1860s CIVIL WAR NAVY LIEUT COMMANDER WILLIAM GWIN CDV PHOTO KILLED IN ACTION KIA

Description

Rare and original, 1860's CDV Photograph of a United States Navy Civil War Lieutenant Commander William Gwin – Killed in Action / Died of Wounds sustained at Haines Bluff. This fantastic, period, albumen Photograph measures approx. 2 3/8” by 3 3/4” and is mounted on its original, square corner, photographer’s Card Mount (card measures approx 2 1/2" by 4").
This wonderful, vignette, bust portrait pictures Commander Gwin wearing a frock coat with shoulder bars that identify him as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy (1862 Regulations). The portrait is identified with a period ink inscription beneath portrait that reads simply "Gwinn." The back of the mount carries the mark of the photographer – J. Cremer & Co. of Philadelphia.
This fantastic CDV Photograph came to us from the legendary Brown Water Navy Collection of Richard B. Cohen.
William Gwin (6 December 1832 – 3 January 1863) was an officer in the United States Navy who was killed in action during the American Civil War. One of the most promising officers in the nation, with extensive command and combat experience, Gwin had risen to the rank of lieutenant commander by the time of his death. Gwin was appointed a midshipman on 7 April 1847 and subsequently served on the frigate USS Brandywine on the Brazil Squadron until late in 1850. During the next five years he was assigned to the sloop of war USS Germantown, flagship of the African Squadron, the steamer Princeton and the brig Bainbridge. In September 1855, while serving on the latter, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. From late 1857 until after the outbreak of the American Civil War in the spring of 1861, Gwin was an officer of the steamer USS Saranac and sloop of war USS Vandalia, both in the Pacific, and of the steam frigate Susquehanna in the Mediterranean.
Returning to the United States in mid-1861, Lieutenant Gwin began Civil War combat service in the newly acquired cruiser USS Cambridge and, later in the year, was assigned to the brig USS Perry. He commanded several ships of the Mississippi Squadron and was one of Flag Officer Andrew Hull Foote's "can do" officers, displaying outstanding initiative, energy and dash. After the fall of Fort Henry he swept with his wooden gunboats up the Tennessee River all the way to regions of Alabama. This action was a major factor in the collapse of the Confederate lines far behind him in Kentucky. Fire support from two of his gunboats, the USS Tyler and the USS Lexington, helped save Union troops from disaster in the Battle of Shiloh, bringing high praise from General Ulysses S. Grant. He was wounded in action 27 December 1862, while commanding the gunboat USS Benton in the Battle of Haines Bluff on the Yazoo River. He died from these injuries on 3 January 1863, on board a hospital ship in the Mississippi River. In reporting his death to the Navy Department, Gwin's squadron commander, Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter, remarked: "The country has lost one of its bravest officers."
This rare and wonderful, albumen CDV Photograph is in excellent to near mint condition - clean and crisp and exceptionally well preserved. The Photograph exhibits sharp focus, strong contrast and rich, warm tonality. Both the Photo and the card mount are clean and crisp and exceptionally well preserved.
A very rare and original, 1860's CDV Photograph of United States Navy Civil War Civil War Lieutenant Commander William Gwin – Killed in Action / Died of Wounds sustained at Haines Bluff and a fantastic addition to any collection!!
Be sure to check out this sellers other auctions for a number of other, fantastic, original Civil War Photographs which are also being offered for sale this week on eBay!!!
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