1869 U.S. Navy Department Letter Signed by Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter, Forwarded by Rear Admiral John Rodgers, to Commander John G. Walker – USS Sabine
An exceptional original U.S. Navy Department official letter dated July 1, 1869, signed by Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter, one of the most celebrated naval commanders of the American Civil War and later the second officer to hold the rank of Admiral of the U.S. Navy.
Addressed to Commander John Grimes Walker, commanding the training ship USS Sabine, the letter modifies previous sailing orders and directs Walker to arrange the vessel's cruise so that she returns to the Boston Navy Yard by August 1, 1870. The purpose was to permit the embarked Naval Academy midshipmen to report for their examinations and promotion to the rank of Ensign. The letter further grants Walker considerable discretion regarding the timing of the cruise and the ports visited, providing an excellent glimpse into the administration of the post-Civil War U.S. Navy and the education of future naval officers.
Written on engraved Navy Department stationery with an embossed federal paper seal, the document is boldly signed "David D. Porter, Vice Admiral" by direction of the Secretary of the Navy. The reverse bears the blue U.S. Navy Yard, Boston receiving stamp dated July 3, 1869, together with an important forwarding endorsement signed by Rear Admiral John Rodgers, then Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard.
This remarkable document unites the signatures and official actions of three of the nineteenth century's most distinguished American naval officers:
- Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter (1813–1891) – Civil War hero, victor at Vicksburg and Fort Fisher, and later Admiral of the U.S. Navy.
- Rear Admiral John Rodgers (1812–1882) – Distinguished Civil War commander, explorer, and Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard, whose forwarding signature appears beneath the official receiving stamp.
- Commander John Grimes Walker (1835–1907) – Recipient of the letter, future Rear Admiral, leader in the modernization of the U.S. Navy, and later chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, whose work helped pave the way for construction of the Panama Canal.
Official Navy Department correspondence bearing the signature of David Dixon Porter is highly collectible, while examples additionally endorsed by John Rodgers are encountered far less frequently. The association with John G. Walker, another historically significant naval officer, elevates this beyond routine military correspondence into an outstanding piece of American naval history.
Document Details
- Date: July 1, 1869
- Origin: Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
- Signer: Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter
- Forwarding Endorsement: Rear Admiral John Rodgers
- Recipient: Commander John G. Walker, USS Sabine
- Subject: Modified sailing orders, return to Boston Navy Yard, and Naval Academy midshipmen examinations and promotion
- Format: Four-page folded manuscript letter on engraved Navy Department stationery with embossed seal and Boston Navy Yard receiving stamp
- Condition: Very good original condition with expected fold lines, minor handling wear, and clear, bold signatures.
An exceptional original U.S. Navy Department official letter dated July 1, 1869, signed by Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter, one of the most celebrated naval commanders of the American Civil War and later the second officer to hold the rank of Admiral of the U.S. Navy.
Addressed to Commander John Grimes Walker, commanding the training ship USS Sabine, the letter modifies previous sailing orders and directs Walker to arrange the vessel's cruise so that she returns to the Boston Navy Yard by August 1, 1870. The purpose was to permit the embarked Naval Academy midshipmen to report for their examinations and promotion to the rank of Ensign. The letter further grants Walker considerable discretion regarding the timing of the cruise and the ports visited, providing an excellent glimpse into the administration of the post-Civil War U.S. Navy and the education of future naval officers.
Written on engraved Navy Department stationery with an embossed federal paper seal, the document is boldly signed "David D. Porter, Vice Admiral" by direction of the Secretary of the Navy. The reverse bears the blue U.S. Navy Yard, Boston receiving stamp dated July 3, 1869, together with an important forwarding endorsement signed by Rear Admiral John Rodgers, then Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard.
This remarkable document unites the signatures and official actions of three of the nineteenth century's most distinguished American naval officers:
- Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter (1813–1891) – Civil War hero, victor at Vicksburg and Fort Fisher, and later Admiral of the U.S. Navy.
- Rear Admiral John Rodgers (1812–1882) – Distinguished Civil War commander, explorer, and Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard, whose forwarding signature appears beneath the official receiving stamp.
- Commander John Grimes Walker (1835–1907) – Recipient of the letter, future Rear Admiral, leader in the modernization of the U.S. Navy, and later chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, whose work helped pave the way for construction of the Panama Canal.
Official Navy Department correspondence bearing the signature of David Dixon Porter is highly collectible, while examples additionally endorsed by John Rodgers are encountered far less frequently. The association with John G. Walker, another historically significant naval officer, elevates this beyond routine military correspondence into an outstanding piece of American naval history.
Document Details
- Date: July 1, 1869
- Origin: Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
- Signer: Vice Admiral David Dixon Porter
- Forwarding Endorsement: Rear Admiral John Rodgers
- Recipient: Commander John G. Walker, USS Sabine
- Subject: Modified sailing orders, return to Boston Navy Yard, and Naval Academy midshipmen examinations and promotion
- Format: Four-page folded manuscript letter on engraved Navy Department stationery with embossed seal and Boston Navy Yard receiving stamp
- Condition: Very good original condition with expected fold lines, minor handling wear, and clear, bold signatures.
