The 30 Minute Rule begins April 15 at 7:00 PM EDT. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By April 15 at 6:00 PM EDT To Participate After 6:00 PM EDT
Two Civil War-dated LSs from Gideon Welles as Secretary of the Navy, both one page, 7.75 x 10, both dated to 1863. The earlier letter, May 20, 1863, sent to First Assistant Engineer George P. Hunt of the ironclad steamer Lehigh, in part: “You will regard yourself detached from the Lehigh, and…report to Commd. Montgomery for duty onboard the U.S. Steam Frigate Niagara.” This letter is also signed by future admirals John B. Montgomery, John C. Howell (twice), and Peirce Crosby. The second letter, November 16, 1863, addressed to future admiral and Arctic hero George Melville, informing him that his warrant as 2nd Assistant Engineer was inadvertently forwarded to him “through the Acting Rear Admiral of the West India Squadron. So soon as it is returned to the Department it will be forwarded to you.” In overall very good to fine condition, with scattered staining to the November letter.
Melville was engineer on the tragic Jeannette expedition (1879-81). For his heroics in leading some of the crew to safety through Siberia, Congress awarded him a Gold Medal and advanced him 15 numbers on the promotion list, making him Chief Engineer of the U.S. Navy. In 1885, he was the Chief Engineer of the Thetis for the Greely Relief Expedition, another Arctic saga. He retired as Rear Admiral and Engineer-in-Chief of the U.S. Navy.
