Torpedo Boat No 1, Uss Cushing, Wisconsin, Marion, Dale

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Torpedo Boat No 1, Uss Cushing, Wisconsin, Marion, Dale

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Sold Date: 09/23/2007
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Militaria & Weapons

Incredible lot of photos, US Navy documents, letters, and rearch on Captain Drake and his service and work on the inspection for construction of the first American Torpedo Boat using "Auto - Mobile Torpedos"!!!!

Franklin J Drake entered the Naval Academy in 1863. First service was aboard the USS Marion on blackade duty, N Atlantic Sqdn, looking to destroy Confederate privateers such as the Tacony and others. He commanded Co. B in the assault by land forces in Seoul, Korea in 1871 and was commended for conspicuos conduct in battle by Cdr Kimberly. He was aboard the "Ticonderoga" for their special cruise around the world from 1878-1881. He commanded a Surveying expedition into the interior of Liberia, Africa and mapped out the head waters of the St John river. He was the Inspector of Construction for the first torpedo boat for the USN. Inspector of Construction of the Howell automobile torpedo. (Many of these documents for auction are letters on USN Bureau of Ord letter heads). He broke the world record from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Conspicuos in action in the battle of Santiago, Cuba. Measured the temperature and flow of waters and ice packs in the Bearing Sea as well as the sea bed. His record is full of accomplishments and actions too many to type. I scanned some of his info I found in a book titled The Records of Living Officers in the US Navy & Marine Corps and an article in the Badger (USS Wisconsin magazine 1906). Many letters, documents, and autographs from important men of the US Navy who made history. Letters, documents and photos span from 1885 to 1905 and one from 1928 from the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the US.

The three photos in the frame are of Captain Drake in 1905 - 1906 in his private quarters aboard the Battleship USS Wisconsin w he won the Great Gun Trophy. Each photo has hand written captions by Captain Drake; 1) Captain Drake USN Preparing Night Orders 2) Battleship Wisconsin Great Gun Trophy Winner Captain Drake in his cabin 3) Captain Drake USN signing Fleet Orders. Frame never taken apart.

Autographs (one or more of each): Captain Drake, Rear Admiral E Simpson, Beardsley, Slulley, Buford, Shelley, Captain/Admiral Wm Folger, Cdr GA Converse, John Paul Jones (Lawyer), Asst Secretary of the Navy JR Soley, Cdr Charles Thomas, Wm Gall, Capt H Harrison of Navy Yard & Station Mare Island, Californis, HC Taylor Chief of Bureau, Secretary Morton, and many others I can't decipher.

Ships he was aboard & commanded: Marion, Macedonian, gunboat Penobscot, Frolic, Albatross, Oregon, Wisconsin, Gettysburg, Benicia, Colrado, Monitor Terror, many, many others.

2 personally written letters from Rear Admiral E. Simpson who eventually had a ship named after him. 4 letters from the Treasury Department Personal letter from William Folger on USN Bureau of Ord stationary. Navy Department letter head orders to Drake about the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company for the construction of Torpedo Boat No. 1 signed by the acting secretary of the Navy in 1888. Letters with Letter heads "Office of Inspector of Sea-going Torpedo Boat No. 1 1890" USN Bureau of Ordinance Bristol, R.I. Signed letter from the great grandson of John Paul Jones (bearing the exact same name). Letters from J Soley, then assistant Secretary of the Navy 1890 Official letter from W Folger abot the Torpedo Boats Letter from Cdr T (looks like Jewell?) the Inspector of Ordinance on letter head saying Naval Torpedo Station Newport, R.I. Letter informing him of his promotion to Captain by the President of the US (T Roosevelt) from Chief of Bureau of Navigation HC Taylor. many more --- 30 documents ---- plus 8 photo copied pages of information.

An incredible, historically important lot of ORIGINAL documents. These items are on consignment so please email questions at least a day before the end of the auction. Shipping includes insurance.