LEE, ROBERT EDWARD (1807-70) Confederate General & Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia

As Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point

LEE, ROBERT EDWARD (1807-70)  Confederate General & Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia

GARNETT, ROBERT SELDEN (1819-61)  Confederate Brigadier General; Killed-in-Action at the Battle of Corrick’s Ford, Virginia, July 13, 1861 - the first general officer to be killed during the American Civil War; Veteran of the Mexican & Seminole Wars

TOTTEN, JOSEPH GILBERT (1788-1864)  Union Brigadier General during the American Civil War; Veteran of the War of 1812 & the Mexican War

Endorsement Signed, as Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, “Approved, R.E. Lee, Captain Corps Eng[ineer]s & B[revet] Col[onel, Sup[erintenden]t M[ilitary] A[cademy],” on a 3 ½” x 7” portion of a letter from Robert S. Garnett, whose signature and rank are at upper right: “R.S. Garnett, Capt[ain] 7^th Inf[antry] & B[revet] Maj[or], Com[mandant] of Corps of Cadets.”  Also endorsed by longtime U.S. Army Officer Joseph Totten beneath, “Eng[inee]r Department, July 7, 1853.  Approved, Jos. G. Totten.”

Several light creases and a few minor stains detract very little.