Naval Hero Moses Sherwood Stuyvesant is Promoted by President Andrew Johnson to the Rank of Lieutenant Commander

Moses Sherwood Stuyvesant was in the Class of 1860. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Cumberland as aide to Commodore George J. Pendergrast, the Cumberland being his flagship. When war erupted the vessel went to Norfolk, Virginia. While there, the Navy Yard was partly destroyed and abandoned, and the Cumberland was placed on blockade duty, and took part in the capture of Forts Hatteras and Clark. Writing of this last, Stuyvesant calls attention to the fact that “it was probably the last fight in which a ship was handled under sail. All other vessels present were steamships…” On March 8, 1862, the old frigate Cumberland was sunk by the powerful guns of the ironclad Merrimac. This was a historic event and saw an epic clash between old and new technology. Stuyvesant reportedly refused to let the flag come down: “No, the ship will sink in fifteen minutes, and she will look a d-d sight better with her flag up.” In this battle he was wounded in the arm and commanded two crews of survivors who manned land guns during the next day’s battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac. He later wrote a famous paper describing the sinking of the Cumberland. In 1862, he was a Lieutenant with the U.S. Steam Sloop Housatonic. In early 1864, the Housatonic, was outside Charleston when the CSS submarine Hunley paddled out and sent her to the bottom. He was then assigned to the Monitor Weehawken. The Weehawken sank at her anchors while off Charleston, Stuyvesant being the last to leave her. His next duty was on the U.S. Steam Frigate Minnesota, then in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and he was with her in both attacks on Fort Fisher in December 1864 and January 1865.

In 1866, he was assigned to the double turreted U.S. Steamer Miantonomah, and, as her Commander, then having the rank of Lieutenant Commander, he made with her the memorable cruise across the Atlantic and through the North Sea, the Baltic and then through the Mediterranean, in 1866 and 1867. This was part of a visit to Russia ordered by Congress.

This is Stuyvesant’s promotion as Lieutenant Commander, signed by President Andrew Johnson. Document signed, with engravings of Neptune, flags, an eagle, and the sea and ships, Washington, May 7, 1866. “Reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of Moses S. Stuyvesant, I have nominated, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint him a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, from the 11th day of April 1866.” This is the rank he held when he made his famed trip across the Atlantic in 1866.

It is unusual to find a military appointment to such a high rank. We obtained this from the Stuyvesant descendants, and it has never before been offered for sale.