Scope and Content Note
The papers of Ninian Pinkney (1811-1877) span the years 1822 to 1913, with the bulk of the material concentrated in the period 1840-1870. The papers consist of a letterbook, correspondence, speeches and articles, medical papers, clippings, and miscellany.
Subjects in the collection include Pinkney's tours of naval duty, his surgical cases in Peru, his observations on the Mexican War and Civil War, efforts to obtain seniority status in the navy, plan to reorganize the United States Navy Medical Corps, and his interest in politics. Correspondents include his wife, Mary H. Pinkney, and George Bancroft, Henry Clay, Samuel Hambleton, Matthew Calbraith Perry, and Gideon Welles.
Dates
- Creation: 1822-1913
- Creation: Majority of material found within ( 1840-1870)
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Ninian Pinkney are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Ninian Pinkney is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Biographical Note
Biographical Note
- 1811, June 7
- Born, Annapolis, Md.
- 1830
- Graduated, St. John's College, Annapolis, Md.
- 1833
- Graduated, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa.
- 1834
- Appointed assistant surgeon
- Duty in USS Erie (flagship), Brazil Squadron
- 1838
- Married Mary S. Hambleton (died 1896)
- Duty at the United States Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
- 1839
- Duty in USS Brandywine (frigate), Mediterranean Sqauadron
- 1840 - 1844
- Duty in USS Relief (supply ship) and USS Shark (schooner), Pacific Squadron
- 1841
- Commissioned surgeon
- Duty at Callao, Peru
- 1844
- Duty at the Baltimore, Md., Naval Rendezvous
- 1846
- Duty in USS Albany (sloop of war), Home Squadron, Mexican War
- 1848
- Duty in USS Germantown (sloop of war), Home Squadron
- 1850
- Duty in USS Saranac (sloop of war), Home Squadron
- 1852
- Duty at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
- 1856
- Duty in USS Susquehanna (side-wheel steamer), Mediterranean Squadron
- 1858
- Duty at the U. S. Naval Hospital, Norfolk, Va.
- 1859
- Duty in USS San Jacinto (screw warship), African Squadron
- 1861
- Duty at the United States Naval Hospital, Washington, D.C.
- 1862
- Fleet surgeon, Mississippi Squadron
- 1870
- Duty at the Washington, D.C., Navy Yard
- 1871
- Appointed medical director, United States Navy
- 1873
- Retired
- 1876
- Elected vice president, American Medical Association
- 1877, Dec. 15
- Died, Easton, Md.
Extent
900 items
3 containers
1.2 linear feet
Abstract
Naval surgeon. Correspondence, speeches, articles, and notes relating mainly to Pinkney's surgical cases in Peru, his observations on the Mexican War and Civil War, his plan to reorganize the Army Medical Corps, and his interest in politics.
Arrangement of the Papers
The collection is arranged by type of material.
Catalog Record
Provenance
The papers of Ninian Pinkney, naval surgeon, were deposited in the Library of Congress by the Naval Historical Foundation in 1949. Additional material was deposited by the foundation in 1957 and the collection was converted to a gift in 1998.
Processing History
The Ninian Pinkney Papers were processed in 1969 and revised and expanded in 1984. The finding aid was revised in 2011.
Source
- Pinkney, Ninian, 1811-1877 (Creator, Person)
Subject
- Bancroft, George, 1800-1891--Correspondence. (Person)
- Clay, Henry, 1777-1852--Correspondence. (Person)
- Hambleton, Samuel, 1812-1886--Correspondence. (Person)
- Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858--Correspondence. (Person)
- Pinkney, Mary H. (Mary Hambleton),1816-1896--Correspondence. (Person)
- Pinkney, Ninian, 1811-1877. (Person)
- Welles, Gideon, 1802-1878--Correspondence. (Person)
- United States. Army. Medical Corps. (Organization)
- United States. Navy. (Organization)
- Title
- Ninian Pinkney Papers
- Subtitle
- A Finding Aid of His Papers in the Naval Historical Foundation Collection in the Library of Congress
- Author
- Prepared by Ruth S. Nicholson
- Date
- 2011
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Part of the Manuscript Division Repository
Manuscript Reading Room
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