Civil War-Date Autograph Endorsement Signed, on a 3 ¼” x 5 ¼” slip of paper, removed from a larger document, stamped “Army Potomac, 1863” above.

 “H[ea]d Q[uar]ters…17^th Inf[antr]y, May 18, 1863.  No officers absent with leave.  Respectfully Recommended and forwarded.  Geo. L. Andrews, Maj[or] 17^th Inf[antr]y.”

Dated just two weeks after the battle of Chancellorsville, Andrews’s endorsement concerns the request of 17^th Infantry Lieutenant George Washington Green for a ten-day leave of absence.  Green would be brevetted major for gallant and meritorious service at the upcoming battle of Gettysburg, later lieutenant colonel for gallant and meritorious service during the war.  He died of disease on January 8, 1866.   

Lightly and evenly toned; diagonally clipped at the upper left corner.

Original Steel Engraving, 8” x 10 ¾” overall, imprinted “ATTACK ON FORT WAGNER, From the original painting by Nast, in the possession of the publishers,” with a 5 ½” x 7 ¼” image depicting the assault of the 54^th Massachusetts Infantry, black troops under the command of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, on July 18, 1863; dated “A.D. 1864” in print below.

A seldom-seen image in excellent condition, with light, even toning and a few superficial stains and light surface creases in the margins.

After being routed by Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley campaign and the battle of Cedar Mountain in 1862, Banks commanded during the campaign and subsequent surrender of Port Hudson, Louisiana. A longtime politician from Massachusetts, he was elected to multiple terms in Congress, both before and after the war. 

Civil War-Date Letter Signed, one page, 7 ¾” x 9 ¾”.  Writing to “General Thomas Hillhouse, Adjutant General, State of New York,” Banks requests information relating to troops for his upcoming assignment as commander of the Department of the Gulf in New Orleans.

“Albany, Nov[ember] 1^st 1862…General, I will esteem it a favor if you will notify me at Astor House, New York by telegraph of the time of the departure and probable arrival at New York of the Regiments for my expedition.  Instructions have been given to provide suitable camp ground and supplies.  I am General, With Much Respect, Your Ob[e]d[ien]t Serv[an]t, N.P. Banks, M[ajor] G[eneral] C[ommanding].”

Lightly and evenly toned, with clean paper separation at several of the expected folds.

War-Date Letter Signed –
Appointing a Surgeon in the 8^th New York State Volunteers

A German immigrant, Blenker covered the Union withdrawal at First Bull Run, an invaluable service for which he was commissioned brigadier general.  He led a brigade against Stonewall Jackson in the Valley Campaign and died on October 31, 1863 as a result of injuries suffered in a fall from his horse. 

Civil War-Date Letter Signed, one page, on the imprinted 7 ¾” x 9 ¾” stationery of the 1^st German Rifle Regiment, New York State Volunteers, informing the adjutant general of his appointment of a surgeon in the 8^th New York State Volunteers.

“New York, May 24^th 1861.  To the Adjutant General J. Meredith Read, Jr. of Albany, N.Y.  D[octo]r Rudolph Welcker, who has received the unanimous approval of the examining Board has been appointed by me, Surgeon in the eight Regiment New York State Volunteers (First German Rifles) and I hereby respectfully request that his commission may be issued forthwith.  Louis Blenker, Colonel 8^th Reg[imen]t N[ew] Y[ork] S[tate] Vol[unteer]s.” 

Somewhat heavier wear and toning at two horizontal folds, clean separation at the upper having an old repair on the reverse.

Signature, with date, “Spencer Bonsall, 1857,” on a 1 ¼” x 2 ½” slip of paper.

Lightly and evenly toned.

Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for action at the Battle of Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863; U.S. Representative – New York – 1903-13

Typed Letter Signed, on the imprinted 5 ¼” x 8” stationery of the Military Affairs Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, to “Hon[orable] A.H.F. Seeger, Newburgh, New York.”

“Washington, May 27, 1911.  My dear Judge: Regarding the expiration of the term of the postmaster as mentioned in my last letter, 1914 should be corrected to read 1912.  With best wishes, Very truly yours, Thos. W. Bradley, 20^th [District] N.Y.”


With Bradley’s handwritten, initialed postscript at the conclusion, “—My secretary was in error in reporting 1914 to me.  I will not, however, give any consideration whatever at this time to 1912 appointments. B–"

Lightly and evenly toned, with a horizontal fold at the center.

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 pursuing Confederate General Bragg after the October 1862 battle of Perryville. 

Signature, with rank, “D.C. Buell, Major General,” on a 1 ½” x 4” slip of paper.

Excellent, with light, even toning.

Despite his lack of success at the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln appointed Burnside commander of the Army of the Potomac on November 10, 1862.  After the Federal catastrophe at Fredericksburg in December and the subsequent failure of the “Mud March,” he was replaced by Joseph Hooker.  Burnside participated in the Union offensive to take Richmond and Petersburg in the spring of 1864 and was responsible for the failure to capitalize on the opening in the Confederate lines at “The Crater.”  After the war, he served as governor and senator from Rhode Island. 

Document Signed, 3 ½” x 7 ¾”, August 20, 1870, “A.E. Burnside,” a partly printed receipt for one share of stock, as president of the Indianapolis and Vincennes Rail Road Company.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few superficial stains.

