Descriptive Summary
Frost, George
W.
George W. Frost Military and
Personal papers,
1861-1885
0.25 cubic feet
MS 321
Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice
University, Houston, TX
Materials are in
English.
This collection is
comprised chiefly of George W. Frost's correspondence, created while Frost
served as a Union naval officer during the U.S. Civil War, including his
service aboard the U.S.S. Fort Donelson (1861-1865).
Biographical Note
George W. Frost spent the final months of the American Civil War as
Acting Master of the U.S.S. Fort Donelson. He was assigned to this position by
Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles after some three years of various
short-term assignments throughout the Navy. On several occasions Frost ran awry
of naval regulations, most notably in January and February 1863 when he was
arrested for `disobedience' and in March 1865 when an order - which was revoked
in the same month - was issued for Frost's dismissal from the Navy. Despite
these irregularities, however, Frost survived in the Navy and performed guard,
convoy and messenger duties aboard the Fort Donelson until the war's end.
George Frost died 14 November 1885 (his birth date remains unknown) as
can be seen in folder two of `kidney and heart trouble.' This illness was, in
Frost's opinion, contracted while in the U. S. Navy and he felt himself
justified in claiming a compensatory pension increase. The Department of the
Interior Pension Office, however, disagreed and as folder two illustrates,
Frost died without receiving the desired increase.
Scope and Contents
This collection is comprised chiefly of George W. Frost's
correspondence, created while Frost served as a Union naval officer during the
Civil War, including his service aboard the U.S.S. Fort Donelson (1861-1865).
Other correspondence relates to Frost's pension, dating from the 1880s. Two
order books are also present.
Several documents contained in the Frost Papers were issued by
high-ranking Civil War personalities including Rear Admiral David D. Porter
(1813-1891) and Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles (1802-1878).
ArrangementThe material is arranged into three separate
folders, and in chronological order within each folder.
The first folder
contains 71 items of correspondence either to or from Frost or relating
directly to Frost's activities as a Naval Officer during the Civil War.
Folder two contains 7 pieces dating from the 1880's referring to the issue of
Frost's application for a Naval pension increase.
The third folder
comprises two order books probably from the year 1864. One is from the U. S.S.
Fort Donelson and includes Naval laws and regulations, ships' watches and
bills, regulations in case of fire and for firing the ship's guns, and some
records of the operations of the ship throughout the conflict. The other item
is a general Naval order book from Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter distributed
to all beneath his command in October 1864.
Access RestrictionsNo access restrictions; this material is
open for research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from the George W. Frost Papers must be
obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice
University.
Index Terms
Corporate subject:
Fort Donelson (stern wheel
steamer)
United States. Pension Bureau.
United States. Navy -
Officers - Naval and personal papers - 19th century.
United States. Navy - Pay,
allowances, etc.
Subject:
Military pensions - United
States.
Armored vessels - United
States.
United States - History -
Civil War, 1861-1865 - Naval operations.
Formats:
Correspondence.
Preferred Citation
George W. Frost Papers, 1861-1885, MS 321, Woodson Research Center,
Fondren Library, Rice University.
Acquisition Information
The George W. Frost Papers were acquired through the Friends of Fondren
Fund (Whittington Gift) in 1954, previously formed part of MSS collection 18.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Folder 1: 1861-1865
1 1
Item 1
Letter from W. H. Henderson to George W. Frost,
August 28, 1861
1 1
Item 2
Order from Gideon Welles to George W. Frost,
November 11, 1862
1 1
Item 3
Letter from M. Devenhewes(?) to George W. Frost,
November 17, 1862
1 1
Item 4
Letter from officers of U.S.S. Circassion to unknown
(probably commander of the ship),
January 27, 1863
1 1
Item 5
Order from S. F. Du Pont to George W. Frost,
January 27, 1863
1 1
Item 6
Order from S. F. Du Pont to George W. Frost,
February 17, 1863
1 1
Item 7
Letter from S. F. Du Pont to George W. Frost,
February 17, 1863
1 1
Item 8
Order from S. F. Du Pont to George W. Frost,
February 20, 1863
1 1
Item 9
Message from Fourth Auditor's Office to George W. Frost,
March 16, 1863
1 1
Item 10
Letter from George W. Frost to Katie Frost,
July 19, 1863
1 1
Item 11
Order from Gideon Welles to George W. Frost,
December 24, 1863
1 1
Item 12
Order from Gideon Welles to George W. Frost,
May 24, 1864
1 1
Item 13
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
January 3, 1865
1 1
Item 14
Report from George W. Frost to David D. Porter,
January 4, 1865
1 1
Item 15
Report from George W. Frost to David D. Porter,
January 4, 1865
1 1
Item 16
Order from H. A. Adams to George W. Frost,
January 11, 1865
1 1
Item 17
Order from unknown (fleet captain) to George W. Frost,
January 16, 1865
1 1
Item 18
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
January 21, 1865
1 1
Item 19
Order from David D. Porter to J. M. B. Clitz,
January 25, 1865
1 1
Item 20
Letter from Gideon Welles to George W. Frost,
January 28, 1865
1 1
Item 21
Orders from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
January 28, 1865
1 1
Item 22
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 16, 1865
1 1
Item 23
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 18, 1865
1 1
Item 24
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 21, 1865
1 1
Item 25
Report from Ensigns J. W. Willard, E. Manning, & H.
