Stephen R. Mallory, Confederate Navy Secretary, letter-signed March 20th, 1861, writing to Francis W. Pickens, Governor of the state of South Carolina… it doesn’t get any better than this!!  Writing from the first Confederate capital, Montgomery, Alabama, Mallory lays the framework of his plans for the navy with Governor Pickens.  This is the earliest written piece that we have ever seen for sale of Mallory as Secretary of the Confederate Navy!  


In this lot there are a total of 2 items as follows: 

        •  2 page L.S. from Mallory, legal size 
        •  2 page listing “Officers appointed by the President in the Navy of the 
            Confederate States and confirmed by Congress”



Here is a summary of Mallory’s letter: 

                        “Herewith I submit for your information a list of the officers nominated 
            and confirmed in the Navy of the Confederate States; and you will perceive that 
            it embraces all those commissioned… who recently resigned from the United 
            States Navy and who are serving in South Carolina. These officers… retain as 
            you desire, their former relative positions and rank.  Having no immediate 
            service for so long a Corps of Officers, their appointment at this time has been 
            dictated by the justice and expediency of providing appropriate positions for 
            those who… identified themselves with the fortunes of… the Confederates 
            States. …The grades of Captain and Commander, as limited by law, are full 
            and that of Lieutenant being limited to thirty, and numbering already 
            seventeen, will probably soon be filled by officers from the Navy of the United 
            States. …Concerning with your Excellency’s judgment of Commander Hartstein 
            (ie: later involved in facilitating the removal of the Federals from Ft. Sumter), 
            and learning your desire to retain his services, the President has directed the 
            revocation of his orders for special duty, and he has returned to Charleston.  I 
            desire to place two or three efficient armed steamers upon the coast of Carolina 
            and Georgia at the earliest practicable moment… I have no means of knowing 
            the character, capacity or condition of the vessels indicated, viz; the Jasper, 
            Howell Cobb, Firefly and Wm. Aiken.  If they are efficient vessels for naval 
            service, and shall be turned over to this department, I will endeavor to make 
            them serviceable. 

                                                                                                With much respect, I am Sir, 
                                                                                                Your Ob’t Serv’t, 
                                                                                                S.R. Mallory, 
                                                                                                Secretary of the Navy.”


Condition: All pages are written in nice dark ink, easily read and great for display!

#HC31 - Price $6,895

(2nd page)








(Reverse of 2nd page; cropped and zoomed to view)





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(1st page)

(2nd page; cropped to view)

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