Summary Information
- Publisher: United States Naval Academy. Special Collections & Archives.
- Publisher Address:
589 McNair Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5029, USA
Phone: 410-293-6922
https://www.usna.edu/Library/sca/index.php - Call number: RG 405.2.1 Entry 25
- National Archives Identifier: 2990043
- Location: Special Collections & Archives Department - Archives
- Title: Office of the Superintendent/Correspondence: Letters Received by the Superintendent
- Dates: 1843-1889
- Size: 11.26 linear feet
- Container Summary: 27 manuscript boxes
- Creator: United States Naval Academy. Superintendent
- Language(s) of material: English
- Abstract: Entry 25 of the Records of the Office of the Superintendent, comprising 12 linear feet of documentation, spans from 1845 to 1887. The documents pertain to numerous aspects of the administration of the Naval Academy, including practice cruises, school ships, equipment, buildings and grounds, and faculty.
History of the Office of the Superintendent
The plan of the Naval School at Fort Severn, Annapolis, Maryland, approved by the Navy Department August 28, 1846, provided that a Superintendent of the school be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy from a list of officers of a rank not higher than commander. The Superintendent was to have responsibility for the general management of the institution, including overseeing the course of study, professors, and other personnel connected with the Academy. He could appoint and remove all persons employed at the Academy except those for whose appointment or discharge special provision was made by the laws or regulations of the Navy or the Academy. He had general charge of the buildings, grounds, and ships belonging to the Academy. The Superintendent also formulated the code of rules and regulations for the internal government of the school to be submitted to the Secretary of the Navy for approval. After 1867, officers were assigned by the Navy Department to the Academy to serve as assistants or aides to the Superintendent.
The Office of the Superintendent as described in the 1846 plan remained relatively unchanged throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Officers of ranks higher than commander, however, have served in the position.
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Description of Contents
Handwritten, typed, or duplicated letters received from the Navy Department and its bureaus; other Government officials, including Senators and Congressmen; Navy officers, civilian personnel, and students at the Academy; and private individuals and organizations. The letters related to various subjects including discipline, buildings and grounds, uniforms and equipment, summer practice cruises, instructors, entrance requirements, examinations, gifts and memorials for the Academy, and congressional appropriations and fiscal matters.
Subject files into which the letters have been arranged usually cover intervals of 3 to 8 years, with the exception of the files for the period 1845-61, and this is probably not the original method of arrangement of these letters.
The "miscellaneous," "miscellaneous correspondence," and "letter received" files mostly contain letters and lists that do not fit into a convenient subject classification, but they also contain some letters on subjects for which files have been created. The "miscellaneous" subject files for 1876-80 contains mostly letters received from Navy Department bureaus and offices.
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Arrangement
Arranged by time period into six series and thereunder by subject in alphabetical order.
- Series 1: Letters Received, 1843-1874 (bulk 1843-1861)
- Series 2: Letters Received, 1860-1866 (bulk 1861-1865)
- Series 3: Letters Received, 1865-1871
- Series 4: Letters Received, 1871-1879 (bulk 1871-1875)
- Series 5: Letters Received, 1875-1880
- Series 6: Letters Received, 1879-1889
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Access and Use
Access
Access is unrestricted.
Copyright and Permission
Generally, materials produced by Federal agencies are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. Any non-government publications held herein may still be subject to copyright. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.
Other Finding Aid(s)
National Archives Catalog entry available electronically at: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2990043.
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Acquisition and Appraisal
Custodial History
RG 405 Records of the United States Naval Academy is the property of the National Archives and Records Administration. The materials are housed at the United States Naval Academy, William W. Jeffries Memorial Archives, an affiliated archive, as per a Memorandum of Agreement between the National Archives and Records Administration and the United States Naval Academy.
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Related Materials
Location of Copies or Alternate Formats
The letters in this entry are reproduced as NARS Microfilm Publication M949, Letters Received by the Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, 1845-87.
