McSherry Family (fl. 1861-1880) [Letters to Assistant Surgeon Henry F. McSherry of the U.S. Navy] [decimalized .01-.66] [decimalized]

Letters to Henry F. McSherry (b.1837. Many letters to him begin "Dear Fen") as assistant surgeon in the United States Navy concerning divided sympathies of the border areas, his service in the navy, as well as views of the war and home front. McSherry was from Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), where his father, the physician Richard McSherry (b. 1792), was a slave owner before the Civil War. Richard owned 7 slaves in 1850 (3 males ages 40, 17, & 11 as well as 4 females ages 35, 24, 14, and 13) and 5 slaves in 1860 (2 males ages 50 and 20 as well as 3 females ages 47, 24, & 2). Henry was 1 of 8 siblings and joined the Navy before the war broke out -- according to the 1860 census he was a "Seargent U.S. Navy." For at least parts of 1860 and 1861 he was stationed aboard the USS "Vandalia" in Brooklyn, New York. During the early part of the war, his ship served in the blockading squadron. In early 1862 (according to .15) he was aboard the USS "Sciota." Henry seems to have a house in Baltimore, Maryland as well (see .17 & .38, the latter gives an address at 189 N. Harvard St.). In 1864 he was aboard the USS "Dacotah." Envelope addressed to McSherry in August 1864 was sent to him on the USS "Wabash," and seems to have been forwarded to the USS "Delaware." Letters are addressed to him at 91 W. 9th St. in New York in October 1864. At the end of the war he appears to be on a cruise around the world on the USS "Wyoming," with references to him at the Cape of Good Hope, Java, and Macao, China. Resignation proceedings began for Henry in late 1865, and accusations of alcohol abuse and disloyalty surfaced. One letter hints that he might have resigned over a woman who broke his heart. Two letters are from Admiral Samuel P. Lee. See GLC 9324 for a collection of letters related McSherry.