(CIVIL WAR--NAVY.) Oliver Lasher. Pair of letters by the acting master of the USS Young America, one describing a torpedo attack. Pair of Autograph Letters Signed to his brother Jesse Lasker, each 2 pages and 12 1/2 x 8 inches; separations at folds, cello tape repair to second letter, other minor wear and dampstaining. One with original postmarked envelope with stamp clipped. Off Newport News, VA, 1864
Oliver Clum Lasher (1829-1894) of Hackensack and Fort Lee, NJ joined the United States Navy as an acting master's mate in 1862. The first of these letters dated 28 February 1864 describes how he found himself in command of the gunboat USS Young America without receiving a promotion. He had been left ashore to tend the mail, but "as the Young America got to the flagship, her captain could not handle her to suit the fleet captain," who asked "what had become of Lasher? . . . He said he was sorry for me, for he knew that I was in a scrape. . . . Our captain was ordered to another vessall whear he was under 5 officers his senior. It greived him to see me take charge of the Young America, for he was a grade above me and he thought that it was a big thing to have charge of a gun boat."
The second letter, dated 27 April 1864, describes a recent Confederate torpedo attack on the USS Minnesota: "About 2 a.m. a small propeler about as big as a shad decked over but not so high out of the water came down the river, but she had a torpedo with her. She passed the U.S. Steam Ram Atlanta . . . and was hailed by her and answered Roanoke which signified that the Capt. of our ironclad frigate was in her, which proved false, and so she got by and drifted down to the Minesota and . . . came close under the Minesota post quarter and exploded the torpedo and the damage done was very great, but it is kept as still as possible, but I know more than I dare write, for I fear it will lead to some troubel."
WITH--an unidentified carte-de-visite taken in Bridgewater, MA
A pair of certificates for prize money due for the capture of New Orleans, issued in 1874 and 1875
and a small leather ammunition box, 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 2 inches, produced by Ridabock & Co. of New York, patented 1878.