Location of Related Materials
A register of the letters received from the Secretary of the Navy from 1845 to 1853 is in entry 24.
For miscellaneous letters received from public and private individuals outside the Navy Department for this period, see entry 28. For letters received from the Bureau of Navigation for September 1862 and the period December 1863-1883, see entry 26
Materials Cataloged Separately
No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.
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Processing and Other Information
Preferred Citation
Office of the Superintendent/Correspondence: Letters Received by the Superintendent, RG 405.2.1 Entry 25
Special Collections & Archives Department
Nimitz Library
United States Naval Academy
Processing Information
Collection inventory adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration inventory of Record Group 405, prepared by Geraldine N. Phillips and Aloha South in 1975.
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Subject Headings
Name and Subject Terms
- Naval education -- United States.
- United States Naval Academy
- United States Naval Academy -- Administration
- United States Naval Academy -- Alumni and alumnae
- United States Naval Academy -- Buildings and grounds
- United States Naval Academy -- Curricula.
- United States Naval Academy -- Faculty
- United States Naval Academy -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
- United States Naval Academy -- School ships
- United States Naval Academy -- Students
- United States Naval Academy. Band.
- United States Naval Academy. Superintendent
Genre Terms
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Contents List
Series 1: Letters Received, 1843-1874 (bulk 1843-1861) Boxes 1-5
Series ArrangementArranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 1 Folder 1
Applications for Old Watchmen, 1855-1874
Box 1 Folder 2
Appropriations and Estimates, 1847-1860
Box 1 Folder 3
Band, Naval Academy, 1846-1860
Box 1 Folder 4
Boards, Miscellaneous, 1848-1860
Box 1 Folder 5
Boats, 1851-1861
Box 1 Folder 6
Buildings, Naval Academy, 1846-1861
Box 1 Folder 7
Candidates, 1846-1861
Box 1 Folder 8
Civilians, 1845-1860
Box 1 Folder 9
Course of Study, 1845-1861
Box 1 Folder 10
Deaths of Notables, 1849-1859
Box 1 Folder 11
Diplomas, 1854-1855
Box 2 Folder 1
Enlisted Men, 1847-1861
Box 2 Folder 2
Equipment, Instruction of Midshipmen, 1845-1861
Box 2 Folder 3
Equipment, Miscellaneous, 1843-1860
Box 2 Folder 4
Examinations, Miscellaneous, 1846-1861
Box 2 Folder 5
Fire Protection, 1848-1860
Box 2 Folder 6
Furniture for Quarters, 1845-1854
Box 2 Folder 7
Gas and Heating Plants, 1851-1861
Box 2 Folder 8
Land, Naval Academy, 1844-1859
Box 2 Folder 9-10
Letters Received, 1846-1860
Box 2 Folder 11
Marine Corps, 1851-1859
Box 2 Folder 12
Midshipmen, 1845-1847
Box 3 Folder 1-2
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1845-1861
Box 3 Folder 3
Monument at Naval Academy, 1845-1860
Includes specifications for Herndon Monument.
