Description:

John Rogers Command of Naval Gunboat in Civil War Recommended by Local Businessman

This letter recommending Captain John Rogers for the command of a gunboat in the Civil War is signed by ten political leaders of western Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh Mayor George Wilson, former Secretary of War (1844-1845) William Wilkins, U.S. District Judge Wilson McCandless, District Attorney of Allegheny County John M. Kirkpatrick, former Governor of Pennsylvania (1848-1852) William F. Johnston, "Chairman of Home Def. Com." and Judge P. C. Shannon, founder of Mellon Bank Thomas Mellon, Pittsburgh postmaster Sidney F. von Bonnhorst, Pennsylvania State Senator John P. Penney, and U.S. District Attorney R. B. Carnahan. The recipient of the letter is Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania, who served as Secretary of War to President Abraham Lincoln from March 1861 to January 1862. In April 1863, Rogers was appointed as ensign and commander of the gunboat USS Naumkeag in the Mississippi squadron.

[CIVIL WAR.] Recommendation of John Rogers, Manuscript Letter Signed, to Simon Cameron, ca. 1861, [Pennsylvania]. 2 pp., 6.375" x 7.75". Expected folds; very good.

Excerpts
"We most respectfully recommend to your consideration the name of Capt. John Rogers, of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, for appointment to the command of a Gun Boat on the Mississippi, or Elsewhere."
"Capt. Rogers is aged forty years, and possesses in an eminent degree the qualifications requisite for the position. He has followed the sea for a period of twenty years, during eleven of which, he has had command of different vessels.. . and is familiar with the inlets and inland passages from Charleston to Savannah.
"The Captain is a gentleman whose character for integrity, intelligence, and sobriety is beyond reproach, and he solicits the appointment, not on account of any pecuniary advantages that may accrue to him—for he is in affluent circumstances—but under the conviction, that his services in the position asked for, would be useful to the government, and redound to his own honor."

John Rogers (1823-1894) was born near London, England, and immigrated to the United States when he was 11 years old. In 1837, he entered the navy and served in the Second Seminole War in Florida. After several years in the merchant marine, he commanded a lightship stationed off the coast of South Carolina from 1845 to 1850. He married in 1850, purchased a ship, and entered the coasting trade. After several years in profitable coastal trade, he settled in Allegheny County in western Pennsylvania. At the beginning of the Civil War, he was sent to Cincinnati and there purchased three side-wheel steamers for conversion to gunboats for $62,000. After experimenting, he ordered five-inch thick oak bulwarks to be placed around the vessels to protect the crew from small arms fire, costing with other modifications an additional $41,000. These ships, informally called "timberclads," became the USS Conestoga, USS Lexington, and USS Tyler, the first ships of the Western Flotilla. Rogers was later placed in charge of the United States Receiving Ship Grampus. In April 1863, he was given command of the new gunboat USS Naumkeag on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. From Vicksburg, he assumed command of a convoy to Pine Bluff and Little Rock, Arkansas. He was given several promotions and later took command of the ironclad USS Carondolet in January 1865. He resigned later that year and was given an honorable discharge. He returned to Pittsburgh and resumed commerce and purchased real estate, finally retiring in the mid-1880s.

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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