Beschreibung:

Archive of Peter Hartwig, Chief Engineer of the "U.S.S. Governor Torrence," Mississippi Squadron. Like many men living along the Ohio River, Peter Hartwig, of Newport, Kentucky, found employment in the steamboat trade, joining the "Grand Union Association of Western and Southern Engineers" as a member of the Cincinnati Steamboat Engineers Union, and by 1859 had attained his Engineer's Certificate and was eligible for work on First Class Boats. With the advent of War, he enlisted, and June of 1862 was appointed First Assistant Engineer in the United States Gun-Boat service on the Western Waters. By September of that same year he was promoted to Chief Engineer. For the remainder of the War his duties were attached to the Mississippi Squadron. In 1863 Hartwig was attached to the "U.S.S. Judge Torrence" the ordance, or "gunpowder" boat for the entire Mississippi Squadron. Hartwig remained on the "Torrence" until war's end, when he was honorably discharged in November of 1865. Included in this archive is an oval 7.25 x 5.25" albumen portrait of Hartwig in his Naval uniform, approximately 33 manuscript appointments, requests for supplies and lists of shipboard items that relate to his military service and a ledger containing 31pp of manuscript quarterly and weekly reports and receipts for purchase of materiel on board the "Torrence." The collection also contains a folio, captured Confederate ledger, originally utilised by the 1st Alabama Infantry, the flyleaf inscribed "Register of the 1st Alabama Regt. Feby. 18th 1862. Madrid Bend, Tenn." The ledger contains 49 pages of entries dated between February 18 to April 6, 1862 listing the last name, rank, regiment and company of members of the 1st Alabama Regiment stationed at Island No. 10 in the Mississippi. This seems to be a "hospital report" for each of the entries also includes the day of admission, their complaint (diarrhea and "cataarh" being the most common, with measles and gonorrhea not far behind). On April 7, 1862 Union gunboats ran the Confederate emplacements at Island No. 10; a canal was subsequently dug around the island, and four regiments of Union troops were landed in Tennessee below the island. After the Confederates abandoned the island, this journal was apparently liberated and subsequently reused, by Hartwig, who recorded approximately 30pp of entries for expenses and other reports relating to the Engineers Dept of the Mississippi squadron. The ledgers and loose manuscripts relating to the "Torrence" provides a wealth of information about the day to day operations of the steamer, as well as her role as ordnance vessel for the squadron. Requisitions for hose, bastard files, varnish, beeswax, brooms, nails and similar items are testament to the continual maintenance required, while ward room receipts of eggs, cans of peaches, mustard, clams, and maple syrup hint at the diet of the crew. Other lists include items on hand, and clearly indicate the "Torrence's" role as a supply ship. The collection also contains Hartwig's Colt Army revolver (Ser. #16670), in VG-EXC condition, retaining 90% original bluing and case-color, with one tiny chip on the walnut grip, and only minor scuffs on the barrel and frame, with a few battering marks around the wedge. This revolver seems to have seem little action -- the nipples on the cylinder are hardly worn. Hartwig's military collection is rounded out by his discharge papers, signed by Secretary of Navy Gideon Wells, a hand-drawn sailor's calligraphic flourish with "Peter Hartwig Chief Engineer, Newport, Kentucky", a dilapidated copy of the Navy Register for 1865, listing the names of all commissioned and volunteer officers in the service of the U.S., a small cannonball, a tiny tin powder (?) funnel and a 2.5" Sheffield powder flask dating from the 1820-40 period, with two compartments containing percussion caps for the Colt. In addition to the military records, the archive contains a number of items relating to Hartwigs civilian life