Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Bailey, Theodorus, 1805-1877.
Title:	Theodorus Bailey Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1828-1877
Quantity:	0.5 linear ft.
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.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

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.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

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.).

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Arrangement of the Collection

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.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

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

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Places

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Theodorus Bailey Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 1969.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: 148825
Date: 2001-01-01
Revision history: 5 Nov 2007 - converted to EAD (MRC); 9 Feb 2018 - index updated/corrected (MRC)

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Inventory

	Correspondence
Box 1		[General] 1828, 1840, 1842
Box 1		[General] 1846
Box 1		[General] 1852, 1857, 1858
Box 1		[General] 1861
Box 1		[General] 1862 (2 folders)
Box 1		[General] 1863
Box 1		[General] 1864
Box 1		[General] 1865-1867, 1869
Box 1		[General] 1871, 1873, 1874
Box 1		Envelopes

	Memorabilia
Box 1		Biographical material undated
Box 1		Engravings, Com. Theodorus Bailey 1849
Box 1		Obituaries 1877
Box 1		Miscellaneous, poem "Lord Lovell," copy by Sallie Bailey undated

	Legal and financial records
Box 1		Deeds 1852
Box 1		Receipts 1855, 1861, 1863-1864

	Official records
Box 1		Circulars 1854-1855, 1861, 1862 (3 folders)
Box 1		General Orders 1862, 1863, 1864 (2 folders)
Box 1		Petition, by Bailey for Naval Board of Inquiry into Attack on New Orleans by fleet under Admiral Farragut 1868 - holo., holo. copy
Box 1		Prociamations May 1, 1862 - pr. mat.
Box 1		Report, "Attack on New Orleans," History Set Right 1869 - pub. mat.
		Miscellaneous
Box 1			Legal papers 1857, 1862
Box 1			Supply requisition 1862
Box 1			Weights of the "Colorado" at mean draft 23'3" 1862
Box 1			Lists of prizes captured by East Coast Blockade Squadron 1862-1863
Box 1			British and American Claims, Wm Bowman vs. U.S. 1864-1872 - pr. mat.

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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. Southar; 1846 Jun 4 USS "Lexington"
• Bailey, Theodorus, 1861 : Jun 5 USS "Colorado" to Edmund S. Bailey; Jul 15 USS "Colorado" to Charley ?; Aug 1 USS "Colorado" off Fort Pickens, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Aug 20 USS "Colorado" off Pensacola, Fla. to William Mervine; Aug 26 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to John H. Russell; Nov 27 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Edmund S. Bailey; Dec 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. Bailey; Feb 20 USS "Colorado" off South West Pass, Miss. Delta to John L. Davis; Mar 6 USS "Colorado" off Pensacola, Fla to Edmund S. Bailey; Mar 14 USS "Colorado" off Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Edmund S. Bailey; Apr 12 South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Edmund S. Bailey; Apr 20 USS "Oneida" Miss. River to David G. Farragut; Apr 25 USS "Cayuga" off New Orleans, Miss. to David G. Farragut; Apr 25 USS "Cayuga" Hampton Roads, Va. to Gideon Welles; May 5 USS "Cayuga" off Key West, Fla. to ?; Aug 5 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to Edmund S. Bailey; Sep 19 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to Edmund S. Bailey; Oct 12 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to T. Bailey Myers; Oct 25 Sacketts Harbor Station, N.Y. to T. Bailey Myers; Nov 13 N.Y.C. Gideon Welles
• Bailey, Theodorus, 1863 : Jan 3 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jan 18 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jan 19 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to ?; Jan 25 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Feb 9 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Feb 28 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Mar 29 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Apr 20 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Apr 29 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; May 31 USS "St. Lawrence" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jun 12 USS "Magnolia" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jul 1 USS "Magnolia" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jul 11 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jul 24 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Aug 12 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Aug 17 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Aug 22 USS USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Aug 27 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Sep 14 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Sep 27 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Oct 9 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Oct 16 USS "Dale" to Edmund S. Bailey; Oct 27 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Nov 10 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Nov 24 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Dec 3 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Dec 6 USS "San Jacinto" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey
• Bailey, Theodorus, 1864 : Feb 11 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Mar 17 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Apr 2 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; May 11 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; May 28 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jun 6 USS "Dale" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jun 9 "USS "Dale" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jun 24 USS "Dale" Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jul 11 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Jul 14 Key West, Fla. to Edmund S. Bailey; Sep 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 Walters; 1866 Dec 29 US Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H. to George H. Preble; 1874 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 Bailey; Mar 12 USS "Hartford" at South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey; Mar 12 USS "Hartford" at South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey; Mar 13 USS "Hartford" at South West Pass, Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey; Mar 19 USS "Colorado" Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 3 USS "Richmond" to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 7 Pilot Town to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 9 USS "Hartford" to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 9 USS "Hartford" to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 11 USS "Hartford" to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 27 USS "Hartford" off New Orleans, La. to Theodorus Bailey; Jun 11 USS "Hartford" off Baton Rouge, La. to Theodorus Bailey; Aug 28 USS "Hartford" at Pensacola Bay, Florida to ?
• Farragut, David G., 1864 : Feb 19 USS "Hartford" at Ship Isl'd., Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey; Apr 4 Richmond (?) to Theodorus Bailey to Theodorus Bailey; May 26 USS "Hartford" off Mobile, Ala. to Theodorus Bailey; Jun 14 USS "Hartford" off Mobile, Ala. to Theodorus Bailey; Jul 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 Bailey; 1861 Aug 14 USS "Colorado" off Fort Pickens, Fla. to Theodorus Bailey; 1862 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 Bailey; Sep 28 USS "Niagara" off Pass A L'outre, to Theodorus Bailey; Oct 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 Bailey; Jan 20 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey; Jan 21 USS "Niagara" off Ship Island Miss. Sound to Theodorus Bailey; Feb 3 USS "Niagara" off South West Pass Miss. Delta to Theodorus Bailey; Feb 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. Febiger; 1863 Aug 6 USS "Black Hawk" Miss. Squadron to J. C. Febiger; 1864 Oct 22 Hampton Roads, Va. to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 Nov 4 USS "Malbern" Hampton Roads, Va. to R. W. Meade; 1867 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 Bailey; 1863 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 Bailey; 1862 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 Bailey; 1864 Jun 1 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 Jun 8 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 Jun 28 Washington, D. C. to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 Jul 17 Bordentown, N. J. to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 Aug 7 Bordentown, N. J. to Bowman (?); 1864 Aug 20 Rutland, Vermont to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 Oct 16 Cold Spring, Putnam County, N.Y. to Theodorus Bailey; 1864 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.Hudson; 1861 Dec 30 Navy Department, Washington, D. C. to Wm. Wister McKean

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