American Historian & Diplomat; U.S. Navy Secretary – 1845-46; U.S. Minister to Great Britain – 1846-49; Governor of Massachusetts – 1844

SHUBRICK, WILLIAM BRANFORD (1790-1874) U.S. Navy Rear Admiral; Awarded a Congressional Medal for Gallant Conduct in the War of 1812

Mexican War-Date Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, Navy Department, April 27, 1846, “Geo. Bancroft,” as U.S. Navy Secretary during the presidency of James K. Polk, to “Mr. John Clapham, Gunner U.S. Navy, Paterson, N.J.” Just three days after the United States declared war with Mexico, Clapham is ordered to report to Commodore William B. Shubrick for duty at Washington, D.C. In the lower margin, Shubrick further directs Clapham, “Report to Commander D… W. Branford Shubrick, 5^th May 1846.”

A lifelong navy man, Shubrick was awarded a Congressional Medal, the antebellum precursor to the Congressional Medal of Honor, for gallant conduct during the War of 1812. As commander–in-chief of the U.S. naval force in the Pacific during the war with Mexico, he was responsible for the capture of several port cities in Mexico and southern California. In 1862, Shubrick was promoted to rear admiral on the retired list.

The sheet bears scattered foxing and light wear and staining along two horizontal folds. While the signature of Bancroft is light, Shubrick’s notation is quite distinct.

American Civil War Nurse; Founder of the American Red Cross

Barton's work in providing medicine and supplies to the wounded on the Civil War front lines earned her the sobriquet "The Angel of the Battlefield.” She went on to found the American Red Cross.

Autograph Letter Signed, 4” x 6 ¼”, undated, responding to an autograph request.

“My dear Mrs. Perkins, I regret that your very small request has been obliged to wait so long for a response, but it affords me great pleasure to be able to comply even at this late date. I write you from my summer resort at 1000 Islands, - & am, Very Sincerely, Clara Barton.”

A fine example in excellent condition.

U.S. Postmaster General - 1861-64; Brother of Francis P. Blair, Jr.; Mayor of St. Louis – 1842-43; Counsel for Dred Scott before the U.S. Supreme Court

“…I have written to Col. Fremont by this mail & via Nicaragua at considerable length…”

Autograph Letter Signed, 2 ½ pages, on a folded 8” x 10” letter-sheet. Writing to his sister from San Francisco, Blair discusses his health and laboriously explains his difficulty in writing. He further mentions business matters with John C. Fremont, the noted western explorer whom the influential and politically connected Blair family had backed in the presidential election of 1856.

“San Francisco, Aug. 16, [18]59. My dear Sister, I have nothing to write & have written to Mary sending d[ra]fts. You will hear from her every thing I have to say but still I like to say a word or so to you all at Silver Spring where so large a part of my affections dwell. I have not been quite well & am not yet as well as I would like to be. But I really think it is home sickness as much as any thing else that ails me. I have had occasional symptoms lately of a return of the Panama fever but I have stopped them & am now [?] on matters very energetically. Don’t tell momma a word of this for the sound would for she…go mad about it. I wrote home because you would expect longer & fuller letters than I can write. I have written her tho at my usual length tho I found it hard work to find matter to fill my sheets to her…I am now in no mood to dwell here or on things here in any letters I want to get away. But I start [?] I get every thing fixed so I can leave [?] in good condition. Write me therefore just as if I were a fixture – tho the thought of such a prospect would slay me outright.

I have written to Col. Fremont by this mail & via Nicaragua at considerable length & about some matters of importance to him. You say that since writing I have had a conversation with J[?] who tells me he has a power of atty. & promised to bring it here to my office yesterday. But he did not. I seldom see him & don’t know where to hunt him. I suppose he will turn up in a few days again & if his [?] are sufficient. I will get him to act on them & get a contract with Palmer to set aside proceedings in case not approved by Fremont.

Our promising uncle James D. Blair has put around here from the Sandwich Islands whence he hails now. I have not seen him & shall not seek him. It is just as well to keep at a respectful distance from such fellows especially when they [word omitted] of him to you. Y[ou]rs Aff[ectionatel]y, M. Blair.

Ned [?] & his wife & the cooks [are] better than I have seen her in years very much improved & she has got that if nothing else by coming here. She sends love to you & mother.”

Overall condition is very good, with the usual folds and a few small stains.

American Author, Editor & Social Reformer

A prominent longtime New York City social reformer and author, Chaplain William Oland Bourne published The Soldier’s Friend, a monthly newspaper to help Civil War veterans, particularly those who had lost limbs. The publication sponsored contests in left-handed penmanship, offering monetary prizes to those who submitted the best specimens.

Autograph Quotation Signed, 5” x 7 ¼”, a handwritten verse for one “R.G. Bulkeley.”

“In all Life’s lessons learn That true men through there trials persevere! Winters but come, with all their storms severe, To hasten Spring’s return. N.Y. Free Academy, Oct. 17, 1854. Wm. Oland Bourne.”

The letter-sheet bears light toning, along with the usual folds and several light creases.

Union Major General - Ohio

Buell was instrumental in the Federal victories at Ft. Donelson and Shiloh, where his arrival late in the first day saved Grant from the Confederate attack. He was replaced by Rosecrans due to his hesitance in the pursuit of Bragg after the October 1862 battle of Perryville.

Signature, “D.C. Buell, Airdrie, Dec[ember] 28, 1886,” on a 2 ¼” x 4” slip of paper.

Lightly and evenly toned, with mounting remnants on the reverse.

As Lincoln’s Treasury Secretary, Chase was instrumental in the efforts to finance the war and was responsible for the issue and acceptance of paper money as legal tender. Continued rivalry and strife with Lincoln precipitated his appointment to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of Roger B. Taney in 1864.

Ordering Copies of His Senate Speech Against the Fugitive Slave Act

Autograph Letter Signed, 4 ½” x 5”, as a first-term U.S. Senator from Ohio, requesting additional copies of his speech, probably Chase’s impassioned oration opposing the Fugitive Slave Act, a provision in the Compromise of 1850 which required northern citizens to assist in the return of suspected runaway slaves to the South, delivered before the U.S. Senate on March 26 – 27, 1850.

“Wash[ingto]n, May 6, [18]50. Dear Sir, Please send me 20 more copies of my speech, in packages of 5 each, as the enclosed $1 will pay for. Y[ou]rs, S.P. Chase.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with several horizontal folds and minor paper loss at the corners.

Union Brigadier General - Pennsylvania

Crawford's Civil War service began at Forts Moultrie and Sumter during the war’s opening engagement in 1861. He saw further action at Cedar Mountain, Gettysburg, and in the 1864 Overland Campaign.

Document Signed, 11” X 31”, Huntsville, Alabama, June 30, 1869, “S.W. Crawford, Colonel 2^nd Inf[antry] Bvt. Maj. Gen U.S.A.,” in violet ink on a partly printed muster roll, approving the pay of 2^nd Infantry Privates Charles Dilworth and Joseph Snyder for the period from April 30 through June 30, 1869.

The document is lightly toned, with weakness and minor loss of paper along the usual folds. Only a center one-fourth is illustrated; images of the remainder will be provided upon request.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice – 1862-77 – Appointed by Abraham Lincoln; U.S. Senator – Illinois – 1877-83

Letter Signed, in violet ink on 5” x 5 ¾” stationery, imprinted “Vice-President’s Chamber, Washington,” to a recipient identified only as “Mr. French.” While serving as President of the U.S. Senate, a position he held from 1881-83, Davis recommends a man for a postal department appointment in Indianapolis.

