DAVID
G. FARRAGUT. Autograph Letter Signed to Paul Langdon,
Norfolk, VA, 18 December 1858. 2 pages, 9½" x 7½".
David Farragut, the career American naval officer, is best-remembered
for his Civil War exploits, capturing New Orleans and Mobile Bay for
the Union and becoming the Navy's first admiral as a result. At the
date of this letter, he had just been given command of a new Navy steamer,
the Brooklyn, for service in the Gulf of Mexico. Farragut writes
here to Paul Langdon, a young man who had been his secretary in the
past and whom he had invited to serve as captain’s clerk aboard
the Brooklyn. Langdon was evidently hesitating about accepting
the job.
“Your unsatisfactory note came duly to hand, for you do not
appear to be inclined to go down in the Gulf,” Farragut observes,
“& for which I certainly don’t blame you...as I
before said it was selfish in me to wish you to go at all but I certainly
do not wish you to go against your will, to a sickly station.”
Farragut goes on to explain the clerk’s duties prior to the ship’s
departure, noting “it is of some importance to me, to have
your services at the fitting out of the ship, to look after the stationery
&c belonging to the captain....”
“I will know in a few days from Mr. Westervelt as to the state
of the ship & how long it will be before she will be ready for sea,”
Farragut continues, “my impression now however is, that we
will sail about the middle of Jan[uar]y.... As I also before told you,
in the event of your not going I shall take a Mr. Carroll the relation
or friend of Capt. Tilton of the Navy, who was the 1st applicant to
me & I said that if the young man suited me & you did not go,
he should have the place – I have had a great many applications
but have told them that the place was engaged –
“Should you decline going & my ship does not sail before you
are ready to depart for California,”
Farragut adds, “it will give me great pleasure to give you
a passage as far as Aspinwall [i.e., Colón, Panama] or San Jwan
[sic] to which ever place I am ordered – I will write you as soon
as I hear from Westervelt in relation to the time of ship’s readiness.”
He has signed, “D. G. Farragut.”
Jacob A. Westervelt and his sons were noted shipbuilders of the era,
with a shipyard along the East River in New York City; the father was
also mayor of New York in the early 1850's. Farragut commanded the Brooklyn
until October of 1860. His chief duty while in this assignment was to
carry down Robert McLane, the new American minister to Mexico, and convey
him from port to port.
The letter has a minor marginal fold break, but it is otherwise in very
good condition. It is accompanied by the original envelope, which is
worn. $450.00
Return
