Theodorus Bailey Papers, 1828-1877

Summary

Creator:
Bailey, Theodorus, 1805-1877.
Abstract:
Papers of the Admiral, United States Navy. Collection includes correspondence (1828-1874), much of which relates to Bailey's Civil War service; naval orders, circulars, reports and directives, and personal memorabilia.
Extent:
0.5 linear ft.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Theodorus Bailey Papers,

Background

Scope and content:

The Theodorus Bailey Papers consists of correspondence, memorabilia, legal and financial records, and official records.

Correspondence, the bulk of the collection, deals with the Admiral's career as a naval officer. Noteworthy correspondence includes letters from Napoleon Collins and Henry Pinkney, both dated July 30, 1842, concerning a duel between H.H. Rhodes and Admiral Bailey. Also of interest is a letter that describes the attack on New Orleans written by Admiral Bailey to an unknown acquaintance on May 5, 1862, and a letter, dated November 7, 1865, from William G. McEwan to William Oland Bourn, editor of Soldiers Friend, enclosing a manuscript describing McEwan's participation in the August 5, 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama. In addition, two letters addressed to Admiral Bailey from John W. Hogg and George D. Allen, dated July 8 and July 18, 1873 respectively, deal with the distribution of prize monies due from the capture of rebel privateers during the War. Letters from Admiral Bailey to his son, Edmund S., during the war years, also cover this topic thoroughly. A complete index to the correspondence can be found at the end of this inventory.

Memorabilia includes biographical material, engraving, obituaries, and miscellaneous material. An undated holograph biographical sketch, including an account of the Admiral's ancestors, comprises the biographical material. The engravings portray the Admiral when he was promoted to commander in 1849. The miscellaneous material, undated, is a poem, "Lord Lovell," and a copy of it made by Sallie Bailey.

Legal and financial records consists of deeds to property owned by Admiral Bailey and receipts for life insurance and letters received.

Official records includes circulars, general orders, petitions, proclamations, reports, and miscellaneous material. Circulars, 1854-1862, are military suggestions or statements and are in chronological order, as are the general orders, 1862-1864, which involve prescribed methods or directives for military action. The material included as petitions, 1868, and reports, 1869, deals with the attack on New Orleans which occurred April 24, 1862, and a resultant misrepresentation of the facts concerning Admiral Bailey's participation. Miscellaneous items, 1857-1872, consist of legal papers, requisitions, weights of the USS Colorado at mean draft 23'3, lists of prizes captured by the East Coast Blockade Squadron, and British and American Claims (Wm. Bowman vs. U.S.).

Biographical / historical:

Admiral Theodorus Bailey was born in Chauteaugay, New York on April 12, 1805. He received his academic education in Plattsburg, New York and, at the age of thirteen, received a warrant as a midshipman in the Navy. His first cruise was in the corvette Cyane which provided a convoy for the first black colonists to Liberia, settling them on the Island of Sherboo, off the coast of Africa. During this cruise Bailey participated in the capture of a brig and six schooners which were illegally engaged in the slave trade.

Following several years of apprenticeship at sea, Bailey received the store-ship Lexington as his first command in 1846. It was during this period that he participated in the blockade and eventual seizure of lower California during the Mexican War. His next command, on the sloop-of-war St. Mary, detailed him to the Pacific Squadron and led him on an around-the-world cruise. During this time he was involved in the removal of the United States Consul in the Canary Islands, and was instrumental in quelling the Panama Riots of 1856.

When the Civil War began in 1861, Admiral Bailey tendered his services to the Union and was assigned to active duty as commander of the frigate Colorado in the blockade of Florida. In 1862, he was made second-in-command under David Farragut in the attack on New Orleans, Louisiana. Admiral Bailey led the Union fleet up the Mississippi River and accepted the surrender of New Orleans.

From 1862 to 1864, Admiral Bailey was commander of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron in the Gulf of Mexico, and subsequently had charge of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Navy Yard. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1866, and retired from active duty to accept a position on the Navy Retiring Board. He died February 10, 1877 in Washington, D.C.

Acquisition information:
Purchase, 1969.
Arrangement:

Correspondence is arranged chronologically with envelopes included at the end of the section. A complete index to the correspondence can be found at the end of this inventory. Memorabilia is arranged alphabetically by subject matter. Legal and financial records are organized chronologically. Official records are arranged alphabetically by type.

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Military history
Politics, government and public administration
Admirals -- United States.
Admirals.
Correspondence.
Memorabilia.
Names:
United States. -- Navy. -- Officers.
Bailey, Theodorus, 1805-1877.
Farragut, David Glasgow, 1801-1870.
McKean, William W. (William Wister), 1800-1865.
Porter, David D. (David Dixon), 1813-1891.
Temple, William Grenville.
Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878.
Places:
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Naval operations.
Indexes:

Index to correspondence

Letters are indexed by sender only. For ease of reading, names with many dates have been divided by year. So for example, there are two entries for William Wister McKean: "McKean, Wm. Wister, 1861" and "McKean, Wm. Wister, 1862."