“March 23, 1882. Dear Sir: Mr. W.L. Rutledge, who has had from merit two promotions in the postal service, would be gratified to fill a vacancy, caused, or to be caused, by the retirement of Mr. Palmer at Indianapolis. He has proved his fitness signally, and under the rules which recognize capacity, fidelity and integrity, he certainly deserves this new mark of confidence. Very Respectfully, David Davis.”

The letter-sheet is lightly and evenly toned, with a horizontal fold at the center and a few superficial stains.

Union Brevet Brigadier General; Assistant U.S. Secretary of War – 1866-67; President of Western Union – 1892-1902

Eckert served on the staff of George McClellan as head of the Army of the Potomac telegraph operations during the Peninsula campaign. Later transferred to the War Department telegraph office, he became close to President Lincoln as the two spent hours together awaiting news from the front. Lincoln invited Eckert to accompany him to Ford’s Theater on the night of the assassination, but Stanton prevented his going, claiming that Eckert had too much work to do. After the war, Eckert served briefly as assistant secretary of war and later became president of the Western Union Telegraph Company.

Signature, “Thos. T. Eckert,” on a 1 ¼” x 3” slip of lined paper, affixed to heavier stock.

Union Major General – Maryland

An 1837 West Point graduate, French commanded in the 2^nd Corps, Army of the Potomac, on the Peninsula and at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville.

Signed Card, 2 ½” x 4”, with rank, “Wm. H. French, M[ajor] G[eneral] V[olunteers].”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few superficial stains.

Twentieth U.S. President – 1881; Union Major General - Ohio

Letter Signed, 5” x 8”, four pages on a folded letter-sheet. Writing to a concerned constituent as chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Garfield provides information relating to government funding for the Ashtabula, Ohio harbor.

“Washington, D.C., February 2, [18]74. H. Hubbard, Esq., Ashtabula, Ohio. My Dear Sir: Yours of the 31^st inst[ant] came duly to hand this morning. You are laboring under a mistake in supposing that the Com[mite]e on Appropriations has cut down the estimates for Ashtabula Harbor. In fact the subject of Rivers and Harbors has not been before the Com[mite]e at all. The Com[mite]e on Commerce of which Hon. William A Wheeler of N.Y. is Chairman, has charge of that bill. That Committee makes up the bill and reports it to the House, it is then usually referred to the Com[mite]e on Appropriations. What has been done thus far is this: The estimates submitted on the 1^st day of the Session, by the Treasury recommended $50,000 for Ashtabula Harbor. On the reassembling of Congress after the Holiday vacation, the President sent a message enclosing revised estimates made by the different departments. In that revision the estimate for Ashtabula Harbor was cut down to $15,000. Why this was done I do not know nor did I know that it was done at all up to the time I wrote you last. I shall do what I can to secure a good appropriation for Ashtabula Harbor, but in view of the deficit in the Treasury, there is a very strong desire on the part of Congress to cut down the appropriations as much as possible and it will be very difficult to get the amount raised above what is requested in the list of estimates sent in by the Engineers Dep[artmen]t. I hope you will let our friends understand just the situation of the case. I should be very sorry to have them suppose that my committee had cut down these estimates. With kindest regards I am Very Truly Yours, J.A. Garfield.”

There is light, even toning, with a few stains and the expected folds, and the first page of the letter is lightly soiled. The letter-sheet is illustrated unfolded, with pages one and two on adjacent leaves, as are the third and final pages of the letter.

Twentieth U.S. President – 1881; Union Major General - Ohio

Signed Photograph, 2 ¼” x 4”, “J.A. Garfield, Ohio,” a Brady carte-de-visite.

There is light soiling and wear, and the upper corners of the card have been trimmed diagonally. The ornate back-mark has been marred by past mounting.

Union Major General – Pennsylvania

Gibbon served with distinction in the Army of the Potomac and was twice wounded - while leading the “Iron Brigade” at Second Manassas and again at Gettysburg. At Appomattox, Gibbon was one of the commissioners designated to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. After the war he served as colonel of the 7^th U.S. Infantry and earned legendary fame as an Indian fighter, rescuing the survivors of Custer’s command at Little Big Horn.

“I would like a place that will inconvenience the Indians as little as possible.”

Typed Letter Signed, 8” x 10 ½”, on imprinted Headquarters Department of the Columbia stationery. As commander of the department, Gibbon makes inquiry to the U.S. Indian Agent at Fort Simcoe, regarding the possibility of conducting military exercises on the Yakima Reservation.

“Vancouver Barracks, W.T., July 12^th 1889. The U.S. Indian Agent, Yakima Indian Agency, Fort Simcoe, Oregon. Sir: - I am looking for a favorable location to have some exercises for the troops in this Department this fall, and desire to know if there is any objection to having a camp in some unsettled portion of the Yakima Reservation. If there is no objection, I will be obliged to you if you will designate some suitable locality. Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, John Gibbon, Brigadier-General, Commanding. P.S. I would like a place that will inconvenience the Indians as little as possible.”

On the reverse is an unsigned pencil notation, undoubtedly by, or on behalf of, the Indian Agent at the reservation.

“No objection to this as far as I am concerned – do not think Indians care – desirable location occupied by Indians. There are fairly good places where exercises could be – county dry & dusty – no rain for 6 mo[nth]s. If you conclude to come will do what I can to indicate best available location owing to extreme drou[g]th this summer, grass and forage is very scarce.”

There are several light folds and creases, along with a few stains.

Union Major General – Pennsylvania

Gibbon served with distinction in the Army of the Potomac and was twice wounded - while leading the “Iron Brigade” at Second Manassas and again at Gettysburg. At Appomattox, Gibbon was one of the commissioners designated to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. After the war he served as colonel of the 7^th U.S. Infantry and earned legendary fame as an Indian fighter, rescuing the survivors of Custer’s command at Little Big Horn.

Signature, with date and rank, “John Gibbon, Maj. Genl. Vol[unteers], 24^th Corps. Jan[uar]y 15^th 1866,” on a 3” x 4 ¾” portion of an album page.

18^th U.S. President - 1869-77; Union Lieutenant General

Autograph Letter Signed, 1 ½ pages, on front and reverse of a 5” x 7 ½” sheet.

The letter can undoubtedly be dated to the presidency of Grant, as he is writing to the widow of U.S. Secretary of War John A. Rawlins regarding her property and financial affairs, in light of her move from Washington after her husband’s death. A longtime friend, Rawlins served as trusted aide and advisor to Grant during the Civil War and as Secretary of War from the beginning of Grant’s presidency until his untimely death from tuberculosis on September 6, 1869. After Rawlins death, Grant was named trustee of the benevolent fund established for the family and served as executor for the Rawlins children.

“My Dear Mrs. Rawlins, Enclosed I return deed of property to be recorded, and checks for amount stipulated as first payment in it. I have ordered your furnature [sic] from Washington and when I go there will send to you all accumulated interest. I think you may be able to pay five hundred of the outstanding debt now. Hoping you will be very happy in your new home, I remain, Very Truly Yours, U.S. Grant.”

The sheet bears general soiling and wear, scattered stains, and old tape repairs to several of the usual folds. There is minor brushing of ink to portions of Grant’s signature.