Denounced the Catholic Church in mid-life, warning that importing thousands of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and France, the American Civil War, and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln were Vatican plots to take over the United States.

Original Steel Engraving, 7 ¾” x 10 ¼” overall, with a printed facsimile signature beneath a 3” x 3 ½” image, imprinted “Eng[rave]d by H.B. Hall & Sons, 13 Barclay St., N.Y.”  From a biographical work, published in 1876.

Lightly and evenly toned, with inconsequential staining, mostly near the edges.

Viva la Revolucion!

Castro nationalizes industry and cancels Cuba's foreign debt.

Document, 15” x 19”, July 1, 1937, printed by the American Bank Note Company, a $1000 bond of the Republic of Cuba. Individual unredeemed coupons, dated from 1961 - when Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, president of the National Bank of Cuba, nationalized Cuban industry and cancelled foreign debt - through 1977, remain.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few minor stains.

Signature & Rank, “N.J.T. Dana, Maj[or] Gen[era]l,” on a 2 ¼” x 3 ¾” slip of paper.

Lightly toned, with a light vertical fold at the center.

Dix was too old for active Civil War field service.  He is most remembered for suppressing the New York City draft riots in 1863 and for being post-war Governor of New York.

Signature & Rank, “John A. Dix, Maj[or] Gen[era]l,” on a 1 ¾” x 3 ¼” slip of paper.

Lightly toned, with a few light surface creases, and there are old mounting traces on the reverse.    

Dodge led the 4^th Iowa Infantry at Pea Ridge and the 16^th Corps in the Atlanta Campaign.  As Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad, he was instrumental in the completion of the transcontinental railroad. 

Signature, “Grenville M. Dodge, Council Bluffs, Iowa,” on a 2 ¾” x 5 ½” portion of an album page.

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor wear along a vertical fold at the center.

An 1849 graduate of West Point, Gillmore served in the Carolinas and is most noted for the capture of Ft. Pulaski and Morris Island, South Carolina. 

Signature, with rank, “Official Business, Q.A. Gillmore, Maj[or] Gen[era]l” on a 1 ½” x 2 ½” slip of paper. 

Lightly toned, with superficial staining.

For remaining on duty when his early-war unit, the Fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, refused to serve on the eve of the Battle of First Bull Run after the expiration of their term of service, Hartranft was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.  He subsequently served with Burnside in North Carolina and lead the 9^th Corps from Spotsylvania through the war’s end.  Hartranft was appointed special provost marshal during the trial and execution of the Lincoln assassination conspirators and served a term as post-war governor of Pennsylvania. 

Document Signed, 7 ¾” x 9 ¾”, partly printed, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1866, “J.B. Hartranft,” as Pennsylvania auditor general, directing the payment of a pension to “…William Leffel of Berks Co[unty], a soldier of the war of 1812…” 

Lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds and three cross-cut cancellations, with minimal loss of paper, all well away from the signature.

Hooker served in the East from the Seven Days through Chancellorsville, where he led the Army of the Potomac to defeat at the hands of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. 

Signature, with rank, “Joseph Hooker, Maj[or] Gen[era]l,” on a 2 ¼” x 4” slip of lined paper.

Excellent, with light, even toning.

First Jewish Governor of Illinois – 1933-40 – Died in Office

Noted collector of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia, his collection was bequeathed to the people of Illinois, and now resides at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois

A noted Lincoln collector writes to a colleague

Typed Letter Signed, on imprinted 8 ¼” x 10 ½” stationery as Illinois Governor, to fellow Lincoln authority Emanuel Hertz, also Jewish, the brother of Chief Rabbi J.H. Hertz of England.

“August 9, 1937. Honorable Emanuel Hertz, 141 Broadway, Borough of Manhattan, New York City, N.Y. Dear Emanuel: This acknowledges your letter of August sixth. I surely would like to see the photostats you mention. When you are out this way you can give me a ring and I shall be glad to talk to you about them or you can let me look at them by mailing them to me. I hope you are well and have the best of good luck. Sincerely, Henry Horner.”

The letter has heavier, somewhat irregular toning at the upper right edge, and there are two horizontal folds.

A political appointee, Hunter served with little note at First Manassas, Secessionville, and the Piedmont.  He is most remembered for burning Virginia Military Institute in 1864 and presiding at the Lincoln assassination trial. 

Signature, with rank, “D. Hunter, Maj[or] Gen[eral],” on a 2 ¼” x 5” portion of an album page.

Lightly and evenly toned.

Son of abolitionist minister Thaddeus Beman Hurlbut; Named for British abolitionist William Wilberforce and Elijah P. Lovejoy, his father’s friend and business partner, murdered by a pro-slavery mob in Alton, Illinois on November 7, 1837

Original Steel Engraving, 7 ¾” x 10 ½” overall, with a printed facsimile signature beneath a 3 ¼” x 3 ¾” image of Hurlbut in military uniform, imprinted “Eng[raved] by H.B. Hall & Sons, 52 Fulton St., N.Y.”  From a biographical work, published in 1876.

Pristine.

Original Steel Engraving, 7 ¾” x 10 ½” overall, with a printed facsimile signature beneath a 3 ½” x 3 ½” image, imprinted “Eng[rave]d by H.B. Hall & Sons, 13 Barclay St., N.Y.”  From a biographical work, published in 1876.

Lightly and evenly toned, with inconsequential staining and a few light creases, mostly near the edges.