Ames, Sullivan Dorr (1840-1880), Lieutenant Commander, Executive Officer of U.S.S. Constellation. Historically Significant Original Letter Book, Assembled by the Executive Officer of the U.S.S. "Constellation," Sullivan Dorr Ames, and Documenting the Preparations for her First Cruise along the East Coast of the United States and Canada, As a Training Ship for the Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, in the Summer of 1871; WITH: Three Notebooks with Lections of Nautical Astronomy and Naval Tactics, Recorded by S.D. Ames during his Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, 1856-1860. Letter book: ca. 1871.

AMES, Sullivan Dorr (1840-1880), Lieutenant Commander, Executive Officer of U.S.S. Constellation

Edité par Date d'édition : 1871

Large Quarto (ca. 27x24 cm or 10 ¾ x 9 ½ in). With ca. 47 tipped-in and loosely inserted original autograph letters signed or manuscript documents of various size, from ca. 34x21 cm (13 ½ x 8 ¼ in) to ca. 8x19,5 cm (3 x 7 ¾ in). Brown ink or pencil on lined or wove paper; several with official printed letterheads ("Ordnance Office, U.S. Navy Yard," "Navy Department, Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting," "U.S. Naval Academy," &c.) or ink stamps ("Office of Commandant of Midshipmen, U.S. Naval Academy," "U.S. Navy Yard, New York, Commandant's Office"). With a tipped-in, hand-drawn "Plan, showing lockers on berth deck, U.S. Ship Constellation," ca. 19,5x42 cm (7 ¾ x 17 cm) and a tipped-in printed booklet of instructions to the crew of U.S.S. "Colorado" (10 pp.) with Ames's pencil inscription on the first page. Period dark green quarter sheep letter book with cloth boards; gilt-lettered title "Letters" on the spine. Paper label of "Improved Adhesive Letter and Invoice File, Asa L. Shipman, Manufacturer & Proprietor" attached to the inner side of the front cover. Binding rubbed and scratched, front cover detached from the stub, documents with occasional creases or tears on extremities; overall a good collection of historically significant original documents. Notebooks: ca. 1856-1860. Two Quarto and one Octavo notebooks, ca. 26x19,5 cm (10 ¼ x 7 ¾ in) and 21x17 cm (8 ¼ x 6 ¾ in). Brown ink and pencil on lined or wove paper; in all over 550 pp. of text; numerous sketches and drafts in text. Ames's name inscribed on the margins or endpapers. Period brown quarter sheep bindings with marbled papered boards; rubbed and scratched; spines and cracks and losses; front board of one of the notebooks with losses of marbled paper. Overall, good notebooks written in legible hand. Historically significant collection of original letters and documents, and some period copies, related to the maiden cruise of U.S.S. "Constellation", as a training ship of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, in June-September 1871. Built in 1854 at the Norfolk shipyard, she became the last sail-only warship designed and built by the U.S. Navy. "Constellation" served in the Mediterranean Squadron (1855-58), was the flagship of the Africa Squadron as a part of the African Slave Trade Patrol (1858-61) and blockaded Confederate vessels in the Mediterranean during the Civil War. In 1871, she became a training ship for the U.S. Naval Academy and served in this capacity for 22 years. She later delivered food and other supplies to Ireland during the 1879 Irish famine, took part in the centennial celebration of the creation of the U.S. national anthem in 1914 and the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (1926). "Constellation" became a National Historic Landmark (1963) and is now a museum ship, a part of the "Historic Ships in Baltimore" permanent exhibition.   The letter book provides insight into "Constellation's" first training cruise as a Naval Academy ship along the east coast of North America in the summer of 1871. Together with the U.S.S. "Saratoga," she departed Annapolis on June 17 and "visited Halifax, Cape Cod Bay, Portland, Maine, where the citizens gave them a ball, Gardner's Bay, New London, Long Island Sound, and Newport" (Cruise of the practice ships// The Evening Star. Washington, D.C., August 23, 1871, p. 1). The ships returned to Annapolis on September 27. The letter book was compiled by the ship's executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Sullivan D. Ames, a Civil War veteran. Most documents in the collection date back to April-June 1871, the time of the fitting of the ship and preparations for the cruise. Various documents regarding crew members include applications for the positions of "ship's yeoman" (from "William Farrard, Late Yeoman U.S.S. Delaware," "Robert Hardie," "Alfd. Erryl, Seaman"), letters of recommendation of "W. Stanten, one of our bakers who was out the last cruise of the Savannah" (May 26) and a ship's a blacks. N° de réf. du vendeur MD82a

Détails bibliographiques

Titre : Ames, Sullivan Dorr (1840-1880), Lieutenant ...
Date d'édition : 1871
Reliure : None
Etat : None