collateral material removed from volume: envelope addressed to Lieutenant…

GLC05911.20

7 December 1860-15 June 1861

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Scrapbook

Title: Newspaper scrapbook

Clippings from the New York Times, Baltimore Sun and the [ ] Daily Gazette, pasted in a blank account book and indexed on pages A/B - Y/Z. Leather covers with ornamental stamping in brown, red leather label with gilt title "LEDGER" on spine.

GLC05911.21

26 November 1875-15 November 1876

Simpson, Edward, 1824-1888

Manuscript

Title: Night order book

Pages one and two are "General Instructions", remainder of the book is Simpson's orders to the night watch on board the U.S.S. Omaha at sea.

GLC05911.22

20 September 1885

Manuscript

Title: French conjugation chart

Written from U.S. Marine Barracks, in Annapolis, Maryland. "Locality being a powerful aid to the Memory . . . to conjugate the verbs... and... the gender of French nouns." Red, blue and yellow "swirl" marbled boards.

GLC05911.23