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Fascinating, original, 1852 Manuscript Copy Book used to record the official correspondence of U. S. Navy Commandant Josiah Tattnall, the Commanding Officer of the United States Navy Yard at Pensacola, Florida. This amazing early Florida / Navy Yard Record Book / Report Book measures approx. 8 1/4" x 13 3/8" and covers the period June 25th through July 21st, 1852. Included are 14 manuscript pages or orders, reports, correspondence, requests, etc. to and from Commandant Tattnall. Most of the communications are addressed to Lieutenant Charles Green, "acting" Commanding Officer of the U.S. Steamer Fulton. Other Navy officers mentioned include C. Morris, Chief of the Bureau of Hydrography. It seems that the Fulton was being used to tow various disabled Navy ships to safe ports and in the course of these communications Tattnall orders the Fulton to transport the USS Decatur, USS New York, the Barque "John Denham", etc. Many of the communications are of general activities and naval duties in and around the Pensacola Navy Yard but others are on arming and supplying U. S. Navy ships, disputes between Navy Officers, the transport of recruits, etc. In 1821 Pensacola was signed over to the United States, and the Florida Territory was established a year later. Realizing the advantages of the Pensacola harbor and the large timber reserves nearby for shipbuilding, President John Quincy Adams and Secretary of the Navy Samuel Southard, in 1825, made arrangements to build a Navy yard on the Southern tip of Escambia County, where the air station is today. Navy Captains William Bainbridge, Lewis Warrington, and James Biddle selected the site on Pensacola Bay. Construction began in April 1826, and the Pensacola Navy Yard became one of the best equipped naval stations in the country. In its early years the base dealt mainly with the suppression of slave trade and piracy in the Gulf and Caribbean. In July of 1851, Mexican War Hero and future Confederate Naval Officer Josiah Tattnall was assigned to the position of Commandant of the United States Navy Yard at Pensacola where he served until June of 1854. See below for a short biography of this distinguished U.S. and C.S.A. Naval Officer. This fascinating Manuscript Volume is bound in its original 1/2 leather and spotted boards which are in near excellent condition - tight, crisp and generally clean with light edge wear and a single ink smudge on the leather spine of the front cover. The interior pages are complete, tight and also in near excellent condition. The pages are clean and crisp and the penmanship simply beautiful. Following the 14 initial pages of the blank book used to record the Navy Yard correspondence there are 10 pages used at a later date in the 19th century by another party to practice penmanship. In fact this person has taken to copying some of the earlier correspondence written on the early pages of the Volume as well as simple letter repetition and exercises. There is no extraneous writing on the pages used in 1852 and the Navy Yard entries are written in impeccable manuscript and easily readable. A very rare and wonderful, 1852, Manuscript Record Book from Headquarters of the United States Navy Yard at Pensacola providing a fascinating insight into the pre-Civil War activity of the US Navy in Florida and a fantastic addition to any collection!!! A Short Biography of Commandant Josiah Tattnall (from Wikipedia): Commodore Josiah Tattnall, Jr. (14 June 1794 – 14 June 1871) was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812, the Second Barbary War, and the Mexican-American War. He later served in the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. Josiah was the son of Josiah Tattnall who was Governor and U.S. Senator from Georgia. He was born on his father's plantation of Bonaventure, near Savannah, Georgia. After studying in England, he was appointed a midshipman on 1 January 1812 and attended the Naval School at Washington, D.C., until 1 August when he was assigned to the frigate Constellation. When his ship tried to slip out to sea, the strong British squadron operating in the Chesapeake Bay forced her to put into Norfolk, Virginia. Constellation remained bottled up in Hampton Roads for the duration of the War of 1812, but Tattnall and his comrades still managed to get into the fray. He was among the 100 or so sailors and marines assigned to the shore battery on Craney Island. On 22 June 1813, the British attempted to carry the island by storm in preparation for an attack on nearby Norfolk. Tattnall's battery and a force of American boats gave the attackers a sound rebuff that deterred the British from further attempts to take the city. In April 1814, Midshipman Tattnall was detached from Constellation and, by 24 August, was in command of a force of employees from the Washington Navy Yard. He led them into the