Gideon Welles Signed Naval Commission

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008

WELLES, Gideon (1802-1878) A prominent political leader from Connecticut, Welles first served in the Navy Department during the Polk administration as chief of the navy's Bureau of Provisions and Clothing. As Lincoln's secretary, he resisted public demands of ships for the Northern coastline while concentrating on blockading and strangling the Confederacy during the Civil War. Welles used monitors for Southern harbors and ironclad riverboats for the Mississippi River. In July 1861, he allowed ships to keep contrabands on board. By September, he authorized enlisting contrabands under the same regulations as other enlistments. And in July 1862, he ordered the East Gulf Blockading Squadron actively to recruit contrabands (runaway slaves).Document signed, “Gideon Wells,” preprinted and filled out by manuscript, commissioning John B. Carpenter as 2nd Assistant Engineers in the Navy, October 28, 1862, 15-3/4” x 13-3/4,” dark signature, clean document. Carpenter served on the USS Cimarron, which cleared Fort Monroe,September 7, 1862 to join the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron at Port Royal, South Carolina, September 13th. She was constantly employed in the coastal and inland waters of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, participating in the engagement with Confederate batteries up the St. John's River, Florida, and returning early in October to support army operations there during the battle of St. John's Bluff.

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