1857

Manuscript document

Title: Commanders Stationery for the U. S. Sloop War "Dale"

A list of the stationery items belonging to the captain of the U.S.S. "Dale," including envelopes, letters and other items.

GLC00722.72

circa 1856

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George C. Whiting

Franklin Pierce discusses the pension for the widow of Navy Commander Samuel Larkin. He mentions testimony given on the cause of his death which showed that Larkin contracted the disease while on duty in Africa. Paper watermarked "Joynson/1856." Letter written during Pierce's presidency and docketed "President Pierce."

GLC00655.09

19 August 1844

Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858

Document signed

Title: General Order no. 17, re: Texas question and possibility of more service

Docketed. Directed to the African Squadron; received on Oct. 19.

GLC00896

1844

Header Record

Title: [Two letters to Thomas T. Craven] [Decimalized .01 and .02]

GLC00815

January 3, 1844

Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas T. Craven

Perry, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces on the western coast of Africa, writes from the U.S.S. Macedonia (off the coast of Monrovia) to Lieutenant Commodore Craven of the U.S. Brig Porpoise. He directs Craven to survey anchorage at Fish Town, near Cape Palmas. He details how the survey should proceed with regard to the study of tides, winds, weather, beach conditions, and coastal resources. He reminds Craven to pay attention to the crew's health. With a signed postscript about chart making. Perry was engaged in suppressing the slave trade off the West coast of Africa. (Also see GLC00722).

GLC00815.01

September 13, 1844

Canot, Theodore, 1804-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas T. Craven

Canot writes to Lieutenant Commodore Craven about the building and rigging of ship to be named 'Le Pauvre Diable.' He asks to borrow a book on shipbuilding if possible, and asks for advice on how to rig his ship in "the American stile."

GLC00815.02

May 6, 1857

Manuscript document signed

Title: Extract of a dispatch from Mr. Crawford to Lord Clarendon

A manuscript extract from a May 6, 1857 dispatch from British consul at Havana, Joseph T. Crawford, to Lord Clarendon, giving names and tonnage of five American vessels sent to Havana, presumably for the slave trade. The ships are the schooner "Abbot Devereaux," brig "R.B. Lawton," schooner "J.H. Record," barque "Clara B. Williams" and barque "Minetonka." This is followed by a one paragraph update, written in the same hand as the extract, and signed "G.G.," noting the August 1, 1857 capture of the "Abbot Devereaux," with 266 slaves on board, by the HMS "Frazer" and the September 2, 1857…

GLC05832.01

12 October 1857

Davidson, Hunter, 1827-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William McBlair

Lt. Davidson of the USS "Dale" reports on his official interview with Commodore Wise, commander of the H.M.S. "Vesuvius," regarding Wise's capture of the slaveship "Bremen" on October 10, 1857. Davidson interviewed Wise by order of the captain of the "Dale," William McBlair. Written on board the U.S.S. "Dale" off the West Coast of Africa. Davidson relays Wise's statement that he boarded the "Bremen" and told her captain that he knew she was a slaver flying an American flag without proper papers. The slaver's captain then threw the flag and papers overboard, stating that he would rather be…

GLC05832.02

October 19. 1857

Conover, Thomas A., 1794-1864

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to William McBlair

Directing McBlair to proceed to the Congo River area to suppress the illegal traffic in slaves and ordering him to cooperate with British naval forces already in the area. Sends "private instructions" (possibly related to GLC00722.04) on how to deal with foreign vessels. Tells McBlair "The slave trade appears to be centered chiefly at and near the mouth of the Congo River" and that he should patrol mostly around this area while searching for illegal slave trading ships. Written on board the U.S.S. "Cumberland" at St. Paul de Loando, now called Luanda, the capital of Angola. These orders…

GLC05832.03

13 November 1857

Burgess, George F., 1827-1860

Manuscript document

Title: [Statement regarding slave ship capture]

