1881-1883 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT LOG BOOK AND JOURNAL OF THE USS QUINNEBAUG HANDWRITTEN BY ITS NAVAL CONSTRUCTOR, AS IT TRAVELS TO EUROPE TO PROTECT AMERICAN INTERESTS, INCLUDING PARTICIPATING IN THE BOMBARDMENT OF ALEXANDRIA

On offer is a thoroughly interesting and unique ship’s journal, from the U.S. Navy Corvette, the USS Quinnebaug and handwritten by it’s Naval Constructor, a man named J.J. Woodward. The period covered is between June 24, 1881 and March 14, 1883. The journal begins with the Quinnebaug being outfitted in the New York Navy Yard. It sets sail on July 14, 1881, sailing across the Atlantic and reaching the Strait of Gibraltar on August 9, 1881, joining the U.S. Navy’s European Station. The ship makes numerous European ports of call, including locations in France, Algeria, Tunis, Tripoli, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Madeira, Malta, Spain, and Portugal. Each day, there are detailed daily entries include latitude, longitude, weather, and sea conditions. Generally, these leave out observations other than simple things other than descriptions for the weather. However, there are a few where Woodward remarks on ships seen in passing and a few times on purely personal things, such as one entry where he writes, “Read ‘articles of War’ at quarters. Started gris for distilling and began to distil.” The most lengthy observations come when the ship is in port. The journal ends on March 14, 1883 at Gibraltar. Woodward logged a total of 19,957 nautical miles during his voyage. Of particular interest, is that the Quinnebaug was present for the Bombardment of Alexandria on July 11, 1882 where the British fleet attacked Alexandria and invaded Egypt, starting the Anglo-Egyptian War and beginning the British occupation of Egypt which would last until 1956. Amazingly, Woodward created a detailed illustration of this battle including ship locations and Egyptian batteries. He also illustrated subsequent battles at Kafr-Dowar and Ramleh. Several other illustrations include a gun battery and a ship cross-section. These illustrations are truly remarkable works, both for their relationship to the ship itself and to the historically significant events in which the ship participated in. Woodward’s engineering background is obviously evident in these sketches. After March of 1882, the log book cedes to a journal section, in which Woodward inserts his “Professional Notes”. The journal notes begin in July of 1881 and continue until March 14, 1883. The tone of these notes is much more casual and personal than the log section of the book. It is in this section that the illustrations are located. Woodward describes in much greater detail the ports he visits and the observations he makes at sea and on land. It is also here that the report from the British attack in Alexandria is written. In an almost 20 page account of the Battle, Woodward describes in excellent detail what it was like at the battle, the positions of the ships (especially the ‘Quinnebaug’) and the tactics of the British and French ships. The bombardment begins on July 11th and ends with Alexandria in flames on the 14th. During the bombardment, the American ships, including the ‘Quinnebaug’ opened their ships up to all refugees from the city who needed shelter or medical treatment. Woodward’s illustrations of a ‘Plan A’ and ‘Plan B’ for the ‘The Bombardment of Alexandria’ are truly extraordinary pieces of work. The book concludes with 16 pages of “Miscellaneous Notes” at the back of the book, these being more observations and personal anecdotes of the cities and ports through which the ‘Quinnebaug’ travelled, including Gibraltar, Marseilles, Arles, Algiers, Alexandria, Cairo. The journal has 166 handwritten pages. The remaining pages in the 288 page book are blank. The condition is very good. The spine and covers show some wear and the leather has come off the spine. The binding is still very tight. The pages within show very little signs of wear and tear or any age-toning and the handwriting is easily legible with very little staining, in still very dark black ink. (Bio Notes: J.J. Woodward would go on to lecture at MIT and publish works on ship design. Woodward was instrumental in commissioning the Navy's first submarines; The USS Quinnebaug was a screw corvette in the United States Navy. It was completed under contract by Neafie & Levy at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, She was launched on 28 September 1875, but completion was delayed due to lack of government appropriations, and consequently the vessel did not enter commission until 2 October 1878, when Commander Norman H. Farquhar took command. Three of her crew received the Medal of Honor for rescuing shipmates from drowning during this period: Landsman Patrick J. Kyle at Mahón, Menorca, on 13 March 1879, and Seaman Apprentice Second Class August Chandron and Boatswain's Mate Hugh Miller at Alexandria, Egypt, on 21 November 1885. Departing Gibraltar on 9 May 1889, Quinnebaug returned to the New York Navy Yard on 17 June 1889. She decommissioned there on 3 July, was struck from the Navy List on 21 November 1889, and was sold on 25 March 1891; The Egyptian Expedition, in mid-1882, was the United States' response to the British and French attack on Alexandria during the Anglo-Egyptian War. To protect American citizens and their property within the city, three United States Navy ships were sent to Egypt with orders to observe the conflict ashore and make a landing if necessary. British and French forces heavily damaged the city so a force of marines and sailors were landed and they assisted in fire fighting and guarding the American consulate from insurgents.) OVERALL: VG; Manuscript; 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, J.J. 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