Details:

Horace Greeley autographed one-page handwritten letter signed, dated April 25, 1849, addressed to Hon. William B. Preston, Secretary of the Navy, regarding the requested appointment of Thomas Jefferson Griffin to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. The letter is written in ink on period lined paper and signed at the conclusion by John Griffin. The lower portion of the document bears a strong autograph endorsement by Horace Greeley, along with additional contemporary endorsements by prominent New York City figures William E. Robinson, Simeon Draper, Moses H. Grinnell, Frederick A. Tallmadge, and J. Prescott Hall.

The correspondence petitions for the Naval Academy placement of Thomas Jefferson Griffin, who would later serve as a Union Navy engineer during the Civil War and play a documented role in the construction of John Ericsson’s ironclad USS Monitor, famously engaged in combat with the CSS Merrimack. Greeley’s endorsement expresses confidence in Griffin’s character and ability, noting that he would “never disgrace those who take an interest in his welfare,” reflecting the influence and advocacy wielded by New York’s political and intellectual elite during the mid-19th century.

The letter presents a remarkable convergence of journalism, politics, and naval history, linking Greeley’s reformist circle directly to one of the most significant technological achievements of the Civil War era.

Fine condition.

Horace Greeley (1811–1872) was one of the most influential American journalists of the 19th century and the founder and editor of the New York Tribune. A leading voice of reform, abolitionism, and political commentary, Greeley helped shape public opinion in the decades leading up to and following the Civil War and remains a central figure in the history of American journalism.

Thomas Jefferson Griffin (1834–1867) served as an engineer in the Union Navy during the Civil War and was involved in the construction of Ericsson’s Monitor, the revolutionary ironclad warship that changed the course of naval warfare. His career represents the critical intersection of engineering innovation and military service during America’s most transformative conflict.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

Premium:
A 25% Buyers Premium Will Be Added to All Winning Bids

Reference sku: 11500 1414362-1