Gideon Wells- To Future Chief Engineer in USS Ironsides ironclad Steamer

Signed letter 8" x 10", Navy Department; March 9, 1861. The letter is to the 3rd Assistant Engineer Oscar H. Lackey as a detachment from the Crusader and to await for further orders. Signed, "Gideon Welles." Fine condition and elegantly framed and matted with a gold frame and engraving of Welles.

Oscar Hamilton Lackey was born in Virginia in 1837. He entered the U.S. Navy as a third assistant engineer on July 21, 1858. His first cruise was aboard the steamer Southern Star, one of seven vessels that the Navy chartered to fill out a squadron for an expedition to Paraguay. President Buchanan sent the force to the South American country to demand an apology and indemnity from the Paraguayan government for firing on the U.S.S. Water Witch (Side-wheel steamer) in 1855. Lackey continued to serve for three more years aboard the Southern Star, renamed the Crusader after the Navy purchased the ship in 1859. Promoted to second assistant engineer in January 1861, Lackey was by the end of that year part of the crew of the U.S.S. New Ironsides (Ironclad steamer). On March 17, 1863, he was commissioned a first assistant engineer. In August, he reported to Boston for duty aboard the U.S.S. Niagara (Steam frigate). Lackey became a chief engineer on March 21, 1870. He served on the U.S.S. Contoocook (Screw sloop-of-war), the U.S.S. Swatara (Screw sloop-of-war), the U.S.S Wachusett (Screw sloop-of-war), the U.S.S. Juniata (Screw sloop-of-war), the U.S.S. Canandaigua (Screw sloop-of-war), and the U.S.S. Wyoming (Screw sloop-of-war).

Gideon Welles (July 1, 1802 – February 11, 1878), nicknamed "Father Neptune", was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869, a cabinet post he was awarded after supporting Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election. Although opposed to the Union blockade of Southern ports, he duly carried out his part of the Anaconda Plan, largely sealing off the Confederate coastline and preventing the exchange of cotton for war supplies. This is viewed as a major cause of the Union victory in the Civil War, and his achievement in expanding the Navy almost tenfold was widely praised. Welles was also instrumental in the Navy's creation of the Medal of Honor.

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