Civil War US Navy officer's diary

Civil War US Navy officer's diary, of Henry ''Harry'' C. Nields, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, then Acting Masters Mate on the gunboat USS Kennebec, with entries dating from March 18th, 1863 to September 24th, 1863, entitled ''Journal of a Life on a Man of War'', and ''Respectfully dedicated to Berthier R. Coleman by her friend ... ''; along with (2) CDV portraits, one of Nields inscribed, ''The young and gallant Officer. Who so nobly rescued ten of the ill-fated Tecumseh's men.'' on verso, and one of Coleman; as well as a CDV-mounted reproduced illustration of the USS Kennebec. Together with a collection of (68) Civil War and other mid-19th century items from the belongings of Berthier ''Bertie'' R. Coleman of Orange County, New York, to include: (42) letters between Nields and Coleman, some with enclosed CDVs, comprising (31) to Coleman, (two lacking envelopes), and (11) to Nields; as well as (2) letters to Coleman from her Aunt; (5) unknown letters; and (15) empty, postally-used envelopes; along with (2) Victorian diamond and garnet rose gold rings, comprising a diamond 14k ring with round-cut diamond in a buttercup setting, marked ''14K'' inside band, approximately 0.2 carats, and a garnet and diamond 10k ring with round-cut garnet flanked by (2) rough-cut diamonds in buttercup settings, inscribed ''B.R.C.'' and stamped with a maker's mark, (both rings size 6, total approximate weight 2.8 dwt.); together with a large china head doll with glazed porcelain shoulder head, porcelain forearms, cloth body, and leather booties, (some fading and fraying to clothing, wear from age and use), and an ''Emily and Lucy'' hand-colored children's book, published by John C. Riker, New York: circa 1844-1849, inscribed ''Berthiar Coleman, 1949'' to front, (staining, toning). Doll 19''l. Provenance: To present owner by descent. Catalog note: Henry C. Nields achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1870 after earning praise from Admiral David G. Farragut for his role in rescuing survivors of the monitor USS Tecumsah when it went down during the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. The USS Nields, a WWII Benson-class destroyer, was named after him.