1862 Civil War Union Naval Blockading Instructions—North Carolina Sounds
An extensive contemporary manuscript copy of blockade instructions issued by Acting Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee from the U.S. flagship Philadelphia at Hampton Roads, Virginia, December 2, 1862. Addressed to the senior naval officer in the sounds of North Carolina, this three-page document provides detailed rules governing vessel passage, military supply shipments, cargo inspections, and the detention of unauthorized traders.
The instructions distinguish legitimate Army and Navy supply vessels from commercial traffic, requiring careful examination of manifests, customs clearances, and quartermasters’ certificates. Additional provisions regulate military steamers, vessels traveling in ballast, access through Hatteras and Ocracoke Inlets, and the maintenance of boarding books and weekly shipping reports. The final instruction requires each guard vessel to keep its guard flag flying at all times.
A compelling record of the practical work behind the Union naval blockade, illustrating how officers controlled commerce and maintained military supply routes along the North Carolina coast.
Three manuscript pages with a handwritten docket on the fourth page. Explicitly identified as a copy, with Lee’s name transcribed following “(Signed)”; not personally signed by the admiral.
Condition: Light age toning and scattered spotting, horizontal folds, surface wrinkling, and minor edge wear. Some writing is pale, although the text remains largely legible in the photographs.
An extensive contemporary manuscript copy of blockade instructions issued by Acting Rear Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee from the U.S. flagship Philadelphia at Hampton Roads, Virginia, December 2, 1862. Addressed to the senior naval officer in the sounds of North Carolina, this three-page document provides detailed rules governing vessel passage, military supply shipments, cargo inspections, and the detention of unauthorized traders.
The instructions distinguish legitimate Army and Navy supply vessels from commercial traffic, requiring careful examination of manifests, customs clearances, and quartermasters’ certificates. Additional provisions regulate military steamers, vessels traveling in ballast, access through Hatteras and Ocracoke Inlets, and the maintenance of boarding books and weekly shipping reports. The final instruction requires each guard vessel to keep its guard flag flying at all times.
A compelling record of the practical work behind the Union naval blockade, illustrating how officers controlled commerce and maintained military supply routes along the North Carolina coast.
Three manuscript pages with a handwritten docket on the fourth page. Explicitly identified as a copy, with Lee’s name transcribed following “(Signed)”; not personally signed by the admiral.
Condition: Light age toning and scattered spotting, horizontal folds, surface wrinkling, and minor edge wear. Some writing is pale, although the text remains largely legible in the photographs.