Alden, James and Porter, David D. 1862 Mar 14 USS "Richmond" off Ship Isl'd. Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey
Allen, George D. 1873 Jul 18 Key West, Florida to Theodorus Bailey
Bailey, Theodorus, 1846 and earlier 1828 Apr 25 Navy Yard, N.Y.C. to Samuel L. Southar1846 Jun 4 USS "Lexington"
Bailey, Theodorus, 1861 Jun 5 USS "Colorado" to Edmund S. BaileyJul 15 USS "Colorado" to Charley ?Aug 1 USS "Colorado" off Fort Pickens, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyAug 20 USS "Colorado" off Pensacola, Fla. to William MervineAug 26 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to John H. RussellNov 27 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Edmund S. BaileyDec 26 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Edmund S. Bailey
Bailey, Theodorus, 1862 Jan 30 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Edmund S. BaileyFeb 20 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to John L. DavisMar 6 USS "Colorado" off Pensacola, Fla to Edmund S. BaileyMar 14 USS "Colorado" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Edmund S. BaileyApr 12 South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Edmund S. BaileyApr 20 USS "Oneida" Miss. River to David G. FarragutApr 25 USS "Cayuga" off New Orleans, Miss. to David G. FarragutApr 25 USS "Cayuga" Hampton Roads, Va. to Gideon WellesMay 5 USS "Cayuga" off Key West, Fla. to ?Aug 5 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to Edmund S. BaileySep 19 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to Edmund S. BaileyOct 12 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to T. Bailey MyersOct 25 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to T. Bailey MyersNov 13 N.Y.C. Gideon Welles
Bailey, Theodorus, 1863 Jan 3 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJan 18 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJan 19 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to ?Jan 25 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyFeb 9 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyFeb 28 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyMar 29 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyApr 20 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyApr 29 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyMay 31 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJun 12 USS "Magnolia" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJul 1 USS "Magnolia" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJul 11 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJul 24 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyAug 12 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyAug 17 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyAug 22 USS USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyAug 27 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileySep 14 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileySep 27 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyOct 9 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyOct 16 USS "Dale" to Edmund S. BaileyOct 27 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyNov 10 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyNov 24 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyDec 3 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyDec 6 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey
Bailey, Theodorus, 1864 Feb 11 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyMar 17 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyApr 2 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyMay 11 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyMay 28 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJun 6 USS "Dale" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJun 9 "USS "Dale" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJun 24 USS "Dale" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJul 11 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileyJul 14 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. BaileySep 20 Oyster Bay, Long Isl'd., N. Y. to Gideon Welles
Bailey, Theodorus, 1865 and later 1865 Nov 30 Navy Dept., Washington, D. C. to Charles Walters1866 Dec 29 US Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H. to George H. Preble1874 Feb 10 Washington, D. C. to Mary B. McKnight
Bell, Henry Haywood 1863 Dec 18 USS "Pensacola" off New Orleans, Mississippi to Theodorus Bailey
Carter, George B. 1861 Sep 13 USS "Colorado" to William Mervine
Collins, Napoleon 1842 Jul 30 Hong Kong to John J. Reynolds
Davis, John L. 1862 Apr 9 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey
Dupont, Samuel F. 1852 Jun 24 near Wilmington, Delaware to Theodorus Bailey
Farragut, David G., 1862 Feb 22 USS "Hartford" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey Feb 24 USS "Hartford" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey Feb 29 USS "Hartford" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey Mar 7 USS "Hartford" at mouth of Miss. River to Theodorus Bailey Mar 8 USS "Hartford" at Pass A L'outre, Miss. Delta, to Theodorus Bailey1862 Mar 8 USS "Hartford" at Pass A L'outre, Miss. Delta to Theodorus BaileyMar 12 USS "Hartford" at South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus BaileyMar 12 USS "Hartford" at South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus BaileyMar 13 USS "Hartford" at South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus BaileyMar 19 USS "Colorado" Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus BaileyApr 3 USS "Richmond" to Theodorus BaileyApr 7 Pilot Town to Theodorus BaileyApr 9 USS "Hartford" to Theodorus BaileyApr 9 USS "Hartford" to Theodorus BaileyApr 11 USS "Hartford" to Theodorus BaileyApr 27 USS "Hartford" off New Orleans, La. to Theodorus BaileyJun 11 USS "Hartford" off Baton Rouge, La. to Theodorus BaileyAug 28 USS "Hartford" at Pensacola Bay, Florida to ?