Clerical copy of a statement by British commander George F. Burgess recording the capture of the slave ship "Joseph H Record" by HMS "Antelope" on September 3, 1857. The vessel had "191 Slaves on board - and had a crew of Spaniards & Italians - or other foreigners - no papers or colours." The statement also excerpts the boarding book of the HMS "Hecate" regarding information received about the "Windward," a ship flying American colors, but with a Portugese crew. The original statement was written on board the HMS "Hecate" at Sharks Point, R. Congo. The schooner "Joseph H. Record" was…

GLC05832.04

1856-1859

Jackson, George E.G., 1856-1859

Header Record

Title: [2 ship's logs]

The HMS Antelope, on anti-slavery duty off the West African coast. Two ship's logs,"From 3rd Dec 1856 till 20th March 1859, Commanded by Lieutenant John Wm. Pike, Kept by Geo. E. G. Jackson, Master's Asst." Text and hand-drawn pencil sketches, diagrams of the ships, and watercolor representations of islands visited in enforcing the British prohibition against slavery. "29th day of June 1857… Anchored off Whyda … 3:45 Stopped & came too…a schooner - under American colors - sent on board to examine Schooner - Found her the late "Montague" of New Orleans but now claiming no nationalty fully…

GLC09275

1850-1851

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Journal of the U.S.S. Portsmouth of the African Squadron, U.S. Navy]

Journal of the U.S.S. Portsmouth of the African Squadron, U.S. Navy, organized to protect legitimate American trading activity in western Africa, as well as to suppress "the Slave trade, so far as the Citizens of Flag of the U.S. may be found engaged therein." Includes a letter to the commander of the U.S.S. Dale, sending a copy of the treaty with Britain that authorized the anti-slave trade patrols, and the following order: "Should you meet any of the British Cruisers engaged in the suppression of the Slave trade, you are to communicate freely with them on this service, and whenever it can…

GLC09362

December 31, 1791 - January 3, 1792

Stagg, John, Jr., 1758-1803

Manuscript document signed

Title: [War office salaries]

First page written on 31 December 1791 delineates the salaries of seven members of the War Department for the months of October, November, and December. An additional member, Caleb Swan, was added on 11 March (from the day he returned from Creek Nation) to 31 December 1791. Notes that Knox made $750. A total of $1,840.28 was paid in salaries to all eight men for this period. Second page dated 3 January 1792 has signatures of those noting they received their salaries. Knox did not sign the document. Cummings made an "X" for his mark. Signed by the five other men, John Stagg, R.J. Vanden…

GLC02437.05280

4 June 1852

Lavallette, Elie Augustus F., 1790-1862

Letter signed

Title: to Andrew H. Foote

Written by Lavallette as Commander in Chief of the African Squadron to Lieutenant Foote. Forwards a letter he found in his papers (not included). Hopes Foote had a short passage and a pleasant meeting with his family and friends. Document has been torn in upper right corner and is close to being torn along the folds. Written while aboard the "USS Germantown".

GLC03479.19

February 18, 1859

Toucey, Isaac, 1796-1869

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Thomas A. Conover

Secretary of the Navy Toucey orders Conover to direct the U.S.S. "Dale" to "proceed to the Navy Yard at Portsmouth, N.H." Marked "Duplicate" at top of page. Written at the "Navy Department."

GLC00722.48

1857 circa

Pike, John W., fl. 1857

Manuscript document

Title: Information regarding slavers, received from the master of the "Jupiter" captured by Her M S "Antelope"

Clerical copy of a deposition taken by Lt. John W. Pike, captain of the HMS "Antelope," from the master of the "Jupiter," an illegal slaver captured by the "Antelope" in June of 1857. The statement describes the operation of an illegal slave ship, including financing, use of false papers and colors, circuitous route taken, initial contact with slave traders in Africa by the raising of certain colors, refitting of the ship from a merchant hold to a slave ship, picking up of the slaves some time later, and other tactics. It then details the voyage of the "Jupiter" prior to her capture. The…

GLC05832.05