Description:

John A. Dahlgren
Port Royal Harbor, SC, ca. August-November, 1864
John A. Dahlgren Signed Court Martial for William Gaul "spirituous liquors in his possession"
Archive
A group of three Civil War naval documents signed by John A. Dahlgren, including a court martial. All are war-dated, dating from August to November 1864, and concern William Gaul of the U.S.S. Flag. All with flattened folds, with varying degrees of toning and soiling. The court martial has some light dampstaining. One sheet has some minor wax residue. All boldly signed.

The group includes the following:

1. John Dahlgren Letter Signed "JA Dahlgren." 1p, measuring 8" x 10", Port Royal Harbor, dated August 14, 1864. Addressed to Commander Williamson aboard the U.S.S. "Flag". Addressed to James C. Williamson, ordering him to place William Gaul under arrest. Signed by Dahlgren and "JC Williamson Com & Prest of the Court." Docketing on verso.

2. John Dahlgren Letter Signed "JA Dahlgren." 1p, measuring 8" x 10", Port Royal Harbor, dated August 14, 1864. Addressed to Commander Williamson aboard the U.S.S. "Flag". Addressed to James C. Williamson, providing details of the Charges against William Gaul. Signed by Dahlgren and "JC Williamson Com & Prest of the Court." Docketing on verso.

3. John Dahlgren Letter Signed "JA Dahlgren." 2pp of a bifolium, measuring 8" x 10", Flag Ship "Philadelphia", Port Royal Harbor, dated November 30, 1864. Addressed to Commander Williamson aboard the U.S.S. "Flag", conveying details of William Gaul's court martial and subsequent punishment. In part: "Acting 3d Assistant Engineer William Gaul of the U.S.S. 'Flag' was tried by a Naval General Court-Martial, charged with a violation of the XIV Section of Article VII of an Act of Congress…in having spirituous liquors in his possession. Whereupon the Court sentenced him 'To be reduced to First Class fireman for the term of Two years, and to forfeit Three Months pay, as a First Class fireman." Docketing on verso.

John Adolphus Bernard Dahlgren (1809-1870) was a United States Navy officer who founded the Naval Ordnance Department and launched significant advances in gunnery, such as the cast-iron muzzle-loading cannon known as the Dahlgren gun, which became the U.S. Navy's standard armament. During the Civil War, Dahlgren was made commander of the Washington Navy Yard, and in 1863, he took command of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

William Gaul of Massachusetts enlisted in the Navy as an Acting Third Assistant Engineer on December 30, 1863. It seems that his tenure in the Navy did not go smoothly, as he was court martialed just eight months into his service. Following his sentencing in November 1864, Gaul appears to have been transferred to a hospital on December 26, 1864, and there is no further record of him in service.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • 8" x 10"
  • Artist Name:
  • John A. Dahlgren
  • Medium:
  • Archive

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