Box 3 Folder 4
Naval Academy Library and Books, 1845-1861
Box 3 Folder 5
Naval Lyceum, 1847-1860
Box 3 Folder 6-9
Officers, 1845-1861
Box 3 Folder 10
Officers, Naval Academy, 1845-1869
Box 3 Folder 11
Ordnance Equipment, 1847-1861
Box 4 Folder 1
U.S.S. Plymouth, 1856-1860
Box 4 Folder 2
Practice Cruises, 1851
Box 4 Folder 3
Practice Cruise, 1852
Box 4 Folder 4
Practice Cruises, 1853
Box 4 Folder 5
Practice Cruise, 1854
Box 4 Folder 6
Practice Cruise, 1858
Box 4 Folder 7
Practice Cruise, 1859
Box 4 Folder 8
Practice Cruise, 1860
Box 4 Folder 9
U.S.S. Preble, 1851-1858
Box 4 Folder 10
Professors, 1846-1861
Box 4 Folder 11
Registers, Navy and Naval Academy, 1848-1861
Box 4 Folder 12
Regulations, 1850-1861
Box 4 Folder 13
Slaves, 1845-1857
Box 4 Folder 14
Stewards, 1850-1860
Box 4 Folder 15
Storekeeper, Naval Academy, 1850-1860
Box 4 Folder 16
Summer Practice on Schoolship Constitution, 1861
Box 4 Folder 17
Textbooks, 1845-1861
Box 5 Folder 1
Uniforms, Midshipmen, 1845-1861
Box 5 Folder 2
Uniforms, Professors, 1852-1853
Box 5 Folder 3
Visitors, 1852-1860
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Series 2: Letters Received, 1860-1866 (bulk 1861-1865) Boxes 5-8
Series ArrangementArranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 5 Folder 4
Accounts, Estimates, etc., 1861-1865
Box 5 Folder 5
The Atlantic House, 1861-1866
Box 5 Folder 6-7
Candidates, 1861-1865
Box 5 Folder 8
Civil War, 1861
Box 5 Folder 9
Civil War Activities, 1861-1865
Box 5 Folder 10
Contracts for Buildings, etc., 1861-1865
Box 5 Folder 11
Course of Instruction, 1861-1865
Box 6 Folder 1-2
Enlisted Men, 1861-1865
Box 6 Folder 3
Equipment, Miscellaneous, 1861-1865
Box 6 Folder 4
Examinations, Midshipmen, 1861-1865
Box 6 Folder 5
Fairs and Expositions, 1864
Box 6 Folder 6
Fort Adams, 1861, 1863
Box 6 Folder 7-8
Letters Received, 1860-1864
Box 7 Folder 1-2
Midshipmen, 1861-1865
Box 7 Folder 3
Midshipmen and Officers Uniforms, 1861-1865
Box 7 Folder 4
Miscellaneous Disciplinary Matters, 1862-1865
Box 7 Folder 5
Miscellaneous Unclassifiable Correspondence, 1861-1865
Box 7 Folder 6
Naval Academy Library, 1862-1865
Box 7 Folder 7-8
Officers, 1861-1865
Box 7 Folder 9
Ordnance Equipment, 1861-1865
Box 8 Folder 1
Practice Cruise, 1862
Box 8 Folder 2
Practice Cruise, 1863
Box 8 Folder 3
Practice Cruise, 1864
Box 8 Folder 4
Professors, 1862-1865
Box 8 Folder 5
Registers and Navy Regulations, 1861-1865
Box 8 Folder 6
Resolutions, etc., 1861
Box 8 Folder 7
Ships, 1861-1865
Box 8 Folder 8
Statements of Officers, Loyalty to Union, 1861-1865
Box 8 Folder 9
Textbooks, 1861-1865
Box 8 Folder 10
Transfer of Naval Academy, 1861-1865
Box 8 Folder 11
Uniforms for Professors, 1862-1864
Box 8 Folder 12
Watchmen, Band, etc., 1861-1865
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Series 3: Letters Received, 1865-1871 Boxes 9-15
Series ArrangementArranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 9 Folder 1