18^th U.S. President - 1869-77; Union Lieutenant General

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 8 ¼”, Washington, D.C., February 11, 1868, “U.S. Grant,” a partly printed check drawn on Jay Cooke & Co. Bankers, also accomplished by Grant, payable to Wesley Chappel for twenty dollars.

There are three punch and cross-cut cancellations, none affecting the signature, along with superficial paper loss in the upper left corner.

U.S. Vice President - 1861-65; Governor & Senator - Maine

Signature, as U.S. Senator, on a 6” x 8 ¼” sheet, for a fellow resident of Maine.

“S.S.Brooks, Augusta, Maine. From H. Hamlin, Washington, D.C., 1858.”

The overall condition is excellent, with a few small stains and light creases.

Personal Secretary of Abraham Lincoln; U.S. Secretary of State - 1898-1905 – McKinley & Roosevelt Administrations

Hay became a friend of Lincoln while studying law in Springfield, Illinois and accompanied him to Washington to become one of his personal secretaries. After the war, Hay and Nicolay wrote their biography of Lincoln, and Hay served as Secretary of State under McKinley and Roosevelt from 1898 through 1905.

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, on the first and third leaves of a 5 ¼” x 8” letter-sheet. Addressing former Union General Frederick Tracy Dent, brother-in-law and secretary of President Ulysses S. Grant, Hay seeks the help of the President in securing his brother’s advancement in the military.

“New York, August 31 [no year]. My Dear General Dent, Enclosed you will find the note to the President which you suggested I should write. My brother Lieutenant Leonard Hay is Adjutant of the 9^th Infantry. He likes the service and desires to remain in it. I know him to be a very efficient and valuable officer and if you can do anything to promote his wishes, I am sure it will be to the advantage of the service, and will lay me under great personal obligations. I am very faithfully yours, John Hay. P.S. My address will be for the present ‘Republican Office, Chicago’ where I am always at your disposition.”

Beneath Hay’s closing and signature, General Dent has written and initialed a biographical notation of Hay, in pencil, “Private Sec[retary] of President Lincoln and author of Jim Beldsoe & little breeches. F.T.D.”

The letter-sheet bears the usual light toning, and there is weakness and clean separation, with no loss of paper, at the edges of two horizontal folds. The text of the letter is unaffected by a three-quarter inch area of paper loss in the upper margin of the second page.

Nineteenth U.S. President - 1877-81; Union Brigadier General - Ohio

Full Signature, “Rutherford B. Hayes,” on a 5 ¼” x 8 ½” sheet of stationery, imprinted “Leon Rheims, Importer. 5, 7, 9, Union Square. New-York…” at the upper left. Hayes has made the unexplained notation, “Gettysburg,” above his signature, perhaps responding to a Civil War related question from the unnamed recipient.

A horizontal tear at the center has been repaired on the reverse, and there are several light creases.

Union Major General; Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for the Civil War Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia

Howard led at First Manassas, lost his arm at Seven Pines, and is a Medal of Honor recipient. He became the first commissioner of the Freedmen’s Bureau after the war.

Autograph Letter Signed, on imprinted 7 ¾” x 9 ¾” stationery as Freedmen’s Bureau Commissioner. Writing from Mobile, Alabama shortly after the conclusion of the Civil War and the establishment of the bureau, Howard directs the assistant quartermaster regarding allowances for officers.

"Mobile, Nov. 25, 1865.  Capt. Boyd, A.Q.M.  Dear Sir, The Quartermaster General did not intend to cut off officers of my dept. of the service from the ordinary allowances of transportation, fuel, quarters, stationery, offices & c. that they are entitled to by the regulations.  Any transportation, as harness, mules, wagons & c. can be kept in repair, provided they are in the hands of a quartermaster who accounts for them in the usual way.  Extraordinary issues will require special approval of the Quartermaster General. Respectfully, O.O. Howard, Maj. Gen., Commissioner."

The sheet is lightly toned and soiled, with the usual folds.

Union Major General

Howard led at First Manassas, lost his arm at Seven Pines, and is a Medal of Honor recipient. He became the first commissioner of the Freedmen’s Bureau after the war.

Autograph Endorsement Signed, quite possibly war-date, “app[rove]d, O.O. Howard, Maj. Gen.,” on a 2” x 3 ½” slip of paper, removed from a larger letter or document.

There are several folds and light creases, along with two pinholes in the upper margin and bleeding of ink to a few letters.

Seventeenth U.S. President - 1865-69

Signed Album Page, 6 ¼” x 8”, “Andrew Johnson, Greeneville, Tenn[essee],” beneath the signatures of former U.S. Secretary of War John Bell, the candidate of the Constitutional Union Party in the 1860 presidential election, and former Tennessee Governor James C. Jones. The signatures can surely be dated to the 1847 to 1859 period, during which all three men served as U.S. Senators from Tennessee.

The outer margins bear somewhat heavier toning, and there are several binding holes along the left edge.

Sixteenth U.S. President - 1861-65

A Request for a Lieutenant’s Promotion – Just Two Months Before He was Mortally Wounded at Cedar Creek

“The above, written by a very good man, is submitted to the Secretary of War. A. Lincoln.”

Noted as a resident of Allentown, Pennsylvania in the accompanying National Archives records, Mr. Baldwin was undoubtedly a caller at the Executive Mansion, and was directed to write his request, hoping that President Lincoln would approve and advance it through the proper channels. His letter, accomplished in pencil, in full:

“Aug. 12^th 1864. To His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, President of the U.S. I desire the transfer or promotion of my brother, Lt. Henry M. Baldwin, Battery M, 5^th Reg[imen]t U.S. Artillery, to any vacancy in the Regt. which you may decide it possible to place him, consistent with the good of the service. Very Resp[ectfull]y, F.H. Baldwin.”

There is no record of Lieutenant Baldwin’s promotion or transfer before he was severely wounded through the chest and left arm on October 19, 1864 – just two months later - at the Battle of Cedar Creek. He died on November 8, 1864 at Sheridan Hospital, near Winchester, Virginia.

The letter is in excellent condition, with creases from two vertical folds.                                                                                      

Sixteenth U.S. President - 1861-65

Civil War-Date Document Signed, 11" x 18", as President during the final two months of his life, Washington, D.C., February 14, 1865, “Abraham Lincoln,” a partly printed appointment for “…Ayres Stockley…Deputy Postmaster at Rockland, in the State of Michigan.” Countersigned by the Secretary of State, “William H. Seward.”

Born in Philadelphia in 1824, Ayres Stockley settled in Michigan in the 1850’s. He died at Calumet on May 27, 1911 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Ontonagon, Michigan.

There is staining in the center, and slight bleeding of ink in Lincoln’s signature; clean separation and superficial paper loss along and at the intersections of the usual folds.

Sixteenth U.S. President - 1861-65

Civil War-Date Document Signed, 15” x 19”, as President, Washington, July 29, 1861, “Abraham Lincoln,” a partly printed appointment for “…Stephen Brooks…Surveyor of the Customs for the District of Middletown in the State of Connecticut.” Countersigned by the Secretary of the Treasury, “S.P. Chase.”

The document is in excellent overall condition, with light age toning and several minor paper breaks at the intersections of the usual folds. Both signatures are distinct and free from flaw in every respect.

