American Historical Ephemera & Photography

The lot is comprised of the following:

MCPHERSON & OLIVER, photographers. No. 3 Fort Morgan, Water Batteries, West Side. Louisiana, 1864. 7 3/4 x 5 1/2 in. albumen print on 9 1/4 x 6 1/2 in. cardstock mount (fading, some soiling to image and mount, edge and corner wear to mount). A photograph showing the aftermath of the Federal forces' successful siege on the crucial CSA-held fort guarding the entrance to Mobile Bay. Admiral Farragut's fleet had neutralized the Confederate naval forces and complementary batteries in the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5th, allowing General Gordon Granger's forces to commence a complementary land-based siege on the fort. The rebels held out for over two weeks before surrendering on 23 August 1864, after sabotaging their guns.

[With:] USS Pensacola - saluting. 9 1/8 x 7 1/8 in. silver gelatin photograph on 10 2/4 x 8 1/2 in. mount (spotting to image and mount, some creasing to image and mount, corner and edge wear as well as some loss to mount). The USS Pensacola was a screw steamer that served in the US Navy during the Civil War. She was launched by the Pensacola Navy Yard in August 1859, and commissioned there on 5 December 1859, for towing to Washington Navy Yard for installation of machinery. She was decommissioned 31 January 1860, and commissioned in full on 16 September 1861, Captain Henry W. Morris in command.

[Also with:] ALS, 1p (5-1/2 x 8-3/4 in.), Donaldsonville, July17th, n.y. Incomplete, missing pages, thus both writer and recipient are unknown. (Addressed to “dear friends at home”). “There is a large force here, in fact nearly the whole of our force has come down here from Port Hudson. There is all sorts of reports in circulation about the rebils[sic] in their forts. Some say  there is ten to fifteen thousand of them. But I don’t think any one knows. Some say they are within five miles of us while others report s are that there is no force of any account within twenty miles. The latter report I think is nearest the truth although three or four Ref. of our men had [page ends here]”

AN, N.O. Sept 11th ’62 “Capt Prince(?) / Please to send for the use of the Genl Williams 100 lbs white ??? and five gals. ??? turpentine & oblige yours, A.A. Pie?? / Supt Transport.” Second note, Q.M. Office, Oct. 21st, ‘62: “Capt. Prince / AQM / Will please furnish U.S. Transport Genl Williams one throw(?) line about fifty fathoms &c. / R.D. Pratt / Supt. Transports.”