Civil War Ship's Ledger: with 63 Shipboard Printed Orders transmitted from Admirals Du Pont and Dahlgren to the U.S.S. Norfolk Packet, a Mortar Schooner, 1862-65

(DAHLGREN, John, Samuel F. Du Pont, George W. Wood)

Published by (Various locations off the Coast of South Carolina), 1862

About this Item

Folio. Measuring 8" x 13". Quarter bound in contemporary leather and marbled paper over boards, paper label on front board with "Order Book" written in manuscript. The ship s name is written in pencil in large letters on the recto of the first leaf: "U.S. Schooner Norfolk Packet." The following 5pp. are in manuscript, consisting of 19 "General Orders to be observed by all the officers attached to the U. S. Schooner Norfolk Packet" signed "George Wm. Wood" (Acting Ensign Commander) and dated August 14, 1865. Accompanied by 65 printed smaller slips and broadsides: Orders, General Orders, Circulars, Court Martial trials, etc., laid-in or mounted throughout the book. Scattered scuffing and some staining to the spine back and edges, light or very faint old glue staining at the edges of several broadsides where they were tipped into the book, very good. A collection of 65 scarce broadsides, 63 of which were printed on shipboard by the printer of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the Union s Civil War blockade of Southern ports. Most range in size from about 5" x 4" to 5" x 8". Printed on a variety of paper stocks, they address a wide variety of subjects, ranging from simple directives to detailed orders and instructions pertaining both to daily protocols and specific events. The collection includes two orders issued by Navy Secretary Gideon Wells, the only two of the orders not designated as being printed on shipboard. Among the 63 shipboard printed broadsides (which includes two printed on both sides), the first 32 were issued by Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont from May 1862 through June 1863; and the other 31 were issued by Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren after he took over command of the Fleet from July 1863 through June 1865. All were issued at various locations off the South Carolina coast: Port Royal Harbor, Morris Island, Charleston Roads, and Charleston Harbor; including 12 issued on the Flag Ship *Wabash* and about 30 on the Flag Steamer (and Flag Ship) *Philadelphia*. Of the 63 shipboard printed broadsides, only one is located by *OCLC*, which was issued on May 17, 1865 as Order No. 53, reporting on the Court Martial of Patrick O Rourke, landsman, of the U.S.S. *New Hampshire*, tried for "Disobedience of Orders" and "Theft." *OCLC* locates only a few other Orders from the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and identifies "J. Tufts" as the "squadron printer." A remarkable survival of shipboard ephemera from the Civil War. A two-part list of the broadsides is available.

Seller Inventory # 416643

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Civil War Ship's Ledger: with 63 Shipboard Printed Orders transmitted from Admirals Du Pont and Dahlgren to the U.S.S. Norfolk Packet, a Mortar Schooner, 1862-65
• Publisher: (Various locations off the Coast of South Carolina)
• Publication Date: 1862
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good