Document Signed, 9 ½” x 11”, Boston, Massachusetts, April 17, 1869, “A.E. Burnside,” as company president, a partly printed $500 “First Mortgage Bonds” certificate for the Narrangansett Steamship Company.  Countersigned by four company officials.  A five-cent revenue stamp is affixed at upper right, with an embossed seal at lower right.

Lightly toned, with the usual folds; a few tears and cuts at the lower edge; show-through along the lower edge from glue staining on the reverse.

A Handwritten Civil War Pass for Butler’s Brother-in-Law

Civil War-Date Autograph Document Signed, on official 5” x 8” stationery, imprinted “HEAD QUARTERS, Department of Virginia and North Carolina.”

“In the field, June 10, 1864.  Pass Fisher A[mes] Hildreth, Esq[uire] and his wife to visit my Head Q[uarte]rs at Fortress Monroe.  Benj[amin] F. Butler, Maj[or] Gen[era]l Com[mandin]g.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor staining at the left edge and the expected folds.

Check signed by the Confederate Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, just two months before the fall of the city…

Civil War-Date Document Signed, 3 ¼” x 7 ½”, “City Clerk’s Office, Atlanta, Georgia, July 1, 1864…J.M. Calhoun,” a partly printed check drawn on the city account, payable to one “John Haslett” in the amount of thirty dollars, compensation for expenses described only as “Streets”; dated just two months before the city was surrendered to Union General William Tecumseh Sherman on September 2, 1864 and countersigned by another city official.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few light creases and minor staining, wear, and soiling; text and signatures are unaffected by a two-inch horizontal tear, with no loss of paper, at the mid-right edge.

Franking Signature, “Free, S. Cameron,” on a 3 ¼” x 5 ¾” portion of a postal cover; also addressed by Cameron, to “Dr. H. Byerly, Linglestown, Dauphin Co[unty], Penn[sylvania].”

On brown paper, with an obscure early postmark at left; old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Document Signed, an endorsement on the reverse of an imprinted 9 ¾” x 16 ¼” U.S. Army form, “Examined & approved, Ed. R.S. Canby, M[ajor] G[eneral] Com[mandin]g,” approving expenditures for the month of November 1867.

Illustrated in its folded state.  Very good overall condition, with the expected folds.

Document Signed, New York, July 5, 1898, “Joshua L. Chamberlain,” a partly printed 2 ¾” x 6 ½” check, also accomplished by Chamberlain, payable to one H.C. Orr in the amount of ten dollars.  A two-cent revenue stamp is affixed at upper left.

Lightly toned, with a few stains, soiling, wear, numerous folds, and a few tiny edge chips; three hole-punch cancellations, well away from the signature.

Franked Envelope, 2 ¾” x 5 ¼”, “James Chesnut, U.S.S. fr…,” as U.S. Senator from South Carolina, also addressed by Chesnut to “Hon[orable] J.L. Manning, Willard’s Hotel, Washington.”  Dated 1860 vertically at the left edge, quite possibly by the recipient, John Laurence Manning, former South Carolina governor, 1852-54, who later served as a colonel in the Confederate Army.

Torn irregularly in opening at the upper right corner, affecting the last few characters of Chesnut’s frank.

Signature, “John Coburn, Indianapolis, Indiana,” as U.S. Congressman on a 2 ½” x 5” portion of an album page.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few minor stains; original binding traces at the left edge.

Signed Envelope, 3” x 5 ¼”, “Soldier’s Letter, W.H. Cudworth, Chaplain, Mass[achusetts] 1^st,” transmittal for a Civil War letter (no longer present) from an unidentified soldier; addressed in another hand, to “Mr. Joseph L. Rand, North Waterford, Maine,” and bearing a “Due 3” postal stamp.  Pencil arithmetic notations are on the reverse.

Moderate toning throughout, with the expected wear, soiling, and edge chips and tears.

Signature, as U.S. Representative, “Saml. R. Curtis, Keokuk, Iowa,” on a 1 ½” x 4” portion of an album page.

