Description:

John Tyler
Washington, DC, October 7, 1841
John Tyler Military Appt of Marine Who Led Quallah Battoo And In Mexican War
DS
A fine association, partly-printed document signed as President, one page, 15 x 17.33 inches on vellum, Washington, October 7, 1841. A military appointment of Alvin Edson to the rank of "…Captain in the Marine Corps to take rank as such from the 6th day of October 1841…". Countersigned by John D. Simms as Acting Secretary of the Navy. With fully inact blind-embossed seal and the usual folds but otherwise very good condition. A clean, sound example, ideal for display!

Alvin Edson (1796-1847) was a Marine Corps commander who led in the historic Battle of Quallah Battoo and well as during the Mexican War.

Quallah Battoo was a retaliatory attack in February 1832 in answer to a massacre by Malay pirates of men on the American merchant ship FRIENDSHIP in 1831. Dubbed the "First Sumatran Expedition" and spearheaded by Commodore John Downes, Quallah Battoo was one of the first actions by the United States that would come to be known as "gunboat diplomacy."

On February 7, 1832, Edson was ordered with a landing force of 282 marines and seamen from the vessel POTOMAC to attack four Malay forts. The Americans, armed with modern firearms, took all four forts in a scant five hours of bitter fighting. Two days later, the POTOMAC went back to finish the job: on February 9, she fired several devastating broadsides into the fifth fort and town, Kuala Batu, killing as many as 300 more Malays.

Commodore Downes was severely criticized for the severity of the attack, but would inadvertently redeem himself: the hiatus in Malay piracy of U.S. merchant ships engaged in the pepper trade in Sumatra lasted only six years until the merchant vessel ECLIPSE as taken and her entire crew massacred in 1838.

Edson went on to serve during the Mexican War: now a Captain, he commanded a battalion of Marines and took part in engagements during the Siege of Veracruz. In Fall, 1846, he led two successful amphibious assaults which resulted in the capture of the ports of Tabasco and Tampico. He died the year later of illness.

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: 15" x 17"
  • Medium: DS

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