24 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says little has happened and they remain anchored at Alexandria. Says they were told to wait in readiness to man the town's batteries last night, but nothing came of it. Says the USS "Pawnee" is docked next to them. Went on shore and describes the town and the defeated soldiers from Bull Run. Has heard that no forward movement has been made by the enemy. Says "Last night and this morning they were reconnoitering from Washington in a balloon, and this morning it passed over Alexandria and descended just outside the town." Blasts the newspapers that were clamoring for the North to end their…

GLC03836.12

3 November 1822

Watkins, Tobias, 1780-1855

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Desires to be appointed to the now vacant position of Clerk of the House of Representatives. The office of the Clerk is filled by a vote among the Representatives, and Watkins was requesting Hobart's vote. Details his credentials, having been a public servant for nearly twenty years. Also notes that he has eight children to support, and is therefore in need of the position. Hopes for Hobart's support. Watkins was not elected as Clerk.

GLC06313.04.193

29 November 1822

Du Vall, E.W., fl. 1822

Printed letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Desires to be appointed to the now vacant position of Clerk of the House of Representatives. The office of the Clerk is filled by a vote among the Representatives, and Du Val was requesting Hobart's vote. Does not know Hobart personally, but refers him to politicians who do know him, and requests Hobart's support.

GLC06313.04.202

15 December 1822

Beal, Thomas P., 1786-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Hopes that Hobart can supply him with "The N. Intelligence" that he used to recieve from another Congressman, and discussed political races.

GLC06313.04.203

17 December 1822

Thomas, William, fl. 1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Offering Hobart a subscription to the local paper he publishes while Hobart is away in Washington. In return for sending the paper, hopes Hobart will send him any information he can.

GLC06313.04.204

8 June 1883

Forbes, Robert Bennet, 1804-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Writes to Walker that he has been busy fitting out the "Rae" and the "Rebecca." Says they both have a new coat of paint and that the "Rae" has been supplied with "important necessaries," including a cable and anchor. Says the men on board await his orders. Can send the orders to the ships by express to the railroad station or have the "Talapora" take them to the wharf in Portsmouth.

GLC03804.20

15 August 1884

Chandler, William Eaton, 1835-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written by Secretary of the Navy Chandler to Commodore Walker. Says he has telegraphed to suspend the orders to Europe of Surgeon Rixey and the leave of absence to Commander Evans. Asks him to follow through on it. Wants to know if Rixey is entitled to another European cruise or if he is being sent there simply because he is the son-in-law to the Commander-in-Chief. Says as to Evans, that he does not want to give him a leave of absence to go to Europe "until the correspondence with his friend concerning his recent detachment came to an end."

GLC03804.21

1 November 1889

Rockwell, C. H., fl. 1840-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written by Commander Rockwell of the USS "Yantic" to Rear Admiral Walker. Marked "Personal." Regrets that the "direction of Active Affairs in the Navy has passed out of your hands." Says he is about to embark on the cruise Walker arranged for him and wants to thank him. Says that "you will be followed by a measure of affectionate esteem and friendship, not awarded to any other officer in the service." Trusts he will live to see Walker promoted to Vice Admiral and Admiral. Has stamp, in purple ink, on recto that says "U.S.S. Yantic Nov 1 1889." Written at the Navy Yard.

GLC03804.22

circa 1894

Smith, John Butler, 1838-1914

Document signed

Title: [Request for the portrait of John G. Walker to be added to the collection of the State of New Hampshire]

A committee of distinguished citizens of New Hampshire requests a copy of Rear Admiral Walker's portrait to add to the state's collection. Says "The undersigned citizens of New Hampshire, mindful of your distinguished service and prominence in the United States Navy, and entertaining a pardonable pride that you are a native of this state, earnestly desire that your portrait be added to the collection." Contains 14 signatures, including: former Governor Moody Currier (1885-1887), former Governor Charles H. Sawyer (1887-1889), former Governor David H. Goodell (1889-1891), former Governor…

GLC03804.23

4 December 1897

Zelaya, José Santos, 1853-1919

Document

Title: Monopoly of lead, fulminating caps and cartridges for shot guns and revolvers