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor staining.

Signature, dated from the former Confederate president’s post-war home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, “Jefferson Davis, Beauvoir, Miss[issipp]i, 4^th March 1882,” on a 1 ¾” x 4 ¾” slip of paper.  Affixed to heavier backing.

Lightly toned; the signature is noticeably light and lacking in contrast.

Signature, from a reunion event, “Clinton B. Fisk, Seabright, N[ew] J[ersey], Army of the Tennessee Reunion, Sept[ember] 26, 1889,” on a 2 ¼” x 3 ½” slip of paper; affixed to a larger sheet

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few minor stains; old binding holes at the left edge of the attached album page.

Just days after the capture of Fort Donelson, Foote makes an appointment in the Western Gun Boat Flotilla, while General Ulysses S. Grant emerges as a champion of the Union.

Civil War-Date Document Signed, 8” x 12 ½”, a manuscript order appointing one G.B. Simmonds to the rank of second master.  Fort Donelson, at the time a Confederate installation on the Cumberland River in Tennessee, was surrendered on February 16, 1862, just three days prior to this order.  Union forces, including Flag Officer Foote, were under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant, whose action during the siege, battle, and capitulation – specifically his demand for “unconditional and immediate surrender” of the Confederate command at the fort - propelled him into national prominence.

“Be it known that reposing trust in the honor and ability of G.B. Simmonds, I do hereby appoint him a Second Master in the United States Gun Boat Flotilla on the Western Water to hold authority as a Second Master and to be obeyed by all persons under him in the service.  The appointment to hold good during the pleasure of the Commander in Chief of the Gun Boat Flotilla for the time being.  Given under my hand this 19^th day of February A.D. Eighteen hundred and Sixty two.  A.H. Foote, Com[man]d[in]g U.S. Naval Forces in the Western Waters.”

Overall condition is very good, with light, even toning, a few minor stains, and the expected folds.

Document Signed, Burlington, Vermont, July, 18, 1878, “Geo. P. Foster,” a partly printed 2 ¾” x 7 ½” check, also accomplished by Foster, payable to “Myself” for seventy-five dollars.

The signature is unaffected by several bank cancellations.

Civil War-Date Signature

Signature, with rank in another hand, “J.G. Foster, Major Gen[era]l Com[mandin]g,” on a 1 ½” x 2 ½” slip of paper.

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor staining and wear; affixed to a larger, heavier card, with old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Civil War-Date

Autograph Endorsement Signed, on a 2 ¾” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, removed from a larger document; dated from Atlanta, Georgia just three weeks after the fall of the city to General William Tecumseh Sherman, his action there earning Fullerton the appointment to brevet brigadier general.

“Head-Quarters 4^th Army Corps, Atlanta, Sept[embe]r 22/[18]64.  Respectfully referred to L[ieutenan]t Col[onel] Remick, Chief Com[mandin]g Sub[sistence] for remark.  By order of Maj[or] Gen[era]l Stanley, J.S. Fullerton, A[ssistant] A[djutant] G[eneral].”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few small chips at the edges.

Signature, with closing and rank in another hand, “Your ob[edien]t servant, Geo. W. Getty, Col[onel] 3^rd Artillery,” on a 1 ½” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, removed from a larger letter; affixed to heavier backing.

Boldly signed; general staining and wear throughout.

Signed Card, 1 ½” x 3”, as U.S. Senator from Georgia, “J.B. Gordon, G[eorgi]a.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few ink stains; old mounting traces on the reverse.

Document Signed, Everett, Washington, January 13, 1898, “D.C. Govan, U.S. Indian Agent,” a partly printed 2 ¾” x 6 ½” check, also accomplished by Govan, drawn on The Everett National Bank for fifteen dollars.  Signed a second time on the reverse, “Witness, D.C. Govan.”

Lightly and evenly toned; punch cancellation at the center, with minimal loss of paper, affects neither signature.