Description:

(UNION NAVY) USS RATTLER COMMANDER BEMOANS HIS OFFICERS' RESIGNATION REQUESTS
A good association war-date letter, 2pp. 4to., ‘Off Hurricane Island', March 31, 1864, from acting volunteer Lieutenant James Laning, commander of the tin-clad gunboat USS RATTLER, to Admiral David D. Porter, commander of the Mississippi Squadron. Laning explains his refusal to convene a medical board of examination for a crewman, in full: ‘I have the honor to receive your order to convene a medical board for the survey of Act. Ens. E. P. Nellis of this vessel, As Mr. Nellis is by his own admission in the enjoyment of perfect health at this time. I presume it is unnecessary to convene said board. I respectfully beg leave to state that I have been frequently importuned by officers to forward their resignations which I have declined to do unless accompanied by letters containing special and plausible reasons. I forwarded Mr. Nellis's letters, without comment, at his urgent request, Having twice before refused I felt that I would not be justified in assuming further responsibility.' Shows original mailing folds, with a mounting strip to the verso along the left edge and resultant discoloration, otherwise in very good condition overall. In January 1863, USS Rattler led Porter's expedition in conjunction with land forces under Sherman up the White and Arkansas Rivers to capture Fort Hindman, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign. She later served as flagship of the abortive Yazoo River expedition, and following the fall of Vicksburg participated in the capture of the gunboat CSS LOUISVILLE on the Little Red River. While anchored off Rodney, Mississippi in September of 1863, her commander and sixteen of her crew were captured by Confederate guerrillas while attending church in town. In December of 1864, she was driven ashore by a gale and burned by Confederate forces.

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

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