JAMES C. DOBBIN - MANUSCRIPT LETTER SIGNED 10/04/1854 - HFSID 67337
Sale Price $215.00
Reg. $260.00
JAMES C. DOBBIN
As Secretary of the Navy (1854), he informs Naval Academy graduate and future
Admiral Henry Howison of his appointment as Acting Midshipman.
Partly Printed LS: "J.C. Dobbin" as Pierce's Secretary of the
Navy, 1 page, 8x10. Navy Department, 1854 October 4. To Acting Midshipman
Henry L. Howison of the 2d Con. District of Indiana, U.S. Naval Academy,
Annapolis, informing him that he is "hereby appointed an Acting
Midshipman in the Navy of the United States from the 26th September, 1854
if...you shall satisfactorily pass the graduating examination...which shall entitle
you to a warrant as a Midshipman...." JAMES C. DOBBIN (1814-1857), a
lawyer graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1832, represented his
State in the US Congress as a Democrat (1845-1847), serving thereafter as
a state legislator. He was Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons
in1850. As a delegate to the 1852 Democratic National Convention, he
worked for the nomination of "dark horse" Franklin Pierce, who appointed
him Secretary of the Navy (1853-1857). A strong believer in sea power,
Dobbin oversaw a rapid expansion of the US fleet. He literally worked himself to
death in the job, and died 5 months after leaving office. Henry L. Howison
(1837-1914) celebrated his 17th birthday on October 10, 1854, six days after
this letter was dated. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in September
1854 and graduated in June 1858. From 1861-1864, Lieutenant Howison was
Executive Officer of three South Atlantic Blockading Squadron ships: the
cruiser Augusta and the monitors Nantucket and Catskill,
all of which were engaged in wartime operations off Charleston, South Carolina.
Commodore Howison was Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard from May 1897
until March 1899 and was promoted to Rear Admiral in September 1898.
Following several months as the commander of the South Atlantic Station,
in October, 1899 he reached the legally mandated retirement age of 62 and left
active duty. Creased. Nicked right edge. ¾-inch vertical tear at blank lower
margin (all intact).
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