User:Nyhistory1804/NHS

The Naval History Society

The Naval History Society was founded in New York City in 1912. It first housed its library and manuscript collections in Aeolian Hall on West 42nd Street, relocated to the New York Historical Society in 1925, and ceased independent operations in 1936. Its library collections are now cataloged with those of the Historical Society, and its 53 individual manuscript collections, referred to as the [Naval History Society Collection], including the Society's records, are in the Historical Society's manuscript collection.

Its collections include many named for renowned naval officers or vessels, including Commodore William Bainbridge, Admiral John Barry, USS Boston, James Fenimore Cooper, USS Dictator, John Ericsson (designer of USS Monitor), Gustavus Vasa Fox (assistant Secretary of the Navy under Abraham Lincoln), USS General Grant, Isaac Hull, John Paul Jones, Oliver Hazard Perry, documentation of the Point Lookout confederate prisoner of war camp, as well as logbooks of US Navy, British Navy, and commercial vessels.

The Collection reflects most strongly the personal interest of founding president John Sanford Barnes, son of General James Barnes and a collector of books, manuscripts, and memorabilia connected to naval history and personalities. His son, Col. James Barnes donated Barnes's collections to the Naval History Society in 1915, where they were subsequently added to by donation and purchase

The majority of the collections document American naval engagements and commercial maritime pursuits, personalities, and vessels; a few collections of British and French documents are included. The collection provides primary sources on American naval involvement in hostilities from the American Revolution (1775-1783) to the Spanish American War (1898), as well as routine commercial and naval shipboard life, naval design, navigation, education and officer training. The Society's records document the founding, management, and activities of a collecting and publishing organization in the first third of the 20th century.

Henry Augustus Wise (1819-1869)

Henry Augustus Wise entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman in 1834. During the Mexican War (1846-1848) he saw action in the Gulf of California, and then became an expert on gunnery. When the Civil War began, Wise had to decide between staying in the US Navy and serving his home state of Virginia for the Confederacy. He retained his commission, and among his first duties was the burning of Gosport Navy Yard (Norfolk, VA). After a few months on blockade duty he was assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography, the agency responsible for the Navy's armaments and the shore stations where they were produced and tested. He became acting chief in 1863 and was appointed chief in 1864, which position he held until illness necessitated his resignation in 1868. He died in Naples, Italy, the next year.

Under the pseudonym Harry Gringo, he was the author of "Tales for the Marines" and "Captain Brand of the Schooner 'Centipede'"

His correspondence and manuscripts are housed in the Library of the New-York Historical Society as part of the Naval History Society Collection.