Regulations For The Government of the United States Navy - Gideon Welles, U.S. Secretary of the Navy under President Abraham Lincoln and President Andrew Johnson - The History of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding ?Volume 2, 1836 New York, illustrated by George Cruikshank signed by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln’s Cabinet, and Regulations For The Government of the United States Navy. member Secretary of the Navy during the U.S. Civil War Gideon Welles, a book from his own personal library. Welles was one of the “Team of Rivals” Lincoln assembled in his war time cabinet. Welles was also known as “Father Neptune” and is credited with creating the Medal of Honor. From Wikipedia: “Welles' strong support of Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election made him the logical candidate from New England for Lincoln's cabinet. In March 1861, Lincoln named Welles his Secretary of the Navy. Welles found the Naval Department in disarray, with Southern officers resigning en masse. His first major action was to dispatch the Navy's most powerful warship, the USS Powhatan, to relieve Fort Sumter on Lincoln's instructions. Unfortunately, Secretary of State Seward had just ordered the Powhatan to Fort Pickens, Florida on his own authority, ruining whatever chance Major Robert Anderson had of withstanding the assault. Several weeks later, when Seward argued for a blockade of Southern ports, Welles argued vociferously against the action but was eventually overruled by Lincoln. Despite his misgivings, Welles' efforts to rebuild the Navy and implement the blockade proved extraordinarily effective. From 76 ships and 7,600 sailors in 1861, the Navy expanded almost tenfold by 1865. His implementation of the Naval portion of the Anaconda Plan strongly weakened the Confederacy's ability to finance the war by limiting the cotton trade, and while never completely effective in sealing off all 3,500 miles of Southern coastline, it was a major contribution towards Northern victory. Lincoln nicknamed Welles his "Neptune." After Lincoln's assassination, Welles was retained by President Andrew Johnson as Secretary of the Navy. In 1866, Welles, along with Seward, was instrumental in launching the National Union Party as a third party alternative supportive of Johnson's reconciliation policies. Welles also played a prominent part in Johnson's ill-fated "Swing Around the Circle" campaign that autumn. Although Welles admitted in his diary that he was dismayed by Johnson's behavior on the trip, particularly the president's penchant for invective and engaging directly with hecklers, Welles remained loyal to Johnson, and supported him during his impeachment. On April 17 and 18, 1868, Welles testified in the impeachment trial of Johnson, having been called as a witness by Johnsons defense team. His son Edgar also testified that day.”