U.S.S. America, 1866-1870
Box 9 Folder 2
Appropriations, Bills, etc., 1865-1870
Box 9 Folder 3
Boards, Courts-Martial, etc., 1865-1870
Box 9 Folder 4
Boat Detaching Apparatus, 1868-1870
Box 9 Folder 5
Buildings, 1865-1869
Box 9 Folder 6
Cadet Engineers, 1866-1868
Box 9 Folder 7-8
Candidates, Miscellaneous, 1865-1870
Box 9 Folder 9
Civilians, 1865-1870
Box 9 Folder 10
U.S.S. Constitution, 1866-1870
Box 9 Folder 11
Course of Instruction, 1865-1867
Box 9 Folder 12
U.S.S. Dale, 1867-1869
Box 10 Folder 1-3
Enlisted Men, Miscellaneous, 1865-1868
Box 10 Folder 4-5
Enlisted Men, Miscellaneous, 1868-1870
Box 10 Folder 6
Equipment for Instruction, 1865-1870
Box 10 Folder 7-8
Equipment Miscellaneous, 1865-1870
Box 10 Folder 9
Examinations, 1866-1870
Box 10 Folder 10
Forms and Blanks, 1865-1870
Box 11 Folder 1
Graduating Classes, Diplomas, 1865-1870
Box 11 Folder 2
Historical Matters, 1865-1870
Box 11 Folder 3
Land, Naval Academy, 1866-1870
Box 11 Folder 4-5
Letters Received, 1865-1869
Box 11 Folder 6
Library, 1865-1870
Box 11 Folder 7
U.S.S. Macedonian, 1865-1870
Box 11 Folder 8
U.S.S. Marblehead, 1866
Box 11 Folder 9
Marine Corps, 1865-1866, 1870
Box 11 Folder 10
U.S.S. Marion, 1865-1869
Box 11 Folder 11
U.S.S. Mercury, 1866-1869
Box 11 Folder 12-13
Midshipmen, 1865-1867
Box 12 Folder 1-2
Midshipmen, 1867-1870
Box 12 Folder 3-4
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1865-1870
Box 12 Folder 5
Naval Academy Band, 1865-1866
Box 12 Folder 6-8
Officers, Miscellaneous, 1865-1870
Box 13 Folder 1-2
Ordnance Equipment, 1865-1870
Box 13 Folder 3
U.S.S. Phlox, 1866-1870
Box 13 Folder 4
Practice Cruises, 1866-1871
Box 13 Folder 5
Practice Cruise, 1865
Box 13 Folder 6
Practice Cruise, 1866
Box 13 Folder 7-8
Practice Cruise, 1867
Box 13 Folder 9
Practice Cruise, 1868
Box 14 Folder 1
Practice Cruise, 1868
Box 14 Folder 2
Practice Cruise, 1869
Box 14 Folder 3
Practice Cruises, 1870-1871
Box 14 Folder 4
Professors, 1965-1870
Box 14 Folder 5
Register, Navy and Naval Academy, 1865-1870
Box 14 Folder 6
Regulations, Naval Academy, 1865-1870
Box 14 Folder 7
U.S.S. Santee, 1866-1870
Box 14 Folder 8
U.S.S. Savannah, 1866-1870
Box 14 Folder 9
Ships, Miscellaneous, 1865-1870
Box 14 Folder 10
Textbooks, 1865-1870
Box 14 Folder 11
U.S.S. Tonawanda, 1865-1867
Box 15 Folder 1
Water System, Naval Academy, 1866-1868
Box 15 Folder 2
U.S.S. Wyandank, 1866-1870
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Series 4: Letters Received, 1871-1879 (bulk 1871-1875) Boxes 15-19
Series ArrangementArranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 15 Folder 3
U.S.S. America, 1871
Box 15 Folder 4
Band, 1871-1872
Box 15 Folder 5
Boards, Miscellaneous, 1871-1875
Box 15 Folder 6
Buildings, 1873-1874
Box 15 Folder 7
Cadet Engineers, 1871-1875
Box 15 Folder 8
Candidates, 1871-1875
Box 15 Folder 9
Civilians, 1871-1876
Box 15 Folder 10
