Stockton, Robert Field (1795-1866) to John Ericsson
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02494.10 Author/Creator: Stockton, Robert Field (1795-1866) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 4 March 1843 Pagination: 1 p. : address ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy
Discusses moving the boilers on the Princeton a few feet from the aft to make more room for the engines. Mentions being held in Philadelphia because a friend has been ill for weeks. Impression in upper left corner reads "Jessup & Brothers."
Offered the post of Secretary of the Navy by President John Tyler in 1841, Stockton declined the offer and worked successfully to gain support for the construction of an advanced steam warship with a battery of very heavy guns. This ship became the USS Princeton (1843-1849), the Navy's first
screw-propelled steamer. Along with Ericsson, Stockton oversaw the Princeton's construction; he commanded the ship when she was completed in 1843. The ship is best known for a tragic accident on board: On 28 February 1844, an explosion occurred during a demonstration of her cannon, injuring Stockton and killing several people, including the U.S. Secretaries of State and the Navy. The ship served blockade duty during the Mexican War.
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