Herewith I have the honor to transmit to you a recommendatory letter which with this I wish you to consider as an application in favor of John Royall Eggleston for a Midshipman's warrant in the U. S. Navy—Descended from a family of some distinction of spotless character the hope may be reasonably indulged that the present promise of the boy will be fulfilled in the man, and the service of the Country be more benefitted than the individual who is hereby offered to it—In addition allow me to add that (if) I am not misinformed) we of Mississippi have had less than our proportionate share of Navy appointments and respectfully asking your attention to the case of Mr. Eggleston, to subscribe myself
* Bancroft, George (1800-1891), an American historian, was born in Worcester, Mass., October 3, 1800; was graduated from Harvard college in 1817, received the degree of Ph. D. from Göttingen in 1820, and studied also at Heidelberg. He was tutor in Greek at Harvard college in 18221823; subsequently devoted his attention chiefly to history and political science; and advocated universal suffrage, 1826, as the true foundation of democracy. He was Collector of the Port of Boston from January, 1838, to November, 1841; Secretary of the Navy, 1845-1846; U. S. Minister to Great Britain, 1846-1849; U. S. Minister at Berlin 1867-1874. He died in Washington, D. C. January 17, 1891. As Secretary of the Navy, Bancroft was the founder of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and gave the orders to the American Pacific Squadron to seize California in the event of hostilities with Mexico. He wrote the History of the United States from the discovery of the American continent (1834-1875). Consult M. A. DeWolf Howe, The Life and Letters of George Bancroft, 2 vols., 658 pp., New York, 1908.
No comments:
Post a Comment