An American Navy Civil War Campaign Medal To Uss Sabine, North Carolina And Virginia

Bronze, number impressed "1012" and hand engraved "E.O. LAW STEWARD" to the left and "SABINE VIRGINIA" to right of the numbering, 33 mm, original ribbon with brooch pinback, extremely fine. In its cardboard box of issue, marked "CIVIL WAR" on the lid, maker marked "THE BAILEY, BANKS AND BIDDLE CO. PHILADELPHIA" on the underside of the lid, edge wear, box very fine. Accompanied by six pages with copies of his Enlistment and Medal Issue Records.

Footnote: Edward P. Law was born in Orange, Connecticut. He enlisted with the United States Navy for one years' service as a Landsman, on August 12, 1862 in New London, Connecticut, at the age of 26, stating his occupation as that of Farmer. Landsman Law began serving aboard the training vessel, USS Sabine, a sailing frigate built by the United States Navy in 1855. The ship was among the first ships to see action in the American Civil War. USS Sabine was actively employed along the east coast searching for Confederate raiders. She participated in the relief and reinforcement of Fort Pickens, Florida, in April 1861, under command of Capt. Adams, the rescue of 500 marines and the crew of chartered troop transport Governor during a violent storm off South Carolina on November 2nd and 3rd, 1861, the search for Vermont in March 1862, after the ship-of-the-line had been badly damaged by a storm while sailing to Port Royal, South Carolina, and the hunt for CSS Alabama in October 1862 and CSS Tacony in June 1863, before returning to New York, where she assumed the role of training vessel. A little over six months later, on February 28th, Lawwas transferred to a receiving ship, the USS North Carolina, a 74-gun ship of the line in the United States Navy, that had been laid down in 1818. After twenty-one years' service, USS North Carolina returned to the New York Navy Yard in June 1839, where she served as a receiving ship, a role she would assume until 1866. Three and a half months later, on June 12th, Landsman Law was posted to the newly commissioned USS Virginia, a heavy 581-ton blockade-running steamer that had been captured by the United States Navy and put to use by the Union during the American Civil War, with Law assuming the position of Officer's Steward two days later, on June 14th. USS Virginia was attached to Rear Admiral David G. Farragut's West Gulf Blockading Squadron. After a major refit in New Orleans, Louisiana, she was deployed to the Texas coast, conducting patrol and reconnaissance missions, many of which took her up the rivers which empty into the gulf. She compiled an impressive number of captures and supported General Nathaniel Banks' successful landing at Brazos Santiago, Texas, near the mouth of the Rio Grande. Banks forced southern troops out of Brownsville, giving the Union a strong presence on the Mexican border. USS Virginia then returned to blockade duty in the San Luis Pass area and captured a number of runners, including the Mary Douglas, the Henry Cothwist, the Camilla, the Cassie Holt, the Sulphifer, the Juanita and the Experiment. Officer's Steward Edward P. Law served with USS Virginia for three months, until he was discharged from service on September 19, 1863.