U.S.S. Lafayette

U.S.S. Lafayette custom display with fabric swatch from undecorated white canvas flag, marked on the sleeve "La Fayette 1863 [summer cover].” 



The Lafayette was an ironclad ship, originally crewed by navy personnel under army command. It was commissioned in 1863 as part of the Mississippi River Squadron to control western waterways, Vicksburg and the Gulf. It took 17 direct hits and survived. She continued to attack Confederate forts during the Red River operation. The summer heat restricted gun crew operations leading to the development of the sun cover in 1863 to cool the gun crews - this was a novel development to optimize gun operations.


The present fabric swatch measures approximately 1" x 1" and has been affixed to an 8.5 x 11 inch custom print. Provenance: From the archive of the Flag Heritage Foundation, Lexington, MA.

JG Autographs, Inc. has been a leader in the autograph field since the mid 1990s. From the beginning, the idea was simple: sell top-quality, 100% authentic autographs and fine collectibles.

Today, nearly twenty years after the founding of JG Autographs, we continue our commitment to provide you with the finest authentic Autographs, Art & Antiquities. JG Autographs, Inc. is a leader in providing authentic autographed items and memorabilia to private collectors, dealers and galleries all over the world. Our impeccable reputation stands behind our products and company.

At JG Autographs, Inc. every autograph comes with our lifetime Letter of Authenticity (LOA / COA) stating our guarantee that, for the lifetime of the item, we stand behind the authenticity of the item. Our Letter of Authenticity takes that guarantee one step further by containing an image(s) of the exact item which the letter is accompanies. Each LOA is hand signed by our President. Collectively, these measures prevent the misuse of our LOAs and protect the integrity of our authentic autographs we sell. Autographs purchased from JG Autographs, Inc. accompanied by our LOA will maintain the respect they deserve in regard to any and all future concerns on authenticity.

JG Autographs, Inc. prides itself on selling 100% authentic autographs and memorabilia. We carry a broad range of products in hundreds of varying categories of collecting. Our category diversity includes film and television, military, models, music, notables, politics, science, space and aviation, sports and the arts. Whether you are a history buff, fan of modern film, television, art or music or enjoy collecting material from your favorite home town team or sports legends, we carry it all. Our collectibles make for fantastic additions to long standing collections, great starting points for new collectors looking for trusted authentic material, and make for a truly unique gifts for that special person in your life or corporate gift for a special client.