Near Wilmington, Del.
[No date]
My Dear Sir,
On Wednesday I went down to Sandy Hook on the Ottawa Gun
Boat — her performance was entirely satisfactory. Com. Gregory and Comstock
were on board —but her Captn was not.
The former has shown great zeal about these Gun Boats, and
has added much to their efficiency and towards their completion by his rigid
supervision — further, he has behaved like a man about the action of the Dept
in reference to flag officers. He is about to ask you a favor, which I hope you
may grant — viz. to order his son Hugh M. Gregory acting Master on board the
Supply to report to me in New York for duty in South At. Squadron.
Mr. Kimball has found competent Engineers he tells me for
the steamers approaching to being ready. I could not see while there, that
Davis could be of any service in New York, until the ships you intend for the
expedition are handed over to me. The sooner you can do this the better, as I
explained in my letter from New York.
One reason for desiring Davis to go back to Washington is,
that we have one paper unfinished, which to us as individuals, and to the Dept
for convenience, it is most desirable to finish. It is the recapitulation or summary
of our whole work, to furnish the basis of instructions to the different
Squadrons, while it will be the most attractive to the general reader. The
large memoirs will attest our research, the summary will show the results — and
complete the archives of the Dept on a subject, which will do honor to it
hereafter.
Have you any information that the orders were sent to the
Wabash? I shall leave here on Monday and be in New York Tuesday. The Astor
House my headquarters, where there is a telegraph.
I am so anxious and earnest to be at work that you must
excuse my stating how I am situated until you put me on a proper footing. With
Mr. Morgan and Mr. Pook and Bell, we are on the best of terms and are pushing
on with them very well, but when the vessels are once at the Navy Yard, until
it is understood they are to be part of my command we are paralysed, while
really very little seems doing by any one yet. Drayton however has been on
board of all and will be of great service, for such is the ignorance of the new
cannon and arms, that he is cordially welcomed, instead of being looked upon
with jealous suspicion.
I enclose you a letter from a friend of mine the King of the
Boston Bar, which I thought would please you.
Faithfully Yrs
S F D P
SOURCE: Robert Means Thompson & Richard Wainwright,
Editors, Publications of the Naval Historical Society, Volume 9: Confidential
Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1861-1865,
Volume 1, p. 51-2
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