Wells, J. L.

Scrapbooks, 1861-1862
2 items

Wells, J. L.
Rank:	Purser
Regiment:	United States. Navy
Service:	1861 November-?

Background note:

The two scrapbooks kept by J. L. Wells, purser aboard the U.S.S. Marion, an army transport ship, consist primarily of articles cut out of newspapers and illustrated magazines, plus some ephemera apparently collected while in the service (photos, prints, Confederate bank notes). The first scrapbook documents the naval expedition against Port Royal, S.C., beginning in November, 1861, and operations off of the Georgia and Florida coast during the winter of 1861-1862. At the end of this volume, Wells has pasted in a 1722 deed of William Scott ("found in the rubbish at Beaufort"), and a 1762 deed of Isaac and Rebecca Holmes. In addition, he has included a carte de visite of Rufus Saxton, leader of the Port Royal expedition (p. 11) and cartes de visite on the inside back cover of Lincoln (Gardner's portrait of 9 August 1863), Grant, Meade, Sickles, Burnside, and two unidentified men, one in uniform.

The second scrapbook documents the participation of the U.S.S. Marion in Farragut's operations to open up the Mississippi, 1862, and in particular, the engagements at Forts Jackson and St. Philip and New Orleans. Wells did not include any ephemera in this volume, though there is quite of variety of newspapers, including Union Louisiana imprints.

M-2798
Cat. 3/92 rsc

Link to subject index to the J. L. Wells Scrapbook

Alphabetic index to the Schoff Civil War Collections

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