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1863 Commodore Rear Admiral Joseph Smith ADS Oversaw Construction of USS Monitor

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 500.00 USD
1863 Commodore Rear Admiral Joseph Smith ADS Oversaw Construction of USS Monitor
Autographs
1863 Commodore & Rear Admiral Joseph Smith ADS who Oversaw the Construction of the Ironclad “USS Monitor”
JOSEPH SMITH (March 30, 1790 – January 17, 1877). Rear admiral of the United States Navy, who served during the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War, Member of the “Ironclad Board” who oversaw the construction of the USS Monitor.
August 24th, 1863-Dated Civil War Navy Department, Autograph Manuscript Naval Content Circular Letter Signed, “Jos. Smith” as Chief of the Ordinance, United States (Union) Navy, Choice Very Fine. This clean well written letter is easily readable in deep brown ink, on light blue lined wove period paper. Docket on the blank reverse reads: “Yards & Docks / Record of Requisitions / Aug. 24, 1863.” Written to E.L. Norton Esqr. / Navy Agent / Boston, Mass.” This letter’s content requiring Boston Navy Agent Norton to confirm Contractor surveillance of acquisitions being delivered and on a timely basis with proof of confirmation mailed or delivered. Nicely signed at the conclusion, “Jos. Smith / Chief of the Ordinance”.
JOSEPH SMITH (March 30, 1790 – January 17, 1877). Rear admiral of the United States Navy, who served during the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and the American Civil War, Member of the “Ironclad Board” who oversaw the construction of the USS Monitor.

THE BUREAU OF NAVY YARDS AND DOCKS (the word "Navy" was dropped in 1862) was one of the five original bureaus established by Congress in 1942 to take the place of the Navy Commissioners as the mechanism for administering the Navy Department.

The Secretary of the Navy, in a Regulation dated November 26, 1842, assigned to the Bureau the responsibility for:

"the Navy Yards proper, the docks and wharves thereof; all buildings therein or appertaining thereto, including the magazine and hospital buildings; all machinery attached to the yard or ordinarily used in its operations; all vessels in ordinary; all boats, water tanks, hoys, etc., used for the purposes of the yard; all carts or other vehicles; all horses, oxen, used in the yard, and all other labour therein, and belonging to the yard or ordinary; all contracts and all accounts, returns, etc., embracing these objects or such as shall be from time to time assigned to this Bureau."

The Bureau of Yards and Docks was at the time the most important and powerful of the five bureaus, as its Chief had cognizance over the operation of the Navy Yards. Officers assigned to duty at Navy Yards, including the Commandant, reported to him. The first Chief of the Bureau was Captain Lewis Warrington, who had been the senior Navy Commissioner. He was succeeded in 1846 by Commodore Joseph Smith, later Rear Admiral, who held the position for more than 25 years.

He was in addition from time to time a member of various boards dealing with all kinds of naval subjects, for example, the Board that recommended the adoption of John Ericsson's plans for the Monitor.