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Charles Morris papers, 1801-1861

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Summary

Creator:
William L. Clements Library
Abstract:
The Charles Morris papers contain letters and documents relating to the naval career of Commodore Charles Morris, during the War of 1812 and his subsequent commands at the Portsmouth and Charlestown Navy Yards, and as a member of the Board of Navy Commissioners.
Extent:
0.25 linear feet
Language:
English
French
Authors:
Collection processed and finding aid created by Shannon Wait, June 2011

Background

Scope and Content:

The Charles Morris papers contain 66 letters, 2 documents, and an engraved portrait, spanning 1801-1861. The collection relates primarily to Commodore Charles Morris' naval activities and career. A few materials represent Morris' involvement in the War of 1812, but the papers primarily document his command at Portsmouth and Boston Navy Yards and his tenure as a navy commissioner.

The Correspondence series spans 1801 to 1851. Early letters to Morris contain routine orders and requests, frequently from various secretaries of the Navy, including several items written by Secretary Paul Hamilton. Included is an order assigning Morris to the USS Constitution, dated June 22, 1812, as well as another order instructing him not to intercept any unarmed British ships bound for Sable Island (November 11, 1812). Other War of 1812 items pertain to furloughs, promotions, and strategy. Also included are several letters by Morris to colleagues such as Henry Dearborn and John Orde Creighton, concerning mutual acquaintances, appointments, and naval activities.

A particularly important item in the collection is a 20-page letter of May 20, 1819, written by John Quincy Adams to Smith Thompson, secretary of the navy. In the letter, Adams provided instructions and objectives for a diplomatic mission to Venezuela and Argentina, led by Oliver Hazard Perry. He also discussed such topics as restitution for several American ships seized during the Venezuelan Revolution, Venezuelan piracy off the coast of Florida, and the involvement of Spain and other European powers in South American politics. The letter likely came into the possession of Morris after the death of Perry from yellow fever in August 1819; Morris took over for Perry as leader of the naval expedition soon after. Also pertaining to the Venezuelan expedition is a letter from Thompson to Perry, further explaining the goals of the mission, and providing instructions to Perry in regards to pirate and slave ships (June 1, 1819).

Another segment of the correspondence, 1828-1829, concerns the presentation of an urn to General Lafayette by the midshipman of the Brandywine. Included is a manuscript copy of a letter from Lafayette, thanking the men of the Brandywine and praising their patriotism (December 25, 1828). Later correspondence relates to naval business, such as appointments, courts martial, and invitations to events. In an additional letter dated July 17, 1834, John Quincy Adams expressed hope that Morris would find a position in the navy for a relative, Joseph Adams. The latest correspondence in the series pertains to the activities of Morris' children, particularly George A. Morris, and contains comments on foreign relations and routine naval matters.

The Memoir, Documents and Portrait series contains four items. A seven-page memoir written by Charles or Harriet Morris in 1847 provides an account of the life and naval service of their son, Charles W. Morris. In the first document, dated August 29, 1815, Attorney General Richard Rush recorded the trials of alleged pirates. The second document is undated and relates to a silver medal awarded to Charles Morris. Finally, the series contains an 1861 engraved portrait of John Quincy Adams. Published by Johnson & Fry of New York, the image was engraved from a painting by Alonzo Chappel.

Biographical / Historical:

Charles Morris was born on July 26, 1784, in Woodstock, Connecticut, the son of Charles Morris and Miriam Nichols. His father’s position as a purser for the Navy in the Quasi-War with France allowed Charles to get an appointment as a midshipman in 1799, when he was 15. Morris was onboard the Constitution as it sailed to Tripoli in 1803 and Stephen Decatur selected him to participate in the raid to destroy the captured Philadelphia, whose deck Morris was the first to reach.

By the outbreak of the War of 1812, Morris was first lieutenant under Captain Isaac Hull on the Constitution. Morris famously aided in evading a British squadron by suggesting kedging and towing the Constitution; later he was badly wounded during the ship's battle with the HMS Guerriere, and received a promotion to captain for his efforts. After his recovery, he commanded the Adams in raiding expeditions against British merchant ships.

After serving on the Congress from 1815 to 1817, Morris commanded the Portsmouth Navy Yard until his appointment to the Navy Board of Commissioners in 1823. He also succeeded Oliver Hazard Perry on an 1819 mission to promote friendly relations with Venezuela after Perry died of yellow fever. Morris then served as navy commissioner from 1823-1827 (except for a mission transporting Lafayette back to France in 1825-1826) and from 1832-1841, and was instrumental in instituting a number of naval reforms. For the last five years of his life, he was chief of the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography. He died on January 27, 1856.

Charles Morris married Harriet Bowen in February 1815, and the couple had four sons and six daughters. One son, Charles W. Morris also served in the United States Navy. He was flag lieutenant under Commodore David Connor and perished in the Mexican-American War from wounds received in an attack on Tabasco, October 1846.

Acquisition Information:
1965-2000. M-1284, M-1336, M-1429, M-1712, M-1715, M-1746, M-1766, M-1783, M-1934, M-4111 .
Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the "We the People" project.

Arrangement:
The Charles Morris papers are arranged into two series:
  • Series I: Correspondence
  • Series II: Memoir, Documents, and Portrait
Rules or Conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Contents

Using These Materials

Info for Visitors

How to Request

Ordering Reproductions

Download PDF Finding Aid
RESTRICTIONS:

The collection is open for research.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

Copyright status is unknown

PREFERRED CITATION:

Charles Morris Papers, William L. Clements Library, The University of Michigan

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Collection

Charles Morris papers, 1801-1861
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Total components 29
Last indexed 2023-08-08