US Exe Welles, Gideon - U.S. Secretary of the Navy

Gideon "Father Neptune" Welles​

Born: July 1, 1802

Birthplace: Glastonbury, Connecticut

Father: Samuel Welles 1754 – 1834

(Buried: Green Cemetery, Glastonbury, Connecticut)​

Mother: Anne Hale 1763 – 1816

(Buried: Green Cemetery, Glastonbury, Connecticut)​

Wife: Mary Jane Hale 1817 – 1886

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

Married: June 16, 1835 in Lewiston, Pennsylvania

Children:

Anna Jane Welles 1836 – 1854​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Samuel Welles 1838 – 1839​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Edward Gideon Welles 1840 – 1843​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Edgar Thaddeus Welles 1843 – 1914​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Thomas Gideon Welles 1846 – 1892​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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John Arthur Welles 1849 – 1885​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Herbert Welles 1852 – 1853​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Hubert Welles 1853 – 1862​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Mary Juanita Welles 1854 – 1858​

(Buried: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut)​

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Signature:

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Education:

Attended Cheshire Academy in Connecticut​

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Attended American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy​

Occupation before War:

Journalist for Hartford Times Newspaper​

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1826 – 1837: Editor of Hartford Times Newspaper ​

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Supported Andrew Jackson and Democratic Party with Newspaper​

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1826 – 1835: Member of Connecticut State General Assembly​

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United States Postmaster for Hartford, Connecticut​

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1835 – 1836: Connecticut State Comptroller​

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1842 – 1844: Connecticut State Comptroller​

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1846 – 1849: Chief U.S. Navy Bureau of Provisions and clothing​

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1848: Supporter of Martin Van Buren's Presidential Campaign​

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1854 – 1861: Active member of Republican Political Party​

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1856: Founder of Hartford Evening Press Newspaper​

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1856: Unsuccessful Republican Candidate for Governor​

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1860: Chairman of Connecticut Delegation at Republican Convention​

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1860: Strong Supporter of Abraham Lincoln's Campaign​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1869: United States Secretary of U.S. Navy Department​

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1861 – 1865: His wife was a rare good friend to Mrs. Lincoln​

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Known to have been a jealous cabinet rival of William Seward​

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1865: His wife spent the night and following day of Lincoln's Assassination with Mrs. Lincoln even though his wife suffered from a severe Cold.​

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1865 – 1869: Supporter of Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction Plan​

Occupation after War:

1869 – 1878: Lived in Hartford writing and editing journals​

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1874: Author of Lincoln and Seward biography​

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1911: His diary he had kept was published​

Died: February 11, 1878

Place of Death: Hartford, Connecticut

Cause of Death: Streptococcal infection of throat

Age at time of Death: 75 years old

Burial Place: Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford, Connecticut

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy (Friday) Birthday Secretary Welles! Remembering Secretary of Navy Gideon Welles on his birthday weekend.

 

[Pollaco]

Only 2 cabinet members served throughout Lincoln's presidency. William Seward and Gideon Welles.

 

[Pollaco]

Only 2 cabinet members served throughout Lincoln's presidency. William Seward and Gideon Welles.

Oh he remained in the cabinet until Grant took office.

 

[Pollaco]

That diary he kept was titled "Diary of Gideon Welles; Secretary of the Navy Under Lincoln and Johnson".

 

[Luke Freet]

Welles may have been the most effective of Lincoln's staff, helping to support the construction of the Monitor and its sucessors.

 

[ErnieMac]

Oh he remained in the cabinet until Grant took office.

As did Seward.

 

[ErnieMac]

Welles' diary is available in three volumes online. It makes for interesting reading and includes many details about Lincoln's cabinet as well as the Navy.

Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson (v.1) : Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

I. 1861-March 30, 1864.--II. April 1, 1864-December 31, 1866.--III. January 1, 1867-June 6, 1869

archive.org

Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson : Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

v. 1. 1861-March 30, 1864.--v. 2. April 1, 1864-December 31, 1866.--v. 3. January 1, 1867-June 6, 1869

archive.org

Diary of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln and Johnson : Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

v. 1. 1861-March 30, 1864.--v. 2. April 1, 1864-December 31, 1866.--v. 3. January 1, 1867-June 6, 1869

archive.org

 

[Bruce Vail]

I received a copy of his published journal for a Christmas gift and found it hard to read, and harder to enjoy.

The published account was apparently edited and re-edited over an extended period of time, so the question of its authenticity kept suggesting itself as I read along. Did Welles or other editors "clean up" the original to make Lincoln look better? or to make Seward look worse? or to absolve Welles of any responsibility for the naval scandals of his administration?

Any thoughts out there?

 

[Elliot Crumblemuffin]

Welles was born right across the Connecticut River from where I grew up! Next time I'm up in CT, I am going to visit his grave site and bring back some pictures.

 

[Joseph A. Rose]

Welles may have been the most effective of Lincoln's staff, helping to support the construction of the Monitor and its sucessors.

And Welles did not have the seriously dysfunctional character traits exhibited by Stanton.

