Two War-Dated DS by Gideon Welles & John Dahlgren to J. C. Williamson

A pair of two Civil War-dated documents signed by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles and Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren. Both are addressed to Commander James C. Williamson. The first letter, signed "Gideon Welles" is 1p of a bifolium, measuring 8" x 10", Navy Department, dated July 7, 1862. Addressed to Williamson as Commander of the USS Penguin, directing him to proceed with the Penguin to Key West and report to flag officer James L. Lardner for duty in the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. The second letter, signed "J Dahlgren", is 1p, measuring 7.75" x 9.75", Flag Ship Philadelphia, Port Royal Harbor, dated August 8, 1863. Addressed to Williamson as Commander of the USS Flag, providing him with a list of charges against Acting Ensign J. B. Dexter of the USS Sweet Briar to submit to the Naval General Court Martial. Both letters have flattened mail folds and light toning. Both with bold signatures.

Gideon Welles (1802-1878), or "Neptune", as Abraham Lincoln affectionately dubbed him, served as Secretary of the Navy during the entire duration of the Civil War and into the Johnson administration. In the Lincoln cabinet, Welles focused on reorganizing a naval service riddled with Confederate defections, and mobilizing recruits, vessels, and supplies. Throughout the war, Welles and his navy blockaded Southern ports, weakening an economy already overly dependent on cotton exports. Welles remained at his post until 1869.

John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren (1809-1870) was a United States Navy officer who founded his the Naval Ordnance Department and launched significant advances in gunnery, such as the cast-iron muzzle-loading cannon known as the Dahlgren gun, that became the U.S. Navy's standard armament. During the Civil War, Dahlgren was made commander of the Washington Navy Yard, and in 1863, he took command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

James C. Williamson (1813-1871) was a U.S. naval officer who enlisted in the navy as a midshipman in 1832. He spent the nearly three decades serving in the Mediterranean, West Indies, off the African Coast, and the United States' eastern coast prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. Williamson was then given command of several ships attached to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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