MEXICAN/CIVIL WAR NAVY FORT FISHER COMMANDER ADMIRAL CLITZ DOCUMENT SIGNED 1859!

Description

Here's a RARE & Official
1859
Civil War Antebellum Naval Pay Document Signed by Civil War Union Naval Officer and Patriot:
JOHN MELLON BRADY CLITZ
(1821 – 1897)
CIVIL WAR COMMANDER
-&-
POST-WAR REAR ADMIRAL
During his long naval career, Admiral Clitz fought in both the
Mexican War
and the
American Civil War
and rose to command of the
Asiatic Squadron
.
Adm.
Clitz commanded the USS Penobscot and the Gunboat USS Osceola
in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron which he led in both Battle attacks on Fort Fisher.
In a dispatch on January 28, 1865, Rear Admiral
David Dixon Porter
commended him for his actions at Fort Fisher and recommended him for promotion
!
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The document measures 8¼” x 2½”& is in VERY FINE CONDITION.
AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF CLITZ’S HOLOGRAPH
!
A RARE ADDITION TO YOUR “
ADMIRALS IN BLUE
” AUTOGRAPH, MANUSCRIPT & EPHEMERA COLLECTION!
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BIOGRAPHY OF ADMIRAL CLITZ
Rear Admiral
John Mellen Brady Clitz
(1 December 1821 - 9 October 1897) was an
officer
in the
United States Navy
. During his long naval career, he fought in both the
Mexican War
and the
American Civil War
and rose to command of the
Asiatic Squadron
.
Naval career
Clitz was born in
Sackets Harbor
,
New York
, on 1 December 1821. He was appointed as a
midshipman
on 12 April 1837, and soon was attached to the
sloop-of-war
USS
Ontario
in the
West Indies Squadron
, serving aboard her from 1838 to 1842. He then studied at the
Philadelphia Naval School
in
Philadelphia
,
Pennsylvania
, in 1843 and, having completed his training as a midshipman, was promoted to
passed midshipman
on 29 June 1843.
Clitz's next assignment was to the new sloop-of-war
USS
St. Mary's
in the
Mediterranean Squadron
from 1844 to 1845, after which he served aboard the sloop-of-war
USS
Falmouth
in the
Home Squadron
from 1845 to 1846.
After the outbreak of the
Mexican War
, Clitz transferred to the bomb
brig
USS
Hecla
in 1847, a ship purchased in 1846 and
commissioned
in 1847 for service in that conflict as part of the Home Squadron. Aboard
Hecla
, Clitz arrived in
Mexican
waters at
Isla de Sacrificios
off
Veracruz
on the morning of 29 March 1847 and participated in the final day of the siege of the city before it ended with the surrender of the Castle of
San Juan de Ulúa
to American forces that evening.
Hecla
then began patrols in the
Gulf of Mexico
, during which she took part in the American amphibious
seizure
of
Tuxpan
in April 1847. Later in 1847, Clitz transferred to the
screw steamer
USS
Petrita
– also in the Home Squadron but immobilized in Mexican waters due to mechanical problems – until 1848.
After the Mexican War, Clitz served aboard the
sailing frigate
USS
Cumberland
in the Mediterranean Squadron from 1849 to 1851, being promoted to
master
while aboard her on 16 August 1850. Promoted to
lieutenant
on 6 April 1851, he had duty with the
United States Coast Survey
from 1851 to 1852, then was aboard the steam
paddle frigate
USS
Mississippi
in the
East India Squadron
from 1852 to 1855. After special duty in
Washington, D.C.
, in 1856, he was aboard the sloop-of-war
USS
Decatur
in the
Pacific Squadron
from 1858 to 1859 and then aboard the steam sloop-of-war
USS
Iroquois
in 1861.
The
American Civil War
broke out in April 1861, and Clitz served extensively in operations related to the
Union blockade
of the
Confederate States of America
. Promoted to
commander
on 16 July 1862, he was the
commanding officer
of the steam
gunboat
USS
Penobscot
in the
North Atlantic Blockading Squadron
in 1863 and later that year of the steam sloop-of-war
USS
Juniata
in the
East Gulf Blockading Squadron
. He commanded the new
sidewheel
gunboat
USS
Osceola
in the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron from 1864 to 1865 and led her in both the
First Battle of Fort Fisher
in December 1864 and the
Second Battle of Fort Fisher
in January 1865, both of them attacks against Fort Fisher, one of the fortifications guarding
Wilmington
,
North Carolina
. In a dispatch of 28 January 1865, Rear Admiral
David Dixon Porter
commended him for his actions at Fort Fisher and recommended him for promotion.
After the Civil War, Clitz reported for duty in 1866 at the
Boston Navy Yard
in
Charlestown
,
Massachusetts
, and was promoted to
captain
on 25 July 1866. He commanded the steam sloop-of-war
USS
Pawnee
in the
South Atlantic Squadron
from 1868 to 1869 before performing
ordnance
duty at the
New York Navy Yard
in
Brooklyn
, New York, in 1870. He then commanded the steam
frigate
USS
California
in the Pacific Squadron from 1870 to 1872.
Promoted to
commodore
on 28 December 1872, Clitz commanded
Naval Station Port Royal
in
Port Royal
,
South Carolina
, from 1876 to 1877 and was a
lighthouse
inspector from 1878 to 1880.
Promoted to
rear admiral
on 13 March 1880, Clitz was commander-in-chief of the
Asiatic Squadron
from 11 September 1880 to 21 April 1883.
Scheduled to retire from the Navy upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 62 on 1 December 1883, Clitz applied to retire earlier, and did so on 16 October 1883.
Retirement and death
In retirement, Clitz resided in Brooklyn, New York. He died at
St. Elizabeths Asylum
in Washington, D.C., on 9 October 1897.
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