One reason that Welles may not have a better reputation is that Ulysses S. Grant detested him (apparently for Welles' criticisms of Grant). Grant stated to an interviewer:
"So far as Mr. Welles is concerned, he is dead, and any resentment one might feel at his extraordinary misstatements would now be out of place. It is unfortunate for Mr. Welles' fame that he should have spent his last years in striving to belittle the very administration in which he held a prominent place. But the real reason is that Mr. Welles never was a republican. He blundered into Lincoln's Cabinet He remained as quiet as a mouse so long as he held a high ofiice under the republicans and drew a large salary. As soon as Mr. Johnson made his advances toward the democrats he became a loud and earnest supporter of his administration. From that time to the end of his life Mr. Welles was in perfect sympathy with the men who tried to break down the government, and it is only natural that he should belittle and defame those who did their best to save the government, men who, whether they did much or little, did all in their power. Mr. Welles was never so sincere in anything in his life as in his democracy, and nothing that he has written against myself or others for what we tried to do in the war would cause me the least surprise or vexation. My only sorrow is that a gentleman who had been Secretary of the Navy during the rebellion should devote his powers to defame men who did all they could to suppress the rebellion. I cannot conceive a more painful and humiliating position."

 

[Joseph A. Rose]

I received a copy of his published journal for a Christmas gift and found it hard to read, and harder to enjoy.

The published account was apparently edited and re-edited over an extended period of time, so the question of its authenticity kept suggesting itself as I read along. Did Welles or other editors "clean up" the original to make Lincoln look better? or to make Seward look worse? or to absolve Welles of any responsibility for the naval scandals of his administration?

Any thoughts out there?

To view the unexpurgated and unrevised Welles journal, you need to see the hardcopy edition edited by Howard K. Beale. Although the interpolations can be confusing, Beale removes the guesswork about the changes Welles and others introduced into the diary before publication.

 

[Luke Freet]

And Welles did not have the seriously dysfunctional character traits exhibited by Stanton.

One reason that Welles may not have a better reputation is that Ulysses S. Grant detested him (apparently for Welles' criticisms of Grant). Grant stated to an interviewer:
"So far as Mr. Welles is concerned, he is dead, and any resentment one might feel at his extraordinary misstatements would now be out of place. It is unfortunate for Mr. Welles' fame that he should have spent his last years in striving to belittle the very administration in which he held a prominent place. But the real reason is that Mr. Welles never was a republican. He blundered into Lincoln's Cabinet He remained as quiet as a mouse so long as he held a high ofiice under the republicans and drew a large salary. As soon as Mr. Johnson made his advances toward the democrats he became a loud and earnest supporter of his administration. From that time to the end of his life Mr. Welles was in perfect sympathy with the men who tried to break down the government, and it is only natural that he should belittle and defame those who did their best to save the government, men who, whether they did much or little, did all in their power. Mr. Welles was never so sincere in anything in his life as in his democracy, and nothing that he has written against myself or others for what we tried to do in the war would cause me the least surprise or vexation. My only sorrow is that a gentleman who had been Secretary of the Navy during the rebellion should devote his powers to defame men who did all they could to suppress the rebellion. I cannot conceive a more painful and humiliating position."

I recall his anecdote about Grant's last meeting with Lincoln before his death, how Grant interrupted Lincoln mid-sentence to say "Stone's River wasn't a victory" (Grant DESPISED Rosecrans).

 

[Bruce Vail]

To view the unexpurgated and unrevised Welles journal, you need to see the hardcopy edition edited by Howard K. Beale. Although the interpolations can be confusing, Beale removes the guesswork about the changes Welles and others introduced into the diary before publication.

Thanks Joseph.

I was unhappy with the edition I received as a gift for another reason. There is no index nor any annotations. Does the Beale edition have these?

 

[Joseph A. Rose]

Thanks Joseph.

I was unhappy with the edition I received as a gift for another reason. There is no index nor any annotations. Does the Beale edition have these?

Beale has an 80-page Index, but only a few annotations (outside of the tons of corrections to the text).

Howard Beale , coincidentally, was a character in the film Network.

 

[Joseph A. Rose]

Thanks Joseph.

I was unhappy with the edition I received as a gift for another reason. There is no index nor any annotations. Does the Beale edition have these?

In Volume 3 of my .pdf of the 1911 edition of the Welles Diary, there is an Index.

Beale, in 1925, wrote an early critique of the Diary ("It remains to evaluate the Diary as a whole. The manuscript remains one of the most important single sources of American history. The usefulness of the printed Diary is doubtful."), One person who reviewed Beale's 1960 edition agreed that the 1911 edition of Welles's diary was "unreliable," while the other concluded that "Beale perhaps overstated the discrepancies between manuscript and published text."

 

[Joseph A. Rose]

Thanks Joseph.

I was unhappy with the edition I received as a gift for another reason. There is no index nor any annotations. Does the Beale edition have these?

Furthermore, I just rear that:
"Fortunately, in 2014 Harvard historian William E. Gienapp and his wife, Erica L. Gienapp, released The Civil War Diary of Gideon Welles, Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy: The Original Manuscript Edition through the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College. Rather than work from the 1911 edition, as Beale had done, the Gienapps re-transcribed Welles's original manuscript diaries at the Library of Congress, scrupulously omitting Welles's later emendations. The final product was a beautifully produced and carefully annotated verbatim transcription of what Secretary Welles had written while he served with Lincoln. (Unlike the earlier editions, the 2014 edition concludes in April 1865.)"

That sounds as if it will be much easier to read and more authoritative than Beale's.