United States. Military commissions, 1866, 1877

This collection consists of two military commissions signed by government officials, including Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant. The first document promoted George C. Nelson to Major in 1866, and the second named Jacob S. Dungan the Medical Director of the Navy in 1877.

Jacob S. Dungan served as a surgeon in the United States Navy beginning in the mid-19th century during the Mexican American War. George C. Nelson was a soldier in the Union Army during the United States Civil War.

This collection contains two military appointment records from 1866 and 1877. Each document is 50 x 40 cm, attached to 54 x 45.5 cm mat board. The 1866 document appointed George C. Nelson to the rank of Major on June 20 and was signed by President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. This document includes vignettes of a war eagle and weaponry. The 1877 document promoted military surgeon Jacob S. Dungan to Medical Director of the Navy on January 17. It was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant and Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles. The document is decorated with an image of the American Eagle and a vignette of mythical sea creatures alongside Poseidon. Both documents are embossed with a blue paper seal.

The Library acquired the items in this collection prior to 2015.