San Francisco: Bradley & Rulofson, 1884.
Price: $6,000.00
Unbound. Albumen photographic cabinet card. Image size 4" x 5¾" on slightly larger thick card mount. Photographer's printed name, address, and advertising both on the verso, and beneath the image. Bottom corners of the mount a bit rounded, likely to fit in an album, else about fine. Healy is pictured from the chest up in his uniform. Boldly Inscribed by the subject on the verso: "Very Sincerely Yours, M.A. Healy. Feb. 26 / 84. U.S.R.C.S." Interestingly, this photo is dated the same year as Healy's *Report of the Cruise of the Revenue Marine Steamer Corwin in the Arctic Ocean in the year 1884*.
Healy was the son of an Irish immigrant father and a formerly enslaved Georgia mother. Emancipated by his father and sent North, he ran away to sea at age 15. He was brought back by his brothers only to run away again. In 1865 he joined the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of the present-day Coast Guard. He was made a junior officer and eventually commander aboard several cutters, the first African-American to be so named (although his parentage wasn't widely known until the 20th Century). His most distinguished service came while commanding the *Corwin* and the *Bear*, participating in several daring rescues, including the rescue of the Greeley Expedition, and an unusual operation where he transported more than 500 head of reindeer from Siberia to Alaska to help alleviate the starvation of the local indigenous population.
His career was stormy; at one point he was court-martialed for harsh treatment of his crew. He was, however, a talented officer and was later reactivated into service where he distinguished himself again, winning many citations for his performance. Healy was the brother of James Augustine Healy, the first African-American to be made a Bishop in the Catholic Church. The only signed photo of Healy that we've seen.
Item #604838
