? Rodgers Sold at Auction Prices

Commodore JOHN ROGERS, Signed Letter 1822 Head of U.S. Navy Commissioners Board

Autographs Commodore John Rodgers Signed Document Naval Hero JOHN ROGERS (1772-1838). American Naval Officer 1790s to 1830s, including the Quasi-War with France and War of 1812. Commanded the USS John Adams, attacked the Barbary Pirates at Tripoli in the First Barbary War, and promoted to Commodore. September 19th, 1822-Dated, Letter Signed, "Approved - Jn Rogers," as head of the Board of US Navy Commissioners, Boston Naval Yard, to Commodore Morris, Very Fine. With Integral Envelope, in Approval of a bid for supplies. This 8" x 11" Letter has 1 page, is nicely written and boldly signed. Here, William LeBaron has agreed to a contract price for goods provided to the Navy, Signed by LeBaron and Commodore John Rodgers, as having accepted the agreement at its conclusion. A scarce letter, signed by a true early US Navy Hero. Please read more about Commodore Rodgers and his extensive heroic Naval encounters on our auction website! John Rodgers was promoted to Captain on March 5, 1799 and three months later took command of the Maryland. In March 1801, he transported the ratified Convention of 1800 (Treaty of Mortefontaine), which ended the Quasi-War, to France. Placed in command of the John Adams the following year, he sailed for the Mediterranean to attack Barbary forts and gunboats at Tripoli, as part of the First Barbary War. His brilliant record fighting the corsairs won him appointment as Commodore of the Mediterranean Squadron in May 1805. A year later, he returned to the United States to take command of the New York Flotilla. After the Embargo Act was passed at the close of 1807, Rodgers commanded operations along the Atlantic coast enforcing its provisions. In 1811, he was in command as Commodore of the President off Annapolis when he heard that an American seaman had been "impressed" by a British frigate off Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Commodore Rodgers was ordered to sea to "protect American commerce", but he may have had verbal instructions to retaliate for the impressment of British subjects out of American vessels, which was causing much ill-feeling and was a main cause of the War of 1812. On the 16 May 1811, he sighted and followed the British sloop Little Belt, and after some hailing and counterhailing, of which very different versions are given on either side, a gun was fired, each side accusing the other of the first shot, and an action ensued in which Little Belt was cut to pieces. On the sixth day of the War of 1812, still in President, Rodgers drove off British frigate Belvidera and chased her for eight hours before she escaped. He was wounded during this engagement when a gun burst near him. Rodgers commanded the President for most of the war, capturing 23 prizes. On land, Rodgers rendered valuable service defending Baltimore during the British attack on Fort McHenry. Following the war, Rodgers headed the Board of Navy Commissioners until retiring in May 1837. Commodore Rodgers died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 1, 1838.