Sixteenth U.S. President - 1861-65

Civil War-Date Franked Envelope, 3” x 5 ¼”, as President, “A. Lincoln.” The envelope is also addressed by Lincoln, to “Rev[erend] Z.P. Wilds, 120 Prince Street, New York,” and has a June 21, 1862, Washington postmark.

The previous day, Lincoln met with a six-member delegation of Progressive Friends, composed of Thomas Garrett, Alice Eliza Hambleton, Oliver Johnson, Dinah Mendenhall, William Barnard, and Eliza Agnew. The group presented the President with a memorial, urging him to decree the emancipation of the slaves, the position adopted at the Friends’ annual meeting. It is quite worthy of note that Lincoln wrote Reverend Wilds, well known as a longtime missionary to the poor of New York City, the day following his meeting with this group of prominent leaders in the Abolition and Underground Railroad movements.

Set into an attractive, inlaid pedestal frame, the envelope bears general soiling and wear, along with minor paper loss along the right edge and above the somewhat smudged postmark.

Union Brigadier General - New Hampshire; U.S. Congressman – New Hampshire – 1859-63 & 1865-67; U.S. Senator – New Hampshire - 1889

Marston recruited and led the 2^nd New Hampshire at First Bull Run, the Peninsula, and Fredericksburg. After Gettysburg, he was assigned to establish the prison camp at Point Lookout and returned to the Army of the Potomac for the disastrous Union assault at Cold Harbor.

War-Date Franked Envelope, 3” x 5 ¼”, as U.S. Congressman from New Hampshire, “G. Marston, M[ember] C[ongress],” addressed in another hand to, “Mr. F.S.E. Richardson, Old Point Comfort, Va.,” with the pencil notation, “Rec[eive]d, 14 July 1862. ans[were]d,” presumably in the hand of the recipient.

Light soiling and wear.

Union Major General - Ohio

A West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran, McDowell led the Federal Army in its disastrous defeat at First Manassas, the first major land battle of the Civil War. He led a corps under John Pope at Second Manassas the next year, with a similar outcome. Subsequently transferred, McDowell commanded the Department of the Pacific and several other posts both during and after the war.

Signed Card, 2 ¼” x 4”, with date and rank, “Irwin McDowell, Major General. May 24, 1883.”

There is an irregularly toned area in the upper left corner, along with several superficial stains and mounting remnants on the reverse.

Union Brevet Brigadier General

Ordering General Heintzelman's Artillery Assault on Yorktown, Virginia during the Battle of Lee's Mill

War-Date Autograph Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, to Union General Charles Smith Hamilton, early in the Peninsula campaign. As chief-of-staff, McKeever conveys an order from Third Corps Commander Samuel Heintzelman for an artillery assault on the Confederate defenses near Yorktown, Virginia. It was the hope of Army of the Potomac Commander George B. McClellan that the barrage would fix the Confederate left at Yorktown so Federal forces farther south could overwhelm the Confederate defenders under General John B. Magruder at Lee’s Mill, on the Warwick River.

“Head Quarters 3^rd Corps, April 16^th 1862. Brig. Genl. Hamilton, Com[man]d[in]g Division. General, The Brig. Genl. Commanding directs that you open a fire of Artillery upon the enemy, whenever you can do so with any result. Very Respectfully, Chauncey McKeever, Ass[istan]t Adj[utan]t General.”

Exhibiting the timidity which would mark his war-time field command, McClellan failed to adequately reinforce the Lee’s Mill assault, instead resolving to take Yorktown by siege. After delaying McClellan at Yorktown for another three weeks, the Confederates withdrew to Williamsburg, then Richmond, setting the stage for the battles of the Seven Days.

Overall condition is excellent, with minor soiling and wear along the usual folds on the reverse.

Owner of “McPherson’s Farm” – Where the Battle of Gettysburg Began; U.S. Congressman – Pennsylvania – 1859-63

The owner and editor of several Pennsylvania newspapers, both before and after the Civil War, McPherson served in the U.S. Congress from 1859 to 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg was begun when dismounted cavalry under Union General John Buford first confronted the Confederates on the farm he owned, just northwest of the town, on July 1, 1863. From then until his death in 1895, McPherson served several terms as clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and returned to run a newspaper in Gettysburg for the last fifteen years of his life.

Autograph Letter Signed, on imprinted 5” x 8” stationery as Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, directing a change in his Washington, D.C. address.

“Washington, D.C., July 11, 1882. My dear Major, If in time please change my City address to No. 1701 Massachusetts Av[enue] N.W. Edwd. McPherson.”

Light, even toning and a few small stains detract very little from very good overall condition.

Owner of “McPherson’s Farm” – Where the Battle of Gettysburg Began; U.S. Congressman – Pennsylvania – 1859-63

The owner and editor of several Pennsylvania newspapers, both before and after the Civil War, McPherson served in the U.S. Congress from 1859 to 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg was begun when dismounted cavalry under Union General John Buford first confronted the Confederates on the farm he owned, just northwest of the town, on July 1, 1863. From then until his death in 1895, McPherson served several terms as clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and returned to run a newspaper in Gettysburg for the last fifteen years of his life.

Signature, with closing and title in another hand, “Yours, Edwd. McPherson, Sec[retar]y,” on a 2” x 3 ½” slip of paper, removed from a letter.

The paper is lightly and evenly toned, with a vertical fold at left, and there is minor brushing of ink in McPherson’s signature.

Union Major General – Pennsylvania


WARREN, GOUVERNEUR K. (1830-82) Union Major General
WADSWORTH, JAMES S. (1807-64) Union Major General
RICE, JAMES C. (1829-64) Union Brigadier General
CASEY, SILAS (1807-82) Union Major General
VINCENT, THOMAS M. (1832-1909) Union Brevet Brigadier General

Signed by Six Union Generals – Two were Soon Killed-in-Action – a Request for Transfer to the Brooklyn Zouaves

War-Date Endorsements, a very desirable series of signatures on the reverse of a March 29, 1864 letter, 8” x 10”, from Brooklyn Zouave Lieutenant Colonel Robert B. Jordan. Just a month before the beginning of Grant’s Overland campaign, Lieutenant Colonel Jordan requests that Lieutenant Hampden Waldron, at the time serving on the staff of General Silas Casey, be assigned to active duty with the unit.

“Head Qu[arte]rs 2^nd Brigade, March 30^th 1864. Respectfully forwarded approved, if the best interest of the service will be promoted by the transfer. J.C. Rice, Brig. Genl. Com[man]d[in]g.” “Head Quarters 4^th Div[ision], March 30, 1864. Res[pectfull]y for[warde]d, app[rove]d. Jas. S. Wadsworth, Brig. Genl. Com[mandin]g.” “War Dept. A[djutant] G[eneral] O[ffice]. Respectfully referred to Maj. General Casey for report. By Command, Thomas M. Vincent, Ass[istan]t Adj[utan]t. General.” “Head Quarters 5^th Corps, April 5^th 1864. Respectfully forwarded Approved, if Genl. Casey can spare him. G.K. Warren, Major General Com[man]d[in]g.” “Head Quarters, Army of the Potomac, April 5^th 1864. Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant General. If the services of this officer on the staff of Major General Casey can be dispensed with, it would seem that his presence with his company is necessary. Geo. G. Meade, Major General Com[man]d[in]g.”

On a second sheet, attached to the lower left corner of the letter, General Casey subsequently denies the transfer, despite the approval of his superiors, and Adjutant General Vincent returns the request to Army of the Potomac headquarters.

