Beschreibung:

JEFFERSON, Thomas, President . Document signed ("Th. Jefferson") as President, countersigned by Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith (1757-1852), Washington, 7 February 1807. 1 page, folio, 442 x 355mm. (173/8 x 146 in.) PRINTED ON PARCHMENT, finely engraved text, large vignette at top of an American eagle amid clouds and sunbeams with heading "President of the United States," below a complex arrangement of naval weaponry, battle flags, anchors and other maritime paraphernalia, imprint along bottom edge: "Written B. S. Lewis.... Designed & engraved by Akin & Harrison Junr.," accomplished in manuscript, large papered Great seal of the U.S. at lower center, very minor spotting. The President, with the "advice and consent of the Senate" certifies the appointment of Lewis Warrington as a Lieutenant in the Navy. JEFFERSON'S APPOINTMENT OF LEWIS WARRINGTON, A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER IN THE WAR OF 1812 Warrington (1782-1851), a Virginian, attended the College of William and Mary and became a midshipman in 1800. During the war with the Barbary pirates (1802-1807) he served as officer on several American warships, but during the War of 1812 commanded the sloop of war Peacock . On 29 April 1814, off Cape Canaveral, he captured the British brig Epervier in a sharp action, in honor of which Congress presented him with a special medal. In 1815 he took another English ship, the Nautilis , although Peace had been proclaimed. In later years he served as Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard and as Secretary of the Navy ad interim (1846). JEFFERSON NAVAL APPOINTMENTS ARE QUITE RARE, for the simple reason that only a handful were issued during Jefferson's administration. At the outset of his term as President he drastically curtailed the size of the Navy: 17 of 24 captains were dismissed outright and two went on half-pay, while only 13 ships were kept in service.