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To my dearest wife, Lide : letters from George B. Gideon Jr. during Commodore Perry's expedition to Japan, 1853-1855 /
George B. Gideon Jr. served as second assistant engineer aboard the USS Powhatan from 1852 to 1865. From his position on the steam frigate, Gideon traveled to Singapore, Labuan, Borneo, Hong Kong, and many other Asian lands. During his time at sea, Gideon penned dozens of letters to his wife, Lide,...
| Clasificación: | Libro Electrónico |
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| Autor principal: | |
| Otros Autores: | , , |
| Formato: | Electrónico eBook |
| Idioma: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Tuscaloosa :
The University of Alabama Press,
[2019]
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| Colección: | Maritime currents : history and archaeology.
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| Temas: | |
| Acceso en línea: | Texto completo |
| Sumario: | George B. Gideon Jr. served as second assistant engineer aboard the USS Powhatan from 1852 to 1865. From his position on the steam frigate, Gideon traveled to Singapore, Labuan, Borneo, Hong Kong, and many other Asian lands. During his time at sea, Gideon penned dozens of letters to his wife, Lide, back home in Philadelphia. Recently discovered in the attic of his great-great-grandniece were fifty-one letters penned by Gideon providing thorough and insightful commentary throughout the voyage. Through these correspondences, Gideon laboriously documents the details of his daily life on board, from the food they ate to the technical aspects of his work, as well as observations concerning the historical events unfolding around him, such as Chinese piracy, the Taiping Rebellion, the Crimean War, and the devastation of Shimoda. [This book] is a rare first-person account of the landmark American naval expedition to Japan to establish commercial relations between the two countries. Gideon's letters have been meticulously transcribed and annotated by the editors and are an invaluable primary historical source. Gideon's letters are candid and revealing, delving into the rampant dysfunction in the navy of the 1850s--sickness and disease, alcohol abuse, and poor leadership, among other challenges. Gideon also unabashedly share his own cynical views of the navy's role in supporting American economic interests in Japan. This firsthand account of the political mission of the Perry expedition is a unique contribution to naval and military history and gives readers a better view of life aboard a navy ship. -- Dust jacket flap. |
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| Descripción Física: | 1 online resource (xiii, 255 pages) : illustrations, map, portrait |
| Bibliografía: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 199-248) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9780817392376 0817392378 |