9 February 1863

Gordon, S.W., fl. 1846-1871

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas H. Patterson

Circular letter signed by Captain Gordon as commander of the USS "Powhatan" to Commander Patterson of the USS "James Adger." Says he has been ordered by the admiral to remind all commanding officers off Charleston of General Order No. 11. Says at the beginning of every month they need to start sending to the commander in chief "a statement in tabular form of the number of contrabands onboard, their rates and the time and terms of their enlistment." Written while aboard the USS "Powhatan".

GLC08519

28 December 1862

Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891

Document signed

Title: to Henry Walke

Signed by Acting Rear Admiral Porter as Commander of the Mississippi Squadron to Captain Walke as commander of the USS "Carondelet." Says Walke is not to let prisoners go to Vicksburg for any reason, nor to allow them any further communication with that place. Tells him to keep the "Minnehaha" under his guns and to make sure the ship does not keep up enough steam to move.

GLC08527

2 November 1862

Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891

Document signed

Title: to Henry Walke

Signed by Acting Rear Admiral Porter as commander of the Mississippi Squadron to Captain Walke as commander of the USS "Carondolet." Says he is sending coal down the river. Orders that army transport cannot have any of it. Says his calculations on the amount to send are based off navy needs alone and none can be loaned to the army.

GLC08528

9 July 1863

Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Civil War order to hold a court martial]

Orders a Naval General Court Martial at Vicksburg aboard the steamer Choctaw on 10 July 1863. Indicates that the court will be composed of Captain H. Walke, lieutenant commodores James A. Greer, James W. Shirk, John G. Walker, and Frank M. Ramsey, and Assistant Adjutant Paymaster C.G. Sownders. Written on stationary of the U.S. Mississippi Squadron, Flag Ship Black Hawk.

GLC08529

5 November 1862

Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891

Letter signed

Title: to Henry Walke

Signed by Acting Rear Admiral Porter as Commander of the Mississippi Squadron to Captain Walke as commander of the USS "Carondolet." Wants to have the tugboats in order so they can be ready for emergencies. Tells him to keep as few of them under steam. Says it will do the men good to pull in their own boats and that the squadron should follow that plan as much as possible.

GLC08533

11 November 1863

Lee, Samuel Phillips, 1812-1897

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas H. Patterson

Signed by Acting Rear Admiral Lee as commander of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron to Commander Patterson of the USS "James Adger." Congratulates Patterson on the capture of the blockade runners "Cornelia" and "R.E. Lee" (names of the ships from the docket). Advises him that the best place to secure adjudication of the prizes is in Boston, as Philadelphia and New York are known for delays. Says Philadelphia's District Attorney claims property cannot be condemned for a year and a day after capture.

GLC08534

7 November 1862

Porter, David Dixon, 1813-1891

Letter signed

Title: to Henry Walke

Signed by Acting Rear Admiral Porter as commander of the Mississippi Squadron to Captain Walke as commander of the USS "Carondelet." Tells him to send the "General Bragg" to Memphis for any repairs. Says there is too little water in the river around Cairo for the "Bragg."

GLC08575

16 May 1863

Turner, Thomas, 1808-?

Document signed

Title: Divisional order

Signed by Commodore Turner. This copy of the order could have been sent to Captain Thomas H. Patterson of the USS "James Adger," as the docket says "Jas Adger." Demands great vigilance of the blockaders. Has received information on a large fleet of steamers at Nassau ready to run the blockade. Reports that 1 steamer and 5 sailing vessels escaped Charleston Harbor last night, and only 2 were captured. Says two nights earlier a steamer ran into the north channel of the harbor without a shot being fired at it. Claims that most ships that attempt to run the blockade do so at high tide, but that…

GLC08576

19 April 1861

Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872

Printed document

Title: [A proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln concerning the effects of insurrection on maritime commerce]

Secretarially signed for William Seward, Secretary of State; signed in type by Lincoln. Pertains to the ports of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Lincoln states that insurrection in these states has prevented the uniform collection of revenue. Declares "I, Abraham Lincoln ... with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of the public peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or…

GLC00674

23 August 1864

Granger, Gordon, 1822-1876

Printed document signed

Title: [General Orders acknowledging soldiers' bravery in the capture of Forts Morgan and Gaines, Alabama]

General Granger relates his appreciation to officers and soldiers. Writes "In the midst of danger you have been brave; under the severest exposure and fatigue you have been patient... continue to cherish all those virtues of discipline and courage so necessary to the success of a soldier, which you have so signally displayed and which aided in producing the result that has fulfilled our most sanguine expectations. By your efforts, united to those of our gallant Navy, the strongholds of the enemy at the entrance of Mobile Bay have been captured..."

