American Historical Ephemera & Photography

 CDV of junior officer standing with sword, identified beneath portrait, "W. Wharry / US Navy." Cairo, IL: J.R. Brown, n.d. (Slightly light, evenly soiled with noticeable edge wear on the mount and rounded corners). Photographer's imprint to verso. William Wherry served briefly as mate beginning 1 October 1862 before his resignation 20 July 1863.

[With:] CDV, period copy shot of Commodore Theodorus Bailey. New York: E. Anthony, n.d. (CDV shows mottling typically associated with multiple generation cartes, surface with uniform soiling, and wear with right corner bent and broken). Identified beneath portrait, "Commodore Bailey." Photographer's imprint to verso. The subject is Theodorus Bailey: midshipman 1 January 1818, lieutenant 3 March 1827, commander 6 March 1849, captain 15 December 1855, commodore 16 July 1862, rear admiral 25 July 1866, retired list 10 October 1866, died 10 February 1877. In June 1861, Captain Bailey, a Mexican War veteran, took command of the steam frigate USS Colorado and joined the Gulf Blockading Squadron. Bailey played an important role in the capture of New Orleans, as one of the representatives who went ashore to demand the surrender of the city on 25 April 1862, amidst a hostile crowd. Shortly afterward, Bailey was promoted to commodore and briefly commanded the naval station at Sackett's Harbor, New York. Bailey then raised his flag as officer commanding the East Gulf Blockading Squadron retaining that post until the summer of 1864 when an attack of yellow fever forced his reassignment. Bailey was then appointed commandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard ending his service as rear admiral later in 1867.   
 
 

CDV portrait of Josiah H. Benton. A.J. Fox: St. Louis, MO, n.d.  (Carte with strong tones but dented corners). Pencil signed on verso, "J.H. Benton / Pay'r / USN." Josiah H. Benton was appointed acting assistant paymaster on 11 September 1862, discharged on 25 September 1865. The 1 January 1864 Navy Register lists A.A. Paymaster Benton assigned to the Mississippi Squadron aboard the USS Osage, a purpose-built single-turreted Neosho-class monitor built to Navy specifications. Joining Porter's Mississippi Squadron in mid-1863, she patrolled the Mississippi River interdicting Confederate raids and breaking up ambushes. Osage participated in the Red River Campaign in support of the Army's operation to capture Fort DeRussy and could claim to have single-handedly captured Alexandria, Louisiana without firing a shot on 15 March 1864. Later in April, she did exemplary work defending navy transports during the fight at Blair's Landing, "driving off Confederate forces with heavy losses after running aground and freed herself." In May, Osage became grounded on a sandbar near Helena, Arkansas, and could not be quickly re-floated due to rapidly falling water. As the river receded, she began to hog and broke her back causing significant damage to the hull and deck. She remained in situ until November when after temporary repairs she was towed to Mound City to make permanent repairs. Upon completion, she descended the Mississippi and joined the West Gulf Blockading Squadron in time for the February 1 attack on Mobile, Alabama. While engaged at the battle of Spanish Fort on 29 March 1865, Osage ran up on a mine, the explosion causing her to sink rapidly with the loss of two men killed. The ship was later salvaged and sold in November 1867.