Contract approved by Zelaya as President of Nicaragua. Contract given by Minister of Finance Enrique Lopez. Probably arranged by Walker in retirement from the U.S. Navy working on the canal commission in Nicaragua, but his signature is not on the document. The president offered this contract to "increase the sources of revenue, so as to meet the increased expenditures which the public service demand." The contract contains 8 articles, the more important of which state that lead, caps, and cartridges can only be sold at government depots; lists of the stocks of these items owned by merchants…

GLC03804.24

January 18, 1898

Walker, John G., 1835-1907

Receipt

Title: [John G. Walker's reciept from the Gran Hotel in Managua, Nicaragua] [In Spanish]

Receipt for $219.30 from the Gran Hotel in Managua. Walker appears to have been entertaining guests or dignitaries. Receipt lists payments for a special apartment, 3 servants, and several bottles of wine, beer, and champagne. One of the guests with Walker is A. G. Menocal, who is tried before a U.S. Navy General Court in May 1898. Walker testified at the trial -- see GLC 03804.26. Another guest is Lewis M. Haupt, who wrote a letter to Walker at GLC03804.30.

GLC03804.25

9 September 1898

Haupt, Lewis M., 1844-1937

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written by Haupt, who was working with Walker in Nicaragua (see GLC03804.25 -- he is referenced as one of the guests on the receipt) on the feasibility of creating a canal there. Says he heard that "Menocal has been 'pardoned'" and assigned to duty "on the Commission." (see GLC03804.25 and .26). Also reports that "Ehle" has returned to the United States without any data, which is withheld at Greytown, Nicaragua, and that "parties are still in the field." Says he has been advised that Mr. Huntington has such control over Congress that no canal bill can be passed inside of two years. Haupt…

GLC03804.30

January 23, 1899

Kingman, W., fl. 1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written on letterhead of the Caribbean & Pacific Transit Co. Ltd. Written and signed by W. Kingman, who appears to be the General Manager of the company to Rear Admiral Walker as President of the Canal Commission. Provides dates when the ship "Victoria" can be placed at his disposal for the transport of the canal commissioners "to points on the Lake."

GLC03804.31

3 March 1899

Cheney, Leonard, fl. 1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written on stationery of the General Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States. Written by Cheney as the group's General Recorder to Walker as a retired Rear Admiral. Happily reports to Walker that he was unanimiously elected at the Triennial Congress of the Naval Order to the office of General Commander. He is to serve until 5 October 1901. Asks to be notified of his acceptance.

GLC03804.32

10 April 1918

Wakeman, Samuel Wiley, fl. 1917-1929

Typed letter signed

Title: to Francis Pickering Walker Thomas

Written on the stationery of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd.'s Fore River Plant. Signed by Wakeman as the General Manager of the shipyard to the daughter of the late Rear Admiral John G. Walker. Says he has been informed that she will christen the USS "Walker," which his shipyard is currently building. Says the boat will be launched sometime in the late summer and that he will notify her of exact arrangements.

GLC03804.46

10 September 1918

Wakeman, Samuel Wiley, fl. 1917-1929

Typed letter signed

Title: to Francis Pickering Walker Thomas

Written on the stationery of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd.'s Fore River Plant. Signed by Wakeman as the General Manager of the shipyard to the daughter of the late Rear Admiral John G. Walker. Tells Walker's daughter that the USS "Walker" will be launched on 14 September at 6 p.m. Will have a car sent to pick her up in Boston.

