Sale 2455 - Printed & Manuscript Americana, September 28, 2017

179 c   (NAVY.) McHenry, James. Uniform for the Navy of the United States of America. Letterpress broadside, 15 x 9 1 / 4 inches; folds, minimal dampstaining, closed seal tear in text area with minimal loss; docketed on verso. [Philadelphia:WilliamRoss,1797] [1,500/2,500] Describes the regulation uniforms for captains, lieutenants, surgeons, sailing masters, pursers, midshipmen, and marines, as set forth by the Secretary of War. Evans 33100. 2 copies in ESTC, both at the American Antiquarian Society, and none known at auction. with — two related printed circulars, both signed in type by Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith, both with integral blanks inscribed with address panels: “The Surgeons and Surgeons’ Mates in the Navy of the United States, will Henceforth Consider their Uniform Dress to Consist of . . . .” (one page), 10 December 1801 * and “The Uniform Dress of the Captains and Certain other Officers of the Navy of the United States” (2 pages), 27 August 1802. J.Worth Estes wrote a book on St. Medard’s naval service, particularly the 1802-1803 period: Naval Surgeon: Life and Death at Sea in the Age of Sail (Canton, MA, 1998)—a copy is included with this lot. Parts of the 1803 diary are quoted on pages 115 and 124-131.With a binder of research notes compiled by descendant Elizabeth Andrews (1911-2004), from whose estate these papers were purchased. A more detailed inventory is available upon request. See also St. Medard’s Revolutionary War medical log (lot 26) and Andrews family papers descended through his stepdaughter Sarah Farrington Masson (lot 91). 178 c   (NAVY.) Carroll,Michael B. Letterbook of a naval lieutenant in New Orleans. [56] manuscript pages, 4to, contemporary 1 / 2 calf, disbound, with original boards present; edge wear to some leaves with minor loss of text, a few cello tape repairs. New Orleans, LA, July 1808 to September 1809, plus one leaf from May 1810 [1,000/1,500] Michael B. Carroll (circa 1768-1831) was a naval lieutenant stationed at the naval yard in New Orleans. Many of the letters in this volume are written to his commanding officer Commodore David Porter. An 11 August 1808 letter to Porter describes problems with civilian contractors: “All the carpenters that was employed in the yard have this evening quit,” after having been docked pay for missing a roll call. Nine days later, he writes to three of the carpenters, stating that “it is entirely out of my power to encrease your wages.” Other letters describe ship repairs in detail, or name employees terminated for drunkenness. A detailed “Statement of Officers & Men Employ’d in the Arsenal” is dated 17 February 1809. Carroll wrote to General James Wilkinson, the army’s Commander in Chief, on four occasions. Three July 1809 letters are addressed to George Farragut. On 18 July 1809 he describes a savage beating delivered by two mates to a quartermaster: “Forsot hauled him on the floor, beat him with his fist & feet & finished by killing him. The next day the civil authority demanded them.” This letterbook documents an interesting period between the American acquisition of New Orleans in 1804 and the outbreak of the War of 1812. 179 lot 177, continued