U.S.S. Constellation, 1871-1875
Box 15 Folder 11
U.S.S. Constitution, 1871
Box 15 Folder 12
Course of Instruction, 1871-1875
Box 15 Folder 13-14
Enlisted Men, 1871-1872
Box 16 Folder 1-2
Enlisted Men, 1873-1875
Box 16 Folder 3
Equipment for Instruction, 1871-1875
Box 16 Folder 4
Equipment, Miscellaneous, 1871-1875
Box 16 Folder 5-6
Examinations, 1871-1874
Box 16 Folder 7
Financial Matters, 1871-1875
Box 16 Folder 8
U.S.S. Fortune, 1873
Box 16 Folder 9
Graduating Class, 1871-1875
Box 16 Folder 10
Historical Matters, 1871-1875
Box 16 Folder 11
Land, 1871-1875
Box 16 Folder 12-14
Letters Received, 1870-1879
Box 17 Folder 1
Library, 1871-1875
Box 17 Folder 2
Marine Corps, 1871-1875
Box 17 Folder 3-4
Midshipmen, 1871-1875
Box 17 Folder 5
Miscellaneous, 1871-1875
Box 17 Folder 6
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1871-1875
Box 17 Folder 7
Miscellaneous Ships, 1871-1875
Box 17 Folder 8-9
Officers, 1871-1876
Box 17 Folder 10
Ordnance, 1871-1875
Box 18 Folder 1
U.S.S. Phlox, 1875
Box 18 Folder 2
Practice Cruises, 1874-1876
Box 18 Folder 3
Practice Cruise, 1871
Box 18 Folder 4
Practice Cruise, 1872
Box 18 Folder 5
Practice Cruise, 1873
Box 18 Folder 6-7
Practice Cruise, 1874
Box 18 Folder 8-9
Practice Cruise, 1875
Box 18 Folder 10
Professors, 1871-1875
Box 18 Folder 11
Registers, 1871-1875
Box 18 Folder 12
Regulations, Navy and Naval Academy, 1871-1874
Box 18 Folder 13
U.S.S. Santee, 1871-1875
Box 18 Folder 14
Textbooks, 1871-1875
Box 19 Folder 1
Visitors, 1871-1874
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Series 5: Letters Received, 1875-1880 Boxes 19-22
Series ArrangementArranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 19 Folder 2
Band, 1876, 1880
Box 19 Folder 3
Boards, Miscellaneous, 1876-1880
Box 19 Folder 4
Buildings, 1880
Box 19 Folder 5
Cadet Engineers, 1877-1880
Box 19 Folder 6-7
Candidates, 1876-1880
Box 19 Folder 8
Civilians, 1876-1880
Box 19 Folder 9
U.S.S. Constellation, 1876-1880
Box 19 Folder 10
Course of Instruction, 1876-1879
Box 19 Folder 11
U.S.S. Dale, 1878-1880
Box 19 Folder 12
U.S.S. Despatch, 1880
Box 19 Folder 13-14
Enlisted Men, 1876-1880
Box 19 Folder 15
Equipment for Instruction, 1876-1880
Box 19 Folder 16
Equipment, Miscellaneous, 1876-1880
Box 20 Folder 1
Examinations, 1877-1879
Box 20 Folder 2
Financial Matters, 1876-1880
Box 20 Folder 3
Graduating Classes, 1877-1880
Box 20 Folder 4
Historical Matters, 1876-1880
Box 20 Folder 5
Land, 1877
Box 20 Folder 6
Library, 1876-1878
Box 20 Folder 7
Marine Corps, 1876, 1879-1880
Box 20 Folder 8
U.S.S. Mayflower, 1876-1880
Box 20 Folder 9-11
Midshipmen, 1875-1880
Box 20 Folder 12
Miscellaneous, 1876-1880
Box 20 Folder 13
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1877-1880
Box 20 Folder 14
Miscellaneous Ships, 1876-1880
Box 20 Folder 15
U.S.S. Nantucket, 1876-1879
Box 20 Folder 16
Officers, 1876-1880
Box 21 Folder 1
Ordnance Equipment, 1876-1880
