129

David J. Shepherd.

Diary of an officer of the schooner Abby B in government service.

Off South Carolina and elsewhere, 5 June 1864 to 23 January 1865
27, [40] manuscript diary pages including numerous illustrations. 8vo, 7½ x 4¾ inches, original limp calf, worn, rebacked; illustrated title page worn and tipped to first diary page, minor wear to diary pages with a few tasteful repairs. 

David J. Shepherd (1836-1897) of New Bedford, MA served as first mate on the schooner Abby B of Providence, RI, a private vessel in the government service under Captain Leander Smith. 

His log begins laying off Hilton Head, SC. Moving up the coast toward Charleston, he reports on the minor Battle of Burden's Causeway on James Island, SC on 2 and 3 July 1864: "There is heavy fighting on James Island today. They have been boating the wounded all day by us." On 9 September 1864 he noted that "all the vessells in the harbor set there colors in honor of Shearman's capture of Atlanta." Similarly, "the city of Savannah was evacuated Dec 22d 1864. Bully for Sherman, he is the man for Uncle Sam." 

Shepherd was a good artist and begins the volume with an elaborate armorial title page showing crossed cannons and a ship. At the rear is a sketch of a Parrott artillery piece titled "the pet parrot." His other illustrations include a pipe-smoking skeleton, a cannon, a small ship. As a former New Bedford mariner, Shepherd brought a whale stamp aboard and randomly decorated 4 pages with impressions from it.

Provenance: purchased by Greg Gibson of the Ten Pound Island Book Company at the Florida Book Fair per his March 2012 "Bookman's Blog" entry, and then sold to the consignor. 

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