“H[ea]dqu[arter]s Prov[isional] Brigades, Washington, April 13/64.  Respectfully returned to the A[djutant] G[eneral’s] O[ffice]. The services of Lieut. Waldron are very necessary to me. Silas Casey, Maj. Gen.” “War Department, A[djutant] G[eneral’s] Office, April 14^th/[18]64. Respectfully returned to Maj. General Meade. Lieut. Waldron is the only officer of his rank on duty with Genl. Casey, and will not at present be relieved. By Command Thomas M. Vincent, Ass[istan]t Adj[utan]t General.”

General Casey’s disapproval of the transfer, returning Waldron to duty on his staff, could well have saved the young man’s life. The Brooklyn Zouaves soon saw some of the hardest fighting of the war, losing 123 of their number in the battle of Spotsylvania, May 8-10, 1864. Two of this document’s signers wouldn’t be so fortunate: at the battle of the Wilderness on May 6, Major General James S. Wadsworth was mortally wounded while leading a division in the 5^th Corps, and Brigadier General James C. Rice died shortly after the amputation of his leg due to a severe wound received at Spotsylvania on May 10.

Both sheets bear light toning, a few scattered stains, and the usual folds, along which there is somewhat heavier soiling and wear.

Union Navy Captain; U.S. Navy Rear Admiral

As stated in Navy Department records, Middleton, a lifelong navy man, most notably “served as executive officer on board of the U.S.S. Decatur in operating against a combination of hostile Indians of the various tribes of Washington and Oregon territories during the war of the winter of 1855-56, particularly on the occasion of the attack upon Seattle, Washington Territory, on January 26, 1856.”

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 8 ¼”, United States Navy Yard, New York, June 1, 1857, “Edward Middleton,” a partly printed receipt for Middleton’s pay of $150.14.

Private Secretary of Abraham Lincoln

A prominent Illinois newspaper editor, Nicolay served as Lincoln’s private secretary from 1860 through the end of the Civil War. After the war, he served as U.S. consul in Paris and marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1890, he and John Hay published their ten-volume biography of Lincoln.

“…In the revision of our book, the suggestions you make will naturally come under consideration…”

Letter Signed, on the imprinted 5” x 8” stationery of the U.S. Supreme Court. During his tenure as marshal of the court, Nicolay thanks “S.P. Leeds, Esq., Hanover, N.H.” for information relating to the official biography of Abraham Lincoln, at the time a work in progress being co-authored with fellow Lincoln secretary John Hay. Released serially in Century Magazine from 1886 to 1890, Abraham Lincoln: A History was first published in book form in 1890.

“Deerfield, Mass., July 10^th 1887. My dear Sir: Accept our thanks for your kind letter of the 5^th, the answer to which has been delayed by my summer vacation trip. In the revision for our book, the suggestions you make will naturally come under consideration. We are of course gratified by the generous commendations you are pleased to bestow on our work. Yours truly, Jno. G. Nicolay.”

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds, and there is minor brushing of ink at the conclusion of Nicolay’s signature.

Private Secretary of Abraham Lincoln

A prominent Illinois newspaper editor, Nicolay served as Lincoln’s private secretary from 1860 through the end of the Civil War. After the war, he served as U.S. consul in Paris and marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1890, he and John Hay published their ten-volume biography of Lincoln.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed, on imprinted 5” x 8” Executive Mansion stationery as private secretary to President Lincoln. On Christmas Eve of the war’s last full year, Nicolay writes to “H.A. Risley, Esq.,” at the time a Special U.S. Treasury Agent in Norfolk, Virginia,regarding his help with an unspecified matter.

“Washington, Dec. 24, 1864. My dear Mr. Risley, Much obliged. There is no immediate hurry. A few days hence will do as well. Yours truly, Jno. G. Nicolay.”

In July 1864, President Lincoln signed an Act of Congress authorizing the government’s purchase of products, mostly cotton, from persons deemed to be loyal U.S. citizens in Union-controlled areas of the South. The law was intended to further deprive the Confederacy of anything which could be sold for hard currency, to shore up the U.S. Treasury’s war-depleted gold reserves, and to ensure the continued neutrality of England and France by maintaining a supply of southern cotton on the market.

A lifelong friend of U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward, Hanson A. Risley was appointed Supervising Treasury Agent later in the year, assigned to oversee the purchase, safe transport, and delivery of the southern products in Norfolk and New York. During the ensuing months, Lincoln communicated with Risley regularly about the granting of cotton-trading permits, most given dubiously to friends of either Lincoln or New York political boss Thurlow Weed. This short, mysterious letter is undoubtedly one such correspondence.

Condition is nearly pristine, with two light horizontal folds.

Private Secretary of Abraham Lincoln

A prominent Illinois newspaper editor, Nicolay served as Lincoln’s private secretary from 1860 through the end of the Civil War. After the war, he served as U.S. consul in Paris and marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1890, he and John Hay published their ten-volume biography of Lincoln.

Document Signed, 10” x 16”, as Marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court, “Jno. G. Nicolay, Marshal,” a manuscript statement of disbursements of the court for the first quarter of 1879, amounting to $11,321.40.

The document is in excellent condition, with tiny pinholes at the center intersections of the usual folds.

Private Secretary of Abraham Lincoln

A prominent Illinois newspaper editor, Nicolay served as Lincoln’s private secretary from 1860 through the end of the Civil War. After the war, he served as U.S. consul in Paris and marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1890, he and John Hay published their ten-volume biography of Lincoln.

Signature, probably a free-frank, “…the President of the United States, Jno. G. Nicolay, Priv. Sec.,” on an imprinted 1 ¼” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, as private secretary to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.

The left corners have been clipped diagonally.

Union Major General – Illinois; Governor of Illinois – 1864-69, 1873, 1885-89; Republican U.S. Senator – Illinois – 1873-79

Oglesby led the 8^th Illinois Infantry at Forts Henry and Donelson, was severely wounded at Corinth, and commanded a division in the 16^th Corps, before resigning for a successful Illinois gubernatorial bid.

Signed Card, 2 ¼” x 3 ¼”, “R.J. Oglesby, Nov[ember] 1^st 1886,” as Governor of Illinois; accompanied by the transmittal envelope, postmarked November 17, 1886, Springfield, Illinois.

Union Brigadier General – Indiana

ARNOLD, ABRAHAM KERNS (1837-1901) Union Captain – 5^th U.S. Cavalry; Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Gallantry at the Davenport Bridge, North Anna River, Virginia, 18 May, 1864

A West Point graduate, Pitcher was brevetted for gallantry in the Mexican War battles of Contreras and Churubusco. He was stationed in Texas when the Civil War broke out, and his only active field service was at Cedar Mountain, where he received a severe knee wound which rendered him unfit for further field service. After the war, Pitcher was superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, 1866-70.

Document Signed, 7 ¾” x 9 ½”, partly printed, vellum, West Point, New York, November 13, 1868, "T.G. Pitcher, Bvt. B[rigadier] G[eneral] U.S.A., " as Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, discharging “…John Hall, a Private of the U.S. Military Academy Detachment of Cavalry…in consequence of Expiration of term of Service.”