Battle of Bladensburg in an unsuccessful effort to stop the British advance on the American capital. On 14 October, he was ordered to Savannah for duty on Epervier. In May 1815, that sloop sailed for the Mediterranean with Commodore Stephen Decatur's squadron to engage the Barbary Pirates in Algiers in the Second Barbary War. On 17 June, she participated in the capture of the frigate Mashouda and, two days later, of the brig Estedio. In July, when Epervier was ordered back to the United States with dispatches, Tattnall remained in the Mediterranean in Constellation. In January 1817, he transferred to Ontario and returned in her to the United States. Promoted to lieutenant on 1 April 1818, Tattnall was assigned to the frigate Macedonian on 30 June, and he sailed in her for the Pacific in November. He was detached from Macedonian on 30 August 1820, and returned to the United States. Ordered to Norfolk on 26 December 1822, he joined Commodore David Porter's squadron in schooner Jackall. Lieutenant Tattnall served in the West Indies on an expedition to suppress piracy until he was detached on 4 May 1823. On 23 June 1824, Tattnall was ordered to Constitution for Mediterranean service. In March 1826, he transferred to Brandywine and returned home in her in May. On the 15th of that month, he was granted six months leave, which was later extended into 1828. Tattnall served in Erie from October 1828 to August 1829 and then went on to survey the Tortugas until March 1830. Lt. Tattnall took command of schooner Grampus on 15 April 1831, and cruised the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico. In August 1832, he captured the Mexican schooner, Montezuma, which had boarded and robbed an American ship on the high seas. He was detached from Grampus in September 1832 and went on leave awaiting orders for almost four years before being ordered in, July 1836, to recruit men for Captain Thomas ap Catesby Jones' survey and exploration expedition. Tattnall was promoted to commander on 25 February 1836, and, in April, reported for a three-year tour of duty at the Boston Navy Yard. In 1848 and 1849, he returned to shore duty at the Boston Navy Yard. On 5 February 1850, he was commissioned captain and, the following month, was given command of Saranac. Next, he commanded the Pensacola Navy Yard from July 1851 to June 1854. From August 1854 to November 1855, Captain Tattnall was flag captain in Independence to Commodore William Mervine with the Pacific Squadron. At Hong Kong on 29 January 1858, he relieved Commodore James Armstrong taking command of the East India Squadron, breaking his flag in San Jacinto. During his two years in the Far East, Commodore Tattnall violated American neutrality to come to the assistance of a British squadron under fire from the Taku Forts at the mouth of the Pei Ho (Hai River). His explanation of his action, "Blood is thicker than water", subsequently became a famous slogan. On his return voyage early in 1860, carried the first diplomatic embassy from Tokugawa Japan to the United States. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Capt. Tattnall held command of the Sackett's Harbor Station. Though he opposed secession, Tattnall resigned his commission on 21 February 1861. A week later, Governor Joseph E. Brown commissioned Tattnall as the senior flag officer of the Navy of Georgia. On 26 March 1861, he received his commission as a captain in the Confederate Navy. Tattnall commanded Southern naval units during the defense of Port Royal until the harbor was captured by Union forces on 7 November 1861. From there, he moved to overall command of the defense of Virginia's waters early in March 1862. Tattnall, by then a flag officer in the Confederate Navy as well as the Navy of Georgia, directed CSS Jamestown and other warships in captures of Federal merchantmen off Sewell's Point in April 1862. On 11 May 1862, in the face of advancing Federal forces, Flag Officer Tattnall ordered the destruction of his flagship, CSS Virginia (ex-Merrimack). He was later acquitted by a court martial of all charges stemming from that action. He resumed command of the butt of Georgia on 29 May 1862, and retained it until 31 March 1863, when he turned over command of forces afloat to Comdr. Richard L. Page and concentrated upon the shore defenses of Savannah. When Savannah fell to General William Tecumseh Sherman's troops, Tattnall became a prisoner of war. He was paroled on 9 May 1865, and, soon thereafter, took up residence once more in Savannah. Captain Tattnall died there and was buried in Bonaventure Cemetery. Overseasshippping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 5% sales tax. Insurance is required on all Domestic Shipping and not available on International Shipping. Please check out other early and interesting items offered by this seller on ebay. 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