August 12th Auction of Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Sports
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/12/2021
John Rodgers Letter Signed. One paged, 8" x 10", May 7th, 1835, n.p., with the heading, "Nav[al] Comm[ission] Off[ice]". This is an order issued to Commodore James Barron concerning the selection of a W. Powell for a position within the Navy. Slightly toned with two filing holes on left margin; fine.
More Information:
Barron (1768-1851) was a U.S. Navy officer. A veteran of the First Barbary War, he was later court-martialed for an incident involving a British frigate. John Rodgers (1772-1838), a naval officer who had served in the U.S. Navy since its organization in the 1790s, headed the court-martial. Later in his career, Rodgers headed the Board of Navy Commissioners. He retired from the navy two years after writing this letter.
John Rodgers (July 11, 1772 – August 1, 1838) was a senior naval officer in the United States Navy who served under six presidents for nearly four decades during its formative years in the 1790s through the late 1830s, committing the bulk of his adult life to his country. His service took him through many operations in the Quasi-War with France, both Barbary Wars in North Africa and the War of 1812 with Britain. As a senior officer in the young American navy, he played a major role in the development of the standards, customs, and traditions that emerged during this time. During his naval career, he commanded a number of warships, including USS John Adams, the flagship of the fleet that defeated the Barbary States of North Africa. During the War of 1812 Rodgers fired the first shot of the war aboard his next flagship, USS President, and also played a leading role in the recapture of Washington D.C. after the capital was burned by the British.
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