Description:

(UNION NAVY) JAMES H. WARD REQUESTS REPEATING RIFLES FROM SAMUEL COLT
JAMES HARMON WARD (1806-1861) U.S. Navy commander, the first officer of that service to be killed in action during the Civil War. Ward, an expert in naval ordnance and gunnery, taught these subjects as one of the five establishing officers of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he volunteered to lead an expedition to relieve the besieged Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, but the plan was never executed. Ward then established a ‘flying squadron' on the Chesapeake Bay, later designated the Potomac Flotilla, to seek out and engage Confederate ships and land forces threatening the approaches to Washington, D.C., taking the steam tug USS THOMAS FREEBORN as his flagship. He was killed on June 27, 1861, by a shot in the abdomen from a Confederate sharpshooter while sighting the Freeborn's 32-pound bow gun against artillery batteries at Mathias Point, Virginia. Excessively rare, extremely fine content and association war-date A.L.S. ‘J H Ward', 1p. 4to., New York, May 5, 1861, to firearms innovator and businessman SAMUEL COLT (1814-1862). Ward writes from aboard the receiving ship USS NORTH CAROLINA to his fellow citizen of Hartford, requesting a donation of rifles to arm his flotilla, in full: ‘In my extremity, that I find myself in whilst fitting out the Flying Flotilla which the Govt has directed shall scour the Chesapeake under my Command, it has occurred to me that possibly I may invoke your aid respectfully, to get what the resources of the station will not afford, that is one two or three dozen of your's [sic] or Sharps rifles, yours being preferable because repeaters – for which on my receipt for the same you will no doubt get paid by the Govt in due time – the present hurry being over. May I not look for at least this much aid from Hartford?' He signs at the conclusion in black ink, adding his rank ‘Commander U S N'. Shows original mailing folds and a few additional faint folds, very mildly toned overall, and with an erased pencil inscription at top left, mentioned only for accuracy's sake, otherwise in fine condition overall. Ward no doubt seeks from Colt a donation of his Model 1855 revolving rifles, among the only repeating arms available in any numbers at the outbreak of the war. Whether Ward's command ever received the solicited donation is unknown. This is the first autograph piece related to Ward we have handled in over thirty years of business.

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March 27, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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