Full title is “GUNNERY CATECHISM AS APPLIED TO THE SERVICE OF NAVAL ORDNANCE ADAPTED TO THE LATEST OFFICIAL REGULATIONS, AND APPROVED BY THE BUREAU OF ORDNANCE, NAVY DEPARTMENT” by J. D. Brandt formerly of U.S. Navy and published by D. Van Nostrand New York, New York.

Volume is covered in royal blue cloth with the Naval Ordnance crest of crossed cannons and an anchor done in worn gold on the front cover. Title is repeated on the spine. Covers and spine show wear from rubbing and heavy use.

Binding is good but is growing weak and the interior is clean. A few pages at center are starting to work loose but are still holding on.

Tucked inside is a diagram for a “9-inch shell gun” with a revolving wheel “showing the manner of shifting stations in exercise, in order to drill each of the guns crew in all duties.”

Title page is inscribed in period pencil “JAMES S. WILLIAMS USS SUNFLOWER.”

James S. Williams was living in Massachusetts when he was made acting masters mate on December 4, 1861. He was promoted to acting ensign on November 24, 1862 and to acting master on December 26, 1863. He was discharged December 7, 1865.

During his time in the navy Williams served on the USS OHIO, USS COLUMBIA, USS DALE, USS SPIREA and with the North Atlantic Squadron, The South Atlantic Squadron and the East Gulf Squadron.

The USS SUNFLOWER USS Sunflower was a 294-ton steamer acquired by the Union Navy during the Civil War. Sunflower was used as a gunboat by the Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederacy in order to prevent the South from trading with other countries.

Service history is as follows:

“a screw gunboat purchased at Boston, Massachusetts, on 2 May 1863—was commissioned on 29 April 1863, Acting Master Edward Sice in command. Sunflower was assigned to the East Gulf Blockading Squadron and arrived at Key West, Florida, in mid-May 1863. On the 31st, she seized schooner Echo and a cargo of cotton off the Marquesas Keys. The gunboat captured schooner Pushmatatta off Tortugas on 13 June and schooner General Worth in the straits of Florida on 27 August. Sunflower aided USS Beauregard in seizing sloop Last Trial on 6 October. On Christmas Eve 1863, she captured blockade runner Hancock near the lighthouse at Tampa Bay with a cargo of salt and borax.

Sunflower remained on patrol during 1864 and, on 24 March, captured sloop Josephine in Sarasota Sound. Josephine was enroute from Tampa, Florida, to Havana, Cuba, with a cargo of cotton when she was intercepted. Sunflower, with USS Honduras and USS James L. Davis, supported the capture of Tampa in a combined operation from 4 to 7 May. These Union ships transported Northern soldiers to Tampa and also provided naval landing parties which participated in the assault. On the 6th, the three ships captured sloop Neptune which was carrying a cargo of cotton, when she attempted to run the blockade. On 2 June, Sunflower landed three armed boats to destroy salt works at Tampa Bay. The last ship to fall prey to Sunflower was Pickwick, captured off St. George's Sound on 6 December 1864. On 30 March 1865, she and USS Somerset landed an expedition at St. Joseph's Sound and destroyed salt works. Sunflower sailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was decommissioned there on 3 June 1865. The ship was sold at auction on 10 August 1865.”   [ad][ph:L]

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