Description:

Farragut David 1801 - 1870 David Farragut signs a note from onboard the USS Hartford

Single page signed note scripted entirely in Farragut's hand on the recto of one page, on 5.5" x 7", and neatly inlaid onto a sheet. Dated "Jan 18, 1864/ 1:30 am", and signed by David Farragut as "D.G. Farragut / Rear Admiral". Expected folds, paper toning and with slight ink smudging. Else near fine with high contrast. Accompanied by lovely near fine printed engraving of Farragut, 7" x 10.75",which has ghosted ever so slightly onto the verso of the signature page, not affecting text.Accompanied additionally by documented provenance as noted below.

A lovely Farragut signed note scripted fully in his hand, from his Flag Ship, the USS "Hartford". Intriguing Naval date to include a time stamp reference of "1:30 am" in which David is confirming "Rec'd the enclosed paper ...." Farragut's intriguing past, between his Southern birth, and his Virginian-born wife, in addition and living in Norfolk Virginia among family and friends at the time of the American Civil War, made him an unlikely Union supporter. In addition, Farragut made it clear to all who knew him that he regarded secession as treason. However, just before the war's outbreak, Farragut moved with his Virginian-born wife to Hastings-on-Hudson, a small town just outside New York City. The navy still had some doubts about Farragut's loyalty to the Union because of his Southern birth as well as that of his wife. His foster brother championed David Porter to a naval position and argued on his behalf. Farragut was ultimately accepted for the major role of attacking New Orleans. While on board his Flag Ship steamer, the USS Hartford, which sported 25 guns, (and was being accompanied by a fleet of 17 ships), Farragut bombed the two forts in New Orleans compelling the Confederates into surrender and took the port and city of New Orleans, a decisive event in the war!

Congress honored him by creating the rank of rear admiral on July 16, 1862, a rank never before used in the U.S. Navy. Before this time, the American Navy had resisted the rank of admiral, preferring the term "flag officer", to distinguish the rank from the traditions of the European navies. This lovely Farragut signed note boasts his highly distinguished position of the rank of "Rear Admiral", in addition to it being written from his iconic Flag Ship "Hartford".

A lovely autograph example which would be stunning framed along side his engraved portrait.

Provenance: This item was recently discovered in an extra illustrated volume of "History of the City of New York" by Mary L. Booth, New York W. R. C. Clark, 1867. Originally two volumes, the monumental task of expanding the work to 21 volumes by none other than Emery E. Childs esquire of New York City. In volume 1 of this work exists a lovely india ink Drawing of Mary L. Booth along with a notation "presented by her to E E C" in pencil. Next to the title page we find an original letter of Booth to Childs dated April 4, 1872 " I am in receipt of your favor of the 4th inst., and am grateful to hear that you are taking the trouble to illustrate my History of the City of New York in the manner you describe. I shall be happy to see you, should you favor me with a callas I am usually in my office during business hours and should be pleased to facilitate your Enterprise by any means in my power"

It is assumed that the book took several years to assemble at which point, assumedly through Childs, it made its way to Senator Charles B. Farwell of Chicago who took the seat of John A. Logan in 1887. Farwell had an extensive library that fortunately survived the great Chicago fire in 1871 having been housed in his Lakeside home. In the American Bibliopolist of November 1871 there is an article about the devastation to libraries caused by the tragedy . "Mr C. B. Farwell's library is also fortunately far out from the city, at his country house, and is safe, The same remark will also apply to the extensive collection of books and curiosities belonging to Mr. E. E. Childs." This establishes the Chicago connection between Childs and Farwell.

That these letters were preserved for over 140 years and have never been on the market for that period is remarkable on many levels. It is the state of being wedged in these volumes that also account for what is mostly the pristine state of preservation.

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