The lower portion of the document, designated for comment on the recipient’s character, has been noted and signed, “Good. A.K. Arnold, Capt. 5^th Cavalry, Bvt. Major U.S. Army, Commanding Cavalry Detachment.” A recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for “conspicuous gallantry in a charge on the enemy in action at the Davenport Bridge, North Anna River, Virginia, 18 May, 1864,” Arnold led numerous expeditions against the western Indians over the next twenty years. He was appointed brigadier general on May 4, 1898, seeing active field service in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

The document bears general soiling and wear, and there is a small hole along one of the usual folds. While the signature of Pitcher is somewhat light, that of Arnold is bold and distinct.

Union Commodore

A lifelong navy man, born in New Orleans, Porter commanded Union naval forces at Ft. Henry, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Baton Rouge. He held no active command after promotion to commodore and died on May 1, 1864.

War-Date Signature, with sentiment and the rank Porter held from July 15, 1862 until his death during the Civil War, “Yours Respectfully, W.D. Porter, Commodore, U.S. N[avy],” on a 1 ¾” x 3 ¼” slip of paper.

Lightly and evenly toned, with old mounting traces on the reverse.

First Territorial Governor of Minnesota – 1849-53; Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota – 1855-56; Civil War Governor of Minnesota – 1860-63; U.S. Congressman – Pennsylvania – 1843-47 & Senator - Minnesota – 1863-75; U.S. Secretary of War – 1879-81

Support from the Minnesota Territory Whigs for the New Administration of Millard Fillmore

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, front and reverse of an 8” x 10” sheet, as territorial governor of Minnesota, to newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster. In the month following the death of President Zachary Taylor, Ramsey expresses the support of the Whigs in the territory for the new administration of Millard Fillmore, further detailing the Whig Party’s domination of territorial politics over the opposition Democratic Party. Interesting in this context is Ramsey’s usage in conveying that the Whigs “have prevented the success of democracy.”

“St. Paul, Min[nesota] Ter[ritory], August 25, 1850. Hon, D. Webster. Dear Sir, I simply write to say how happy the whole body of the Whigs of Minnesota are in seeing you at the head of the New administration. They feel an assurance in your possession of the reins of gove[rnme]nt all will be well. In this remote Territory the Whigs are not few, so far by prudent measures they have prevented the success of the democracy & have fortunately elected their friends to all the local offices with the gift of the people that are of any account. At this time we are in the midst of the Canvass for the election of delegates. There are however no party candidates before the people for that office – that is they all claim to run without reference to party. This I believe is the first of our Territories in which the democrats as such have been kept out of power. We think we have some cause of pride in this state of things. Ardently attached to the administration, I should be pleased at any time, to learn of any manner in which I could serve it. Very respectfully Your ob[edien]t s[er]v[an]t, Alex. Ramsey.”

The sheet bears general soiling and wear, a few superficial edge chips, and smearing of ink to a few letters.

Union Brigadier General – Illinois; U.S. Secretary of War – 1869 – Ulysses S. Grant Administration

Rawlins became Grant’s aide early in the war, and remained as his friend and trusted adviser throughout the war. When Grant assumed the presidency, Rawlins was appointed Secretary of War. He died of tuberculosis in 1869.

Special Order #139 - General Grant Banishes Prostitutes from the District of West Tennessee

Civil War-Date Document Signed, 7 ¾” x 10”, a manuscript special order, signed by Rawlins as assistant adjutant general on behalf of Major General Ulysses S. Grant. The order explicitly bans the travel of unauthorized women from northern rail points to the army’s encampments, along with their presence in camp.

“Head Quarters District of West Tennessee, Corinth, Miss[issippi], July 20^th 1862. Special Order No. 139. No females will be allowed to leave Columbus, Kentucky, or any intermediate railway Station by Railroad, to join any part of the Army of this District without a special written permit from Department Head Quarters or these Head Quarters. All females from abroad remaining within Camp lines shall be arrested and sent out of the District. Division, Brigade, Post, Regimental and Company Commanders will see to the faithful execution of this order throughout their respective Commands. By Command of Maj. Gen. U.S. Grant. “Jno. A. Rawlins,” Ass[istan]t Adjut[ant] Genl.”

As early-war Federal offensives made inroads into Confederate territory, both east and west, the occupying Union Army was inevitably followed southward by another, consisting of ne’er-do-wells, profiteers, and opportunists of all types - including prostitutes. By this order, Grant intends to thwart the proliferation of prostitution among the Army in the newly occupied regions of Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and Alabama, secured by the recent Union victory at the Battle of Shiloh.

Light, even toning, a few scattered stains, and two horizontal folds detract very little from excellent overall condition.

Union Brigadier General – Illinois; U.S. Secretary of War – 1869 – Ulysses S. Grant Administration

Rawlins became Grant’s aide early in the war, and remained as his friend and trusted adviser throughout the war. When Grant assumed the Presidency, Rawlins was appointed Secretary of War. He died of tuberculosis in 1869.

General Prentiss Reports to Grant during the Yazoo Pass Expedition of the Vicksburg Campaign

War-Date Letter Signed, as assistant adjutant general and trusted advisor to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, an endorsement on a secretarial letter, 8” x 10”, from Union Brigadier General Benjamin M. Prentiss. While in command of the Union post at Helena, Arkansas, on the Mississippi River between Memphis and Vicksburg, Prentiss sends information relating to the Yazoo Pass Expedition, seeking further instruction from Grant.

“Head Quarters, Dist. of Eastern Ark[ansas], Helena, Ark., Mar[ch] 8^th 1863. Maj. Gen. Grant. Genl: This day Genl. Quinby arrived with his Division and will go into Moon Lake in the morning. I have made arrangements to keep up communication with advancing forces. I find that Genl. Quinby will take charge on the Pass until McPherson arrives. I presume it is your intention that I should render assistance in way of keeping open communication guarding Pass, in short do all I can to assist forward the Expedition. I shall do this until otherwise ordered and have assured Genl. Quinby of my hearty cooperation. We should have one of those small Steam Tugs, as, Steamboats are compelled to run slow the streams being narrow. I trust, Genl., you will let me hear from you on receipt of this and any thing I can do here shall be done at once. Helena will soon become a respectable place. Troops improving in discipline, Cotton Buyers getting scarce, and Trade without our lines cut off. Respectfully, [Signed] B.M. Prentiss, Brig. Genl. Official: Jno. A. Rawlins, Ass[istan]t Adj[utan]t Genl.”

Early in 1863, Grant made several attempts to take the heavily fortified river city of Vicksburg, Mississippi by bypassing the imposing Confederate artillery installations overlooking the river. In one of these attempts, the Mississippi River levee 325 river miles upstream, near Moon Lake, opposite Helena, Arkansas, was blasted by Federal forces, opening an old pass to the Coldwater River. From there, Grant hoped, Union gunboats would steam down the Tallahatchie and, ultimately, the Yazoo River, from which Vicksburg could be assaulted from the rear. On February 7, gunboats and transports carrying Union troops first entered the pass, of which Prentiss speaks in this letter. Low-hanging trees, some felled by the Confederates as obstacles to the boats, were successfully cleared and the operation progressed as planned. Farther downstream, near Greenwood, Mississippi and the junction of the Yalobusha and Tallahatchie Rivers, the Confederate defenders constructed a makeshift defense work known as Ft. Pemberton. Made of cotton bales and sand bags, along with the sunken remains of a captured ship, the Star of the West, whose earlier claim to fame had been as a Union transport attempting to relieve Ft. Sumter, the installation proved an impenetrable obstacle for the Union flotilla. Repeated attempts by the Union gunboats to shell their way through in early March proved futile, and the Yazoo Pass Expedition was abandoned entirely the following month.