Hanson to George W. Frost,
February 22, 1865
1 1
Item 26
Report from Ensigns J. W. Willard, E. Manning, & H.
Hanson to George W. Frost,
February 22, 1865 (second copy)
1 1
Item 27
Report from Ensigns J. W. Willard, E. Manning, & H.
Hanson to George W. Frost,
February 22, 1865 (third copy)
1 1
Item 28
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 23, 1865
1 1
Item 29
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 24, 1865
1 1
Item 30
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 25, 1865
1 1
Item 31
Letter from General S. Dodge to unknown (George W.
Frost?),
February 25, 1865
1 1
Item 32
Letter from Sam? T. Lamb to George W. Frost,
February 26, 1865
1 1
Item 33
Letter from unknown (C. Watmough?) to George W. Frost,
February 27, 1865
1 1
Item 34
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 28, 1865 & Note from D. L.
Braine? to unknown,
March 12, 1865
1 1
Item 35
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
February 28, 1865
1 1
Item 36
Order from William West to George W. Frost,
March 3, 1865
1 1
Item 37
Letter from Gideon Welles to George W. Frost,
March 9, 1865
1 1
Item 38
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
March 20, 1865
1 1
Item 39
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
March 20, 1865
1 1
Item 40
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
April 1, 1865
1 1
Item 41
Order from Thomas S. Phelps to George W. Frost,
April 1, 1865
1 1
Item 42
Telegraph from Thomas S. Phelps to George W. Frost,
April 3, 1865
1 1
Item 43
Order from David D. Porter to George W. Frost,
April 10, 1865
1 1
Item 44
Order from unknown (W. Febiger?) to George W. Frost,
April 14, 1865
1 1
Item 45
Letter from M. A. Macomb to George W. Frost,
April 16, 1865
1 1
Item 46
Order from William Radford to George W. Frost,
April 18, 1865
1 1
Item 47
Order from William Radford to George W. Frost,
April 18, 1865 (second copy)
1 1
Item 48
Letter from Louis Sands to George W. Frost,
April 20, 1865
1 1
Item 49
Order from M. A. Macomb to George W. Frost,
April 30, 1865
1 1
Item 50
Order from William West to George W. Frost,
May 11, 1865
1 1
Item 51
Order from William Radford to George W. Frost,
May 17, 1865
1 1
Item 52
Order from William Radford to George W. Frost,
May 19, 1865
1 1
Item 53
Letter from William Reynolds to George W. Frost,
May 20, 1865
1 1
Item 54
Letter from William West to William Radford,
May 31, 1865
1 1
Item 55
Order from unknown (Thatcher?) to George W. Frost,
July 9, 1865
1 1
Item 56
Order from unknown (Thatcher?) to George W. Frost,
July 14, 1865
1 1
Item 57
Order from E. Simpson to George W. Frost,
July 15, 1865
1 1
Item 58
Order from E. Simpson to George W. Frost,
July 15, 1865
1 1
Item 59
Order from unknown (Thatcher?) to George W. Frost,
July 22, 1865
1 1
Item 60
Order from David D. porter to George W. Frost,
August 14, 1865
1 1
Item 61
Order from J. B. Hull to George W. Frost,
August 15, 1865
1 1
Item 62
Order from J. B. Hull to George W. Frost,
August 15, 1865
1 1
Item 63
Note from James W. Phisk to George W. Frost,
August 15, 1865
1 1
Item 64
Note from George Thompson to George W. Frost,
August 18, 1865
1 1
Item 65
Receipt from Rick Wood to George W. Frost,
August 18, 1865
1 1
Item 66
Letter from George W. Frost to Henry M. Wise,
August 18, 1865
1 1
Item 67
Note from Charles Bell to George W. Frost,
August 22, 1865
1 1
Item 68
Letter from A. N. Smith to George W. Frost,
October 7, 1865
1 1
Item 69
Letter from Gideon Welles to George W. Frost,
October 18, 1865
1 1
Item 70
Statement by unknown (probably G. W. Frost),
October 20, 1865
1 1
Item 71
Statement regarding ammunition in two different ships,
n. d.
Folder 2: 1881-1885
1 2
Item 1
Letter from William W. Dudley to Thaddeus C. Pound,
November 29, 1881
1 2
Item 2
Letter from unknown (acting commissioner of Dept. of
Interior, Pensions Office) to George W. Frost,
March 8, 1882
1 2
Item 3
Letter from C. B. Walker? (acting commissioner of Dept. of
Interior, Pensions Office) to George W. Frost,
July 18, 1883
1 2
Item 4
Request for Affidavits from William W. Dudley to George W.
Frost,
February 29, 1884
1 2
Item 5
Letter from unknown (commissioner of Dept. of Interior,
Pensions Office) to George W. Frost,
February 29, 1884
1 2
Item 6
Document certifying the death of George W. Frost, signed
by Mary A. Frost and Katie C. Call,
November 27, 1885
1 2
Item 7
Printed Page from a document of information for
pensioners, attributed to William W. Dudley,
n.d.
Folder 3: Order Books
1 3
Item 1
List of orders given by David D. Porter to the Flag-Ship
Malvern,
October 12-13,
1864
1 3
Item 2
Order book of the U. S. S. Fort Donelson, includes: Navy
Laws, General Orders, Officers' Duties, Officer List, Details of Operation
Regulations for Firing and Maneuvers, Fire Instructions, Watch Bill, and
Station Bill,
ca. 1864