1826 - 1845 ARCHIVE OF 16 ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN STAMPLESS LETTERS OF NAVAL BUSINESS AND VERY INTIMATE PERSONAL LETTERS FROM MOM TO US NAVAL SURGEON AND NOTED AUTHOR WILLIAM WAITHAM RUSCHENBERGER

On offer is a small archive of sixteen [16] original manuscript stampless, folded letters dated 1826 - 1845 addressed to United States Navy Surgeon William [Samuel Waithman] Ruschenberger to various naval stations in Philadelphia, Annapolis, Washington DC etc. These letters offer a very interesting view of the doctor with two very intimate letters to the very young William about some youthful indiscretion and money, a couple of letters from cousins, uncles and then the rest deal with Naval, medical, publishing and research issues. One online source provides: Dr. William Samuel Waithman Ruschenberger (4 September 1807 in Cumberland County, New Jersey - 24 March 1895 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a surgeon for the United States Navy and an author. After attending schools in Philadelphia and New York he entered the Navy as surgeon's mate, 10 August 1826. He was graduated in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1830, and was commissioned surgeon, 4 April 1831. He was fleet surgeon of the East India Squadron 1835-1837, attached to the naval rendezvous at Philadelphia 1840-1842, and at the naval hospital in Brooklyn 1843-1847, when he organized the laboratory for supplying the service with unadulterated drugs. He was again fleet surgeon of the East India Squadron 1847-1850, of the Pacific Squadron 1854-1857, and of the Mediterranean Squadron from August 1860 until July 1861. During the intervals between cruises he was on duty at Philadelphia. During the Civil War he was surgeon of the Boston Navy Yard. He was on special duty at Philadelphia 1865-1870, was the senior officer in the medical corps 1866-1869, and was retired on 4 September 1869. He was president of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1870-1882, and president of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia 1879-1883. He was commissioned medical director on the retired list on 3 March 1871. Dr. Ruschenberger published some of the results of his investigations during his cruises, by which he had acquired a wide reputation. He also served as a member of the Board of Appointments whose purpose was to form rules and plans for the United States Naval Academy. Dr. Ruschenberger rose to the rank of commodore before he retired. Overall VG.