Condition is excellent, with the usual horizontal folds and a little light staining in the left margin.

American Journalist & Politician; Founder of the The New York Times; Republican U.S. Congressman – New York – 1865-67

Signature, “H.J. Raymond,” on a 3” x 4” slip of yellow paper, with the signatures of influential newspapermen Samuel Sinclair, Robert Bonner, James Gordon Bennett, William White Harding, and S.P. Hanscom beneath.

There is general wear and soiling, along with two light folds.

Union Brigadier General - New York; Mortally Wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania

After early-war service with the 39^th New York, Rice led the 44^th New York in the Peninsula campaign and at Second Manassas, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, where his heroic defense of Little Round Top secured his promotion to brigadier. He was severely wounded while leading a brigade in Wadsworth's division at Spotsylvania and died from complications arising from the amputation of his leg.

Revealing a Movement of the Army of the Potomac to a Newspaperman!

War-Date Autograph Letter Signed, 5” x 7 ¾”. Writing on the day after Abraham Lincoln’s delivery of the Gettysburg Address, Rice orders a newspaper subscription and seeks the unknown recipient’s opinion of his report of the Battle of Gettysburg. For the presumed purpose of illustrating his importance as a correspondent, Rice further offers to submit letters for publication during the upcoming winter, astonishingly suggesting an imminent movement of the Army of the Potomac.

“Army of the Potomac, H[ea]d Q[uarte]rs 2^nd Brig. 1^st Div. 1^st Corps, November 20^th 1863. My dear Sir, I should be happy to have the Semi Weekly Post sent to my address. Whenever I have a safe opportunity, I will send you the amount of the annual subscription. Have you ever found time to look over my report of the battle of Gettysburgh? I hope during the coming winter to write a few letters for the Post. There are indications of the movement of this army in a day or two. Be so kind as to write me a few lines. Very sincerely Yours, J.C. Rice, Brig. Genl.”

Throughout the war, President Lincoln and the Union high command were routinely vexed by the reporting of troop movements in newspapers which could be readily obtained by Confederate sympathizers and spies. It is astounding that Rice, newly appointed to the rank of brigadier general for his gallantry at Gettysburg, would volunteer such information to a newspaperman.

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with several light folds. A small strip of paper in the lower left corner, presumably removed due to its containing the name of the recipient, has been professionally restored.

Union Major General – Ohio; U.S. Congressman – California – 1881-85

Rosecrans led the Army of the Cumberland at Murfreesboro and through the Tullahoma campaign to Chickamauga, where he was routed by the Confederates under Longstreet, a misadventure which effectively ended his military career. After the war, he settled near Los Angeles, serving as U.S. Congressman from California, 1881 – 1885.

Signed Card, 2” x 3 ½”, with rank, “W.S. Rosecrans, Maj[or] Genl.”

There is general soiling and wear, along with a few pinholes and light creases.

Union Brigadier General – Massachusetts; Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Gallantry in the Defense of Harpers Ferry, Virginia

An 1849 West Point graduate and veteran of the Seminole War, Saxton was commanding an artillery detachment at the St. Louis arsenal when the Civil War began. He assisted General Nathaniel Lyon in dispersing the pro-southern Missouri State Guard at Camp Jackson and subsequently became Lyon’s chief quartermaster. After being transferred east, Saxton commanded the defenses of Harpers Ferry in May and June of 1862, an action for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. His primary function for the remainder of the war was the enlistment and organization of former slaves into the Federal Army. Upon the termination of hostilities, Saxton became an assistant commander in a division of the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Autograph Quotation Signed, from late life on a light 2 ½” x 4” card, expressing a sentiment of racial equality and harmony.

“Washington, D.C., March 8^th 1907. The different races of men are intensely human. Rufus Saxton, Brigadier General, Brevet Major General U.S.A.”

The card is lightly and evenly toned, and there are a few old mounting remnants on the reverse.

U.S. Secretary of State - 1861-69

Despite being a contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 1860, Seward served effectively in Lincoln’s cabinet. He was injured on the night of April 14, 1865 in the assassination plot which took the life of Lincoln. His most notable post-war achievement was the acquisition of Alaska in 1867.

Sending Information on the Chiriqui Improvement Company – A Plan to Colonize Freed Blacks in Panama

Civil War-Date Letter Signed, on imprinted 8” x 10” stationery as U.S. Secretary of State, to “Aaron A. Degraw, Esquire, No. 242 South St., New York.” In a formal, businesslike manner, Seward conveys information relating to the Chiriqui Improvement Company, one of several early-war proposals put forth by the State Department to colonize black freedmen outside the country, in this case to the area around the harbor of Chiriqui in the northwestern corner of Panama.

“Department of State, Washington, August 13, 1863…Sir: Your letter of the 12^th instant has been received. This department has no knowledge of any pecuniary transaction of this Government with Mr. Ambrose Thompson relative to the Chiriqui Improvement Company, or in relation to any other matter. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, William H. Seward.”

A Philadelphia businessman and shipping magnate, Ambrose Thompson was a key figure in the colonization schemes. Early in the war, Thompson planned to provide coal mined on property he owned in the Chiriqui area to the Union Navy; the land would later be used as a permanent settlement for the freed blacks. President Lincoln appointed a commission to investigate Thompson’s proposal, referring its favorable endorsement of colonization in his December 1861 message to Congress. Early difficulties with acquisition of the land, subject to treaty obligations, along with a gradual weakening of political resolve for colonization in general, forced the abandonment of the colonization proposals, including Chiriqui, by early 1863.

The sheet has light toning and wear, along with weakness and slight paper separation at the edges of two horizontal folds.

Union Major General - Ohio

An 1840 West Point graduate, Sherman was superintendent of what is now LSU when the war broke out in 1861. Upon Confederate seizure of the U.S. arsenal in Baton Rouge, he resigned and, shortly thereafter, reentered the army. Early lack of success in Kentucky was soon offset by distinguished service at Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta, and in the “March to the Sea.”

Signature, with sentiment and rank in another hand, “Truly your friend, W.T. Sherman, General,” on a 1 ½” x 4 ½” slip of lined paper, removed from a letter.

Union Major General - New York

Sickles lost a leg and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor as a result of his action in the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863.

Signed Card, with rank and date, “D.E. Sickles, Major General U.S. Army, New York, May 18, 1901.”

The card has a barely discernible area of slightly heavier toning in the upper right corner, and there are old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Union Major General - Ohio

An 1852 West Point graduate, Stanley saw Civil War action in the West from Wilson's Creek through Franklin, where his actions earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. After the war, he served in Dakota, New Mexico, and Texas on the western frontier.

Autograph Quotation Signed, on a 4” x 7” album page.

“Youth is the heyday of life. Enjoy it Dear Josie, whilst we elders applaud. D.S. Stanley, Col[onel] 22^nd Inf[an]t[r]y, B[re]v[e]t Maj[or] Gen[era]l.”

On the reverse is the signature, “G.H. Patten, L[ieutenan]t 22^nd Inf[antry], Santa Fe, Dec[ember] 10, [18]83.”

The sheet is lightly and evenly toned, with a few small stains.