GLC01010

22 June 1864

Joy, George Mills, fl. 18301-864

Newspaper

Title: North Carolina times [Vol. 1, no. 44 (June 22, 1864)]

Union occupation newspaper. Contains a stories called "The Miser's Bequest" and "A Man Who Works Without Pay." Also comments on Ulysses S. Grant crossing a river to Covington and Harriet Beecher Stowe's "panegyric on President Lincoln." Includes Civil War articles, such as "The Success of Lincoln and Johnson a Death Blow to the Rebellion," referring to the election of 1864. Other articles comment on the movements of the Army of the Potomac, Yankee prisoners, and a mutiny, blockades, and "Southern Harmony." There is also a "Rebel Letter" and an article on the "Petersburg Capture." Prints laws…

GLC00900.02

1863-1864

Header Record

Title: List of blockade runners with ALS and photograph [decimalized .01-.02]

GLC01008

1863-1865

Drowne, Byron P., 1848-1933

Manuscript document

Title: Vessels captured within the limits of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron

Ledger book lists 42 ships captured from South Carolina to Florida with inclusive dates of October 3, 1863 to May 5, 1865. Six columns listed as: Prize (name of the vessel), Class, Whom captured, Where captured, Where sent, and Remarks. Occasionally, entries detail cargo found aboard the ship. Several are also marked "paid," probably referring to the prize money that was paid out for the captured ship. It is noted that on page 28, the vessel named Amazon had been captured from the Confederate forces. Found aboard were 11 enslaved people (unnamed in the ledger) and 84 bales of cotton.

GLC01008.01

21 October 1864

Drowne, Byron P., 1848-1933

Header Record

Title: Letter to his mother and photograph of Byron P. Drowne [Decimalized .01- .02]

Letter from 16-year-old Drowne to his mother, written on the USS "Catalpa" off Charleston. Accompanying photograph.

GLC01008.02

August 7, 1861

Walker, Leroy Pope, 1817-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Thomas Overton Moore

Walker, Confederate Secretary of War, discusses the Civil War with Moore, Governor of Louisiana. He states "The War existing between this Government and that at Washington will, probably, be prolonged during the coming winter, and, in view of the rigor of the climate at that season on the line of the seat of War; it is desired that our soldiers shall be well supplied with clothing." He instructs Moore to order Louisiana's Department of the Quarter Master to create enough woolen clothing to supply the needs of the state's soldiers. He cites the difficulty of obtaining supplies and provisions…

GLC00831

June 21, 1813

Hodgon, Silvanus, fl. 1813-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nathan Hodgdon

Informs his uncle that he has been aboard the frigate Macedonian for two months, which he reports is blockaded in by seven British ships. Asks him to send a letter to his mother and to give his love to friends and family. Also notes that his captain, Capt. Jones, is preparing for a meeting with a British captain.

GLC01450.705.01

8 June 1864

Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nan [Maury]

He has inflammatory rheumatism and hopes to recover enough to come home so she can nurse him. Received the letters to be forwarded to her aunt, noting that all blockade letters are inspected and Mrs. E's letter may be rejected because of it's length.

GLC04572.18

18 June 1864

Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nan [Maury]

Reports that he can now stand twice a day. Discusses a Lt. Johnston who commanded a ship that went to help a grounded blockade runner.

GLC04572.20

20 February 1865

Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nan [Maury]

Updates his wife on family members and expresses happiness that his son is better and recovering. Says that Humphreys wants the government to go into the cloth-manufacturing business "now that Wilmington is closed & we will have to look more closely to home for our supplies." Notes that the Navy "is confined to such a narrow compass now that it is hard to find work for the officers."

GLC04572.30

February 2, 1864

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louise Walbridge

News concerning his trip to Beaufort, blockade runner tried to enter Union occupied Charleston Harbor and ran aground near Fort Moultrie.

GLC04663.32

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