Totten, Benjamin J. (1806-1877) to William McBlair
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00722.55 Author/Creator: Totten, Benjamin J. (1806-1877) Place Written: s.l. Type: Letter signed Date: 25 March 1859 Pagination: 1 p. : docket ; 32 x 20 cm. Order a Copy
Ordering McBlair to receive two prisoners, and to exchange drummer boys. Informs McBlair that he will receive on his ship "the men Connor and Breckendorf, sentenced by Summary Court Martial to be discharged from the Naval Services." Also orders McBlair to exchange drummers. Edwin Donnohoe, the drummer boy on board Totten's ship, is being sent to McBlair's ship because he "was implicated in an unnatural crime with the man Breckendorf, and perjured himself before the Summary Court Martial, and therefore should be discharged from the corps as soon as possible." Written on board the U.S.S. "Vincennes."
William McBlair was a United States naval officer in command of the ship "Dale," responsible for catching illegal slave trading ships off the coast of Africa. Later served in the Confederate Navy.
Benjamin J. Totten was the commander of the U.S.S. "Vincennes," later promoted to commodore and served as governor of the naval asylum at Philadelphia for two years. Also published a number of works regarding the navy.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.