GLC03804.47

circa 1918

Typed document

Title: Walker

Document giving a description of the destroyer USS "Walker" -- named after the late Rear Admiral John G. Walker. It is noted that the ship was 314 feet long, was launched on 14 September 1918 at Fore River, Massachusetts, and that the family sponsor of the vessel was Francis Pickering Walker Thomas, the admiral's daughter. Provides a quick biography of Walker, focusing on his service in the Civil War. Very faded stamp at top says "Return to Mrs. R.T. Hall 611 Overbrook Avenue. Philadelphia, Pa." Underneath the stamp and written in pencil is a note saying "if incorrect." Document typed on very…

GLC03804.48

circa post 1907

Westcott, Allen, fl. 1907

Typed manuscript

Title: [Biography of John Grimes Walker]

Typed biography of Rear Admiral John G. Walker by Westcott (whose relation to the Walker family is unknown). Commences from his birth in New Hampshire in 1835 and goes to his death 1907. Provides a quick summary of his Civil War service, work in the Navy after the war, and his work in retirement as the President of the Isthmian Canal Commission. Corrections made throughout in several different inks. Stapled in upper left corner with 2 hole punches at the top of the document.

GLC03804.50

7 November 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West [incomplete]

Says he arrived in Foochow on 26 October after a 14 day voyage from Hong Kong. Ran into a northeast monsoon along the way. Says "Foochow is one of the few places I have never visited before on the coast of China." Goes on to describe the city, saying it only recently became an important city in the tea trade and that the Min River, which empties at Foochow, is very dangerous. Says the first thing he did upon arriving in port was a "regular house cleaning," and says the ship now looks like "a pretty girl rigged up for a ball, the handsomest craft, here!" Has taken on 200 tons of tea after…

GLC03836.01

14 March 1856

Miller, George S., fl. 1856

Printed document signed

Title: [Pass allowing Lewis West to leave the Victorian Docks in London]

Pass permiting Mr. Lewis West, the mate of "the Ship Screamer @ Calcutta to enter or quit the Dock up to 9 o'Clock, so long as the Vessel remains in Dock." Signature is sloppy and might not say "George S. Miller."

GLC03836.02

6 June 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

References his mother's and Mary's letters. Says he is finally in Shanghai "after one of the hardest passages I ever made, to, or from, the Indies." Says their sails froze to the mast in January and they could barely get them set. Goes on to describe the bad weather of the voyage in detail, including running into a hurricane after rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Says the voyage to China took 142 days and said "It is a relief to find other people worse off than yourself, so I was exceedingly pleased to learn that the, Magenta, a rival clipper, which sailed 8 days before us, was not yet arrived…

GLC03836.03

23 April 1861

Glapson, John J., fl. 1861

Autograph document signed

Title: to Lewis West

Written by Commander Glapson of the U.S. Brig "Perry" to West. Co-signed by the Lieutenant and commanding officer of the "Perry," whose signature is illegible. Document appointing West as Master's Mate aboard the "Perry."

GLC03836.04

12 May 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Tells his mother that he is sailing for the Chesapeake tomorrow. Says they have an entirely new complement of officers on his ship, except for him. Says the changes are for the better. The captain is from New Hampshire and is "sound on the goose question." Says he will write when they get to the seat of war "where I believe every body belonging to the brig is anxious to get, to relieve the monotony of our lives, which is perfectly disgusting in such stirring times as these." Hopes to "do my share of maintaining the honor of the flag."

GLC03836.05

21 May 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says they were supposed to leave earlier, but had to wait for the paymaster. They might leave tomorrow. Says the "secessionists" got some batteries up on both sides of the river and fired on the "Monticello" (West says she was also called the "Star") and goes on to describe the firefight. Six shots hit the ship, but no one was hurt. Says an English ship tried to pass through the blockade, but the USS "Minnesota" stopped her. Says his ship is a "contemptible little brig" in comparison to the "Minnesota" and the "Star." Reports that the "officers of the larger vessels kindly assure us we will…

GLC03836.06

3 June 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says nothing has happened recently except coming across a vessel from Bremen, Germany that was bound for Charleston. The "Minnesota" ordered it off and sent it to Baltimore. It is understood that they will be stationed off Fernandina, near the mouth of the St. Mary River in Florida. Speaks poorly of his captain, who "acted as if he was totally ignorant of the existence of such a thing as the Gulf Stream." Says they captured a ship with a cargo of cotton a few days before. Continues the letter on 4 June. Says the "Perry" captured its first privateer yesterday. Describes the 5 hour chase. The…

GLC03836.07