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Description
Earliest known contemporary image of a Coast and Geodetic Surveyvessel, the United States Coast Survey Schooner GERDES. This vessel was namedby Alexander Dallas Bache for Ferdinand Gerdes, senior assistant on the GulfCoast in the 1840's and 1850's. Gerdes was placed in command of this vessel andproduced this sketch in 1849. (Image credit: 1849)