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Abraham Lincoln Signed Naval Appointment....
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Description
Abraham Lincoln Signed Naval Appointment. One partially printed vellum page, 14.5" x 17.75", Washington, [D.C.]; February 21, 1863. Appointment of James Alden, Jr as a Captain in the Navy. Signed, "Abraham Lincoln" and countersigned by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles. Orange blind embossed seal of the Department of the Navy and maritime and military vignettes at top and bottom.The Union Navy acted as a critical force throughout the Civil War. Primarily in charge of maintaining blockades of Confederate ports, marines also engaged in naval combat and transported Union soldiers to key battlegrounds only accessible by water. Lincoln issued the construction and modification of dozens of warships and converted merchant vessels during the first years of the war. Although earlier initiatives focused on broad coverage of Southern ports, by the time Lincoln issued Alden's appointment in 1863, the strategy had shifted to splitting the Confederacy apart along the Mississippi River. Only four months after Lincoln installed Alden as a Captain, Union forces defeated the rebel fleet in the Battle of Vicksburg, clinching a critical win that turned the war in the North's favor.
James Alden, Jr had a long and impressive career with the United States Navy. A direct descendant of John Alden, one of the original Pilgrims on the Mayflower, Alden started as a midshipman on April 1, 1828, and quickly climbed the ranks. He participated in numerous conflicts across multiple wars. In 1846, for example, he helped capture the coastal cities of Veracruz, Tuxpan, and Tabasco during the Mexican-American War. After the Civil War began in 1861, Alden assisted with key Union campaigns along the coast and the Mississippi River. Such efforts included the relief of Fort Pickens and the sieges of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. On June 19, 1871, Alden was promoted to rear admiral with orders to command the European fleet.
Condition: Creasing and minor loss of material along folds, affecting a few words. Closed tears along top margin. Faint staining to lower left corner recto.
Auction Info
2023 September 21 Historical Manuscripts Signature® Auction #6272 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
September, 2023
21st
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 27
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
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