Box 21 Folder 2
U.S.S. Phlox, 1876-1880
Box 21 Folder 3
Practice Cruises, 1876-1880
Box 21 Folder 4
Practice Cruise, 1876
Box 21 Folder 5
Practice Cruise, 1877
Box 21 Folder 6
Practice Cruise, 1878
Box 21 Folder 7-8
Practice Cruise, 1879
Box 21 Folder 9-10
Practice Cruise, 1880
Box 22 Folder 1
Professors, 1876-1880
Box 22 Folder 2
Registers, 1876-1880
Box 22 Folder 3
Regulations, 1877-1880
Box 22 Folder 4
U.S.S. Santee, 1876-1879
Box 22 Folder 5
U.S.S. Standish, 1879-1880
Box 22 Folder 6
Textbooks, 1876-1880
Box 22 Folder 7
U.S.S. Wyandank, 1879-1880
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Series 6: Letters Received, 1879-1889 Boxes 22-27
Series ArrangementArranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 22 Folder 8
Band, 1885-1888
Box 22 Folder 9
Boards, Miscellaneous, 1881-1887
Box 22 Folder 10
Buildings, 1880-1888
Box 22 Folder 11
Cadet Engineers, 1881-1886
Box 22 Folder 12-13
Candidates, 1881-1888
Box 22 Folder 14
Civilians, 1881-1888
Box 22 Folder 15
U.S.S. Constellation, 1881-1887
Box 23 Folder 1
Course of Instruction, 1881-1888
Box 23 Folder 2
U.S.S. Dale, 1881-1885
Box 23 Folder 3-5
Enlisted Men, 1881-1888
Box 23 Folder 6
Equipment for Instruction, 1881-1888
Box 23 Folder 7
Equipment, Miscellaneous, 1881-1886
Box 23 Folder 8
Examinations, 1881-1886
Box 23 Folder 9-10
Financial Matters, 1881-1886
Box 24 Folder 1
Graduating Classes, 1881-1886
Box 24 Folder 2
Greeley Relief Expedition, 1884
Box 24 Folder 3
Historical Matters, 1881-1888
Box 24 Folder 4
Land, 1881-1886
Box 24 Folder 5-6
Letters Received, 1880-1886
Box 24 Folder 7
Library, 1881-1886
Box 24 Folder 8
Marine Corps, 1881-1886
Box 24 Folder 9
U.S.S. Mayflower, 1881-1882
Box 24 Folder 10-11
Midshipmen, 1881-1883>
Box 25 Folder 1-5
Midshipmen, 1883-1888
Box 25 Folder 6
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1881-1885
Box 25 Folder 7
Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1881-1886
Box 25 Folder 8
U.S.S. Nantucket, 1882
Box 25 Folder 9-10
Officers, 1881-1888
Box 26 Folder 1-2
Ordnance Equipment, 1881-1888
Box 26 Folder 3
U.S.S. Passaic, 1881-1888
Box 26 Folder 4
U.S.S. Phlox, 1881-1884
Box 26 Folder 5-6
Practice Cruises, 1873-1886
Box 26 Folder 7
Practice Cruise, 1881
Box 26 Folder 8
Practice Cruise, 1882
Box 26 Folder 9-10
Practice Cruise, 1883
Box 26 Folder 11
Practice Cruise, 1884
Box 26 Folder 12
Practice Cruise, 1885
Box 27 Folder 1
Practice Cruise, 1886
Box 27 Folder 2
Practice Cruise, 1888
Box 27 Folder 3
Professors, 1881-1888
Box 27 Folder 4
Registers, 1881-1888
Box 27 Folder 5
Regulations, 1881-1885
Box 27 Folder 6
U.S.S. Santee, 1881-1883
Box 27 Folder 7
U.S.S. Saratoga, 1883
Box 27 Folder 8
Ships, Miscellaneous, 1881-1888
Box 27 Folder 9-10
Textbooks, 1881-1888
Box 27 Folder 11
Visitors, 1881-1886
Box 27 Folder 12
U.S.S. Winnepec, 1883, 1885
Box 27 Folder 13
U.S.S. Wyoming, 1881-1885
Box 27 Folder 14-16
Letters Received, 1887-1889
