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McLean Research Associates is dedicated to presenting little known facts about the US Navy in the Civil War, presentations on a myriad of astronomical topics,STEM workshops, and letterboxing.

In commemoration of the 160 years since the Civil War - or more appropriately in the vernacular of the day - The War of the Slaveholders' Rebellion - we are featuring a quote and picture of the day from the Naval Records

This is an unidentified picture of a Read Admiral, USN.

Thu Jun 29 1865

CDR C R P Rodgers, USS Iroquois, writes SECNAV from the Strait of Sunda "Before leaving this station I beg leave to report to the Department the cordial consideration which has been shown to this ship by the Dutch authorities in the East Indies, and especially by Rear-Admiral Fabius, the naval commander in chief.
    He has constantly placed at my disposal whatever the navy yards, storehouses, and workshops under his control could furnish, and has manifested a spirit of good will to our country which has been peculiarly agreeable to me at a time when our presence in the ports of other nations has been viewed by the local authorities with disfavor.
    In our recent visit to the navy yard at Sourabaya the admiral gave orders that the Iroquois should be placed on the footing of a Dutch vessel of war; and I am especially obliged to Commodore Van Meeteren, the commandant of the station, and to Colonel Cuyp, the director of the navy yard, for unremitting kindness and for the readiness with which they complied with every requisition upon their stores or workmen.
    On the 27th instant, at Batavia, when, in obedience to your general order, we paid the last honors to our lamented President, the Dutch flagship carried the American ensign at half-mast, and each gun from the Iroquois was followed by a gun from the admiral's ship."

RADM Henry K Thatcher, West Gulf Squadron, writes SECNAV "I have the honor to forward herewith to the Department the rebel flag of the armed picket schooner Le Compt, captured by the U. S. S. Cornubia, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Johnstone, off Galveston, on the 25th May, 1865.
On the same day the blockade runner Denbigh was destroyed. It is believed to be the last rebel flag on the coast afloat captured from the rebels during this war, and may possess an interest at the Department. It has been duly marked as above, and was recently received from Captain B. F. Sands, U. S. Navy, senior officer on the coast of Texas."

RADM Samuel P Lee, Mississippi Squadron, writes SECNAV "Lieutenant M. Forrest, late commanding Eleventh District, reports, under date of 27th June, that, in obedience to my order of 22d May (of which I enclosed a copy to the Department in my No. 246), he had an interview with Major-General Thomas, who informed him that Captain [Thomas J.] Carlile, assistant quartermaster, had been designated to receive the four gunboats of the Eleventh District.
He accordingly turned them over to him at an invoice price of $76,000 each. I enclose Captain Carlile's receipt for them (1), also his receipt (2) for the buildings and Government property that Lieutenant Forrest had drawn, at Bridgeport, from the army, principally, as he reports, for the use of the paymaster in storing provisions, clothing, etc."

Teachers and Educators - we have several Civil War presentations covering the US Navy throughout the Civil War which include our portable museum, Submarines, and key naval and land battles. Check out our Civil War section for more details. We also have several presentations on astronomy for all age groups

validated!