Farragut, David G., 1864 Feb 19 USS "Hartford" at Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus BaileyApr 4 Richmond (?) to Theodorus Bailey to Theodorus BaileyMay 26 USS "Hartford" off Mobile, Ala. to Theodorus BaileyJun 14 USS "Hartford" off Mobile, Ala. to Theodorus BaileyJul 16 USS "Tennessee" off Mobile, Ala. to Theodorus Bailey
Halter, R. E. 1862 Mar 11 South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey
Harrison, N. B. 1869 Apr 19 Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. to Theodorus Bailey
Hogg, John W. 1873 Jul 8 Navy Dept., Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey
Horner, G. R. B. 1861 Feb 20 USS "Colorado" to Theodorus Bailey1861 Aug 14 USS "Colorado" off Fort Pickens, Fla. to Theodorus Bailey1862 Feb 22 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey
Lee, Samuel Phillips 1862 Mar 7 USS "Oneida" at mouth of Miss. River to Theodorus Bailey
McEwan, William G. 1865 Nov 7 Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa to Wm. Oland Bourn
McKean, Wm. Wister, 1861 Jan 3 USS "Niagara" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus BaileySep 28 USS "Niagara" off Pass A L'outre, to Theodorus BaileyOct 7 USS "Niagara" off Pass A L'outre, to Theodorus Bailey Oct 7 USS "Niagara" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey Oct 15 USS "Niagara" off Fort Pickens, Fla. to Theodorus Bailey Oct 31 USS "Niagara" off South West Pass Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey Nov 8 USS "Niagara" off South West Pass Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey Nov 13 USS "Niagara" off South West Pass Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey Nov 15 USS "Niagara" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey Dec 19 USS "Niagara" to Theodorus Bailey Dec 19 USS "Niagara" off Fort Pickens, Fla. to Theodorus Bailey Dec 26 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey
McKean, Wm. Wister, 1862 Jan 3 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey Jan 3 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus BaileyJan 20 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus BaileyJan 21 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus BaileyFeb 3 USS "Niagara" off South West Pass Miss. Delta to Theodorus BaileyFeb 13 USS "Niagara" to Theodorus Bailey
Mervine, William 1861 Sep. 21 USS "Colorado" off Fort Pickens, Fla. New York to Theodorus Bailey
Morton, Thomas H. 1871 Jun 2 New York to Theodorus Bailey
Paulding, James Kirke 1840 Jun 15 Navy Dept, Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey
Pinkney, Henry 1842 Jul 30 Hong Kong to Theodorus Bailey
Porter, David D. 1863 Jul 3 USS "Black Hawk" Miss. Squadron to J. C. Febiger1863 Aug 6 USS "Black Hawk" Miss. Squadron to J. C. Febiger1864 Oct 22 Hampton Roads, Va. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Nov 4 USS "Malbern" Hampton Roads, Va. to R. W. Meade1867 Jul 17 Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. to Charles Sumner
Putnam, James O. 1861 Dec 13 U. S. Consulate, Le Havre, France to William H. Seward
Reynolds, William 1858 Nov 12 Honolulu, Hawaii to Theodorus Bailey1863 Mar 7 USS "Vermont" Port Royal, S. C. to Theodorus Bailey
Robeson, George M. 1869 Oct 12 Navy Dept., Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey
Rogers, John A. 1861 Jan 23 South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey1862 Jan 12 USS "Samuel Rotan" to Theodorus Bailey
Ross, W. N. N. T. 1861 Dec 13 USS "Desperato" off Mississippi River to William Mervine
Schenck, James F. 1864 Oct 15 USS "Powhatan", Hampton Roads, Va. to Theodorus Bailey
Selfridge, Thomas O. 1861 Dec 10 USS "Mississippi" off Pass A L'outre, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey
Shufeldt, Robert W. 1861 Dec 18 to U. S. Consulate General, Havana, Cuba Commander at Key West
Smith, Melancton 1861 Sep. 20 USS "Massachusetts" off Ship Island, Miss. Sound to William Mervine
Temple, Wm. Grenville 1864 May 27 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Jun 1 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Jun 8 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Jun 28 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Jul 17 Bordentown, N. J. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Aug 7 Bordentown, N. J. to Bowman (?)1864 Aug 20 Rutland, Vermont to Theodorus Bailey1864 Oct 16 Cold Spring, Putnam County, N.Y. to Theodorus Bailey1864 Nov 22 USS "Pontoosuc" Navy Yard, N.Y. to Theodorus Bailey 1865 Feb 12 USS "Pontoosuc" Cape Fear River, North Carolina to Theodorus Bailey 1865 Feb 21 USS "Pontoosuc" Four miles below Wilmington, Va. to Theodorus Bailey 1865 Mar 25 USS "Pontoosuc" James River to Theodorus Bailey 1865 Apr 9 USS "Pontoosuc" Hampton Roads, Va. to Theodorus Bailey 1865 Jul 12 Rutland, Vermont to Theodorus Bailey 1866 Jul 31 USS "Tacony" Charleston, S. C. to Theodorus Bailey 1866 Oct 21 USS "Tacony" Hampton Roads, Va. to Theodorus Bailey
Toucey, Isaac 1857 Mar 21 Navy Department, Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey
Walker, W. M. 1862 Feb 11 USS "DeSoto" to Theodorus Bailey Feb 11 USS "DeSoto" to Theodorus Bailey
Welles, Gideon 1861 Apr 27 Navy Department, Washington, D.C. to William L.Hudson1861 Dec 30 Navy Department, Washington, D. C. to Wm. Wister McKean

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Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Preferred citation:

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Theodorus Bailey Papers,

Location of this collection:
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Bird Library, Room 600
Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
315.443.2697
scrc@syr.edu