U.S. Secretary of War – 1862-68

President Lincoln promotes a Rhode Island Officer for gallantry at Spotsylvania and Petersburg - where he was killed just a week before Lee’s surrender at Appomattox

War-Date Document Signed, 8” x 10,” as Secretary of War, Washington, December 2, 1864, “E.M. Stanton,” a partly printed letter informing 7^th Rhode Island Infantry Captain Peleg E. Peckham of his promotion to the rank of brevet major of volunteers by President Lincoln, “…for gallant and meritorious services in the battle of Spottsylvania C[ourt] H[ouse] and in the operations before Petersburg, Va…”

Major Peckham was killed exactly five months later in the Federal assault which saw the destruction of the Confederate line at Petersburg. On that Sunday morning, April 2, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis received word of the Union breakthrough while in attendance at St. Paul’s Church in Richmond, and the evacuation of the Confederate capital was soon underway. Just one week later, Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War.

The letter-sheet has two horizontal folds, a few scattered stains, and discoloration from past matting.

Union Brigadier General – Pennsylvania; Colonel of the 7^th U.S. Cavalry – 1869-88

A West Point graduate and lifelong soldier, Sturgis saw action in the Mexican War and against the Indians on the western frontier during the years leading up to the Civil War. During the Civil War, he participated in the battles of Wilson’s Creek, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, and Fredericksburg. Transferred west, Sturgis was routed by Nathan Bedford Forrest at Brice’s Cross Roads, after which he held no field command. In 1869, Sturgis was appointed colonel of the 7^th Cavalry, a position he held at the time of the massacre of Custer and his command at the Little Big Horn.

“…I was what was called a ‘49er, and it was at San Louis Obispo, that in the Spring of 1849, I prepared and fitted out my small Company of Dragoons for an expedition against the Indians in the neighborhood of the Tulare lakes & the head of King’s River.”

Autograph Letter Signed, three pages, on individual sheets of 5 ½” x 8 ½” hotel stationery, imprinted “The Ebbitt: C.C. Willard, Prop., Washington, D.C.” In a humble, gracious response to an autograph request from a young girl in San Luis Obispo, California, Sturgis provides a satisfying reminiscence of his Gold Rush-era military exploits in the region.

“March 10, 1886. Miss Mary C. Day, San Louis Obispo, Cal. My dear Young lady, you very kind and complimentary note only reached me yesterday and I hasten to enclose my Autograph in compliance with your request. You will be surprised perhaps to learn that I was what was called a ‘49er, and it was at San Louis Obispo, that in the Spring of 1849, I prepared and fitted out my small Company of Dragoons for an expedition against the Indians in the neighborhood of the Tulare lakes & the head of King’s River. In those days San Louis Obispo was simply an old Mission, but it is probably now a thriving town. The world has changed so much since those days. Hoping that this will not be so long in reaching you as Yours was in reaching me, and thanking you again for the compliment implied in your request for my Autograph, believe me, Very Sincerely Your o[bedien]t ser[van]t, S.D. Sturgis.”

Light, even toning, the usual folds, and old paper clip stains in the upper margins detract very little.

Governor of Ohio – 1862-64

War-Date Document Signed, as Ohio Governor, April 17, 1863, “David Tod,” a partly printed 9 ½” x 12” appointment for “…Jas. W. Hughs…Justice of the Peace for the Township of Berlin in the County of Mahoning…” Countersigned by Ohio Secretary of State “Wm. W. Armstrong.”

One of the usual vertical folds passes through Tod’s signature, and there are numerous small stains.

Union Colonel – 12^th Massachusetts Infantry; Killed-in-Action at Second Bull Run; Son of Daniel Webster

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, on separate leaves of a 4 ½” x 7” letter-sheet, responding to a request for information relating to a man identified only as “Hogan” from “Geo. W. Gordon, Esqr.” After emphatically discrediting the man, Webster colorfully quotes his father, longtime Senator Daniel Webster, just resigned from his position as Secretary of State in the cabinet of President John Tyler, on Hogan’s lack of character.

“July 12/[18]43. My dear Gordon, I know Hogan very well. By no means have any thing to do with him. He is utterly unsafe & a great rogue, I am told. You could not have named a more unfit person to be trusted. Father says he is the ‘greatest scamp extant.’ This of course is confidential. Y[ou]rs very truly, Fletcher Webster.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with slight paper separation at edges of two horizontal folds.

Union Colonel – 12^th Massachusetts Infantry – Killed-in-Action at Second Bull Run; Son of Daniel Webster

War-Date Document Signed, 8 ½” x 12 ¾”, Fort Warren, Massachusetts, June 13, 1861, “Fletcher Webster, Colonel,” an early, partly printed appointment for “…Preston Soule of Boston…a Sergeant of Company A, in the 12^th Regt. of Infantry…of the Volunteer Militia of Massachusetts.”

Like Webster, Sergeant Soule would not survive the war. He died of disease in New York City on May 14, 1862.

There is heavier wear, toning, and paper weakness along three vertical folds, and the edges bear numerous superficial chips and tears.

Union Brigadier General – Vermont

After enlisting in the only cavalry regiment raised in the state of Vermont during the war, Wells saw action in the Shenandoah under Banks and at Gettysburg, where his distinguished service in Farnsworth’s Brigade earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. He took an active role in Grant’s Overland campaign of 1864 and served with the cavalry under Sheridan through the war’s end.

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 7 ½”, Burlington, Vermont, January 31, 1875, “Wm. Wells,” a partly printed check, drawn on the Merchants National Bank of Burlington and made payable to George B. Freeman for $77.50.

There are several light folds and creases and a few pinholes. The signature is unaffected by cancellations at the center.

Union Brigadier General – Vermont

After enlisting in the only cavalry regiment raised in the state of Vermont during the war, Wells saw action in the Shenandoah under Banks and at Gettysburg, where his distinguished service in Farnsworth’s Brigade earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. He took an active role in Grant’s Overland campaign of 1864 and served with the cavalry under Sheridan through the war’s end.

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 8”, Burlington, Vermont, April 30, 1878, “Wm. Wells,” a partly printed check, drawn on the Merchants National Bank of Burlington and made payable to George B. Freeman for ninety dollars. The check has been signed over to Wells, who signs a second time on the reverse.

There are several light vertical folds and a few pinholes.

Union Major General

A veteran of the War of 1812 and a Mexican War Brigadier General, Wool saw limited Civil War service due to his advanced age; he was retired from the U.S. Army on August 1, 1863.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed, 5” x 8”, to “Henry R. Howland, Esqr., Harlem, N.Y.”  Writing on imprinted stationery as commander of the Department of Virginia at Fort Monroe, Wool concisely and proudly recounts the Mexican War exploits which earned him a brevet to major general, along with the official thanks of the U.S. Congress which included a presentation sword.

“5^th March 1862. My dear Sir, In reply to your favor of the 3^rd instant just received I would remark, that I was brevetted a Major General the 23^rd of February 1847 for gallant and distinguished conduct in the Battle of Buena Vista, called by Santa Anna Angustina, the Thermopylae of Mexico, when he was driven from the field after seven attacks with 15,000 men against less than 4000 Americans. I am Very respectfully your ob[e]d[ien]t serv[an]t, John E. Wool.”

Requesting of Howland, at this time a young writer, that his letter not be printed in its entirety, Wool has penned an instruction in the upper margin, “This letter is not to be published. The parts you can use -”

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with the usual folds, light creases and superficial stains. There are old mounting traces on the blank final page of the letter-sheet.