Signed Photograph, “Arno Breker,” a 4” x 5 ¾” postally unused postcard.  Black & white.

Excellent.

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, front and reverse of the first leaf of an imprinted, folded 4 ¾” x 8” letter-sheet, expressing condolences to a friend upon the death of a brother.

“September 18, 1889.  My dear Bob, I did not know when I wrote today what you were passing through.  I had not heard about your brother’s death.  May I tell you how I am sorry for everything which brings you pain with all my heart & will you believe how earnestly I ask for the highest help.  God bless you & give you His best light.  You will not want me to care to you on Monday as I proposed.  If so, you will tell me so & I shall wholly understand.  Be sure that I am always Your old friend, Phillips Brooks.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a horizontal fold at the center; pencil notations in the upper right corner.

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages on front and reverse of a single imprinted 3 ½” x 4 ¼” card, declining a request to attend a meeting.

“March 28, 1886.  My dear Mr. Bertrand, I am sorry to say that all my Tuesday Evenings now are hopelessly engaged, so that I must not hope to be at your meeting, which I doubt not will be very interesting & successful.  Yours most sincerely, Phillips Brooks.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with several minor stains and light creases.

Autograph Letter Signed, on 6” x 9” Indianapolis, Indiana hotel stationery; no year, but from later life, sending condolences to an old friend.

“May 31.

Dear Mrs. Nyeth,

My nephew Ed Adam gave me your address yesterday, so I am writing you to give you my heartly [sic] Sympathy in the loss of your dear father.  He was my oldest & best friend & we all loved him.

God be with you,
Jno. L. Clem.
__________________________________

Lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds and a few tiny tears at the edges.

Signature, “Stephen Decatur,” a frank on a 1 ¼” x 2 ¾” portion of a postal cover; with rank in another hand above and the pencil notation “1819” written vertically at the upper right corner.  A stamped “FREE” partially intersects Decatur’s signature.

Lightly toned, with a stain at the left edge; affixed to heavier backing.

Autograph Letter Signed, 8” x 10”.  As a second-term U.S. representative from New York, Fillmore solicits Secretary of War Joel Poinsett in the discharge of a constituent’s son from his enlistment.  A lengthy report on the reverse is signed by longtime U.S. Army Adjutant General Roger Jones.

“House of Rep[resentatives]
July 6, 1840

Sir,

I have the honor to enclose a letter from James Sheldon, Esq[uire], a counsellor at Law residing in the city of Buffalo, N.Y. with an affidavit of Mr. & Mrs. Brooks, on which they ask to have his son, a lad of 18, discharged from his enlistment into the merited Service of that place.

As I shall soon leave, your earliest attention to this application will greatly oblige,

Your most ob[edien]t ser[van]t,
Millard Fillmore

Hon[orable] J.R. Poinsett

P.S. Please return Mr. Sheldon’s letter.”

Somewhat heavier toning from past matting at the edges; an old tear at the upper right corner, along with clean separation at the edges of two horizontal folds, is repaired on the reverse; several chips at the left edge and corner of the integral leaf.

Civil War-Date – as Chaplain of the 20^th Maine Infantry

Very Rare Autograph Letter Signed – returning the remains of a West Point classmate, mortally wounded at the Mexican War Battle of Churubusco

Autograph Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, to “Mr. Francis Bacon, Alfred, M[ain]e,” returning the remains of his brother, Lieutenant John Danforth Bacon, who died on October 12, 1847 from wounds received at the Mexican War Battle of Churubusco.

“New Orleans, March 13, 1848.

D[ea]r Sir:

Captain Monroe having left the city unexpectedly for a short time, he requested me to say to you in his behalf – that the remains of your brother had been shipped on the Lapland to Boston, directed to the care of U.S. Acting Assistant Quarter Master at that place.  She sailed about the 9^[th] Inst[ant].

Before closing this letter, permit me to offer you my sincere sympathy for the loss of your brother, who besides belonging to the same Regiment, was associated with me many years at the Military Academy.  I always esteemed his as one of my dearest friends & it is a source of comfort to know that he met his fate like a soldier – surrounded by those who loved him as a brother.

I am very truly yours,
R.B. Garnett,
L[ieutenan]t 6^th Inf[antr]y.
U.S.A.
New Orleans

Excellent overall, with the expected original folds.

Civil War-Date Signature

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed – with excellent Vicksburg Campaign content

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, front and reverse of an imprinted 8” x 10 page as Commander of the District of Eastern Arkansas.  In the early stages of the Vicksburg Campaign, Gorman sends a highly detailed account of operations under his command to Admiral David Dixon Porter.  Worthy of further study.

“St. Charles [Arkansas], Jan[uar]y 20th 1863

Acting Rear Admiral
D[avid] D[ixon] Porter

Admiral:

Your dispatch of the 19th (yesterday) was duly rec[eive]d at 8 A.M. Today.  All my transports will be at the mouth tomorrow.  From there I will row up to Helena, as each boat has Artillery, Cavalry and Infantry and I cannot fit out the force I am going to send to Maj[or] Gen[era]l McClernand at any other place.  I will send for the Vicksburg Expedition all the force possible, at least one full brigade, one field battery fully equipped, and I think I may be able to send two brigades, being one more than the General asks.

My success with the Expedition up White River has been complete.  At St. Charles I captured a large amount of forage, corn &c. and some prisoners.  At Duvall’s Bluff I took two 8 inch Columbiads with carriages in complete order, 25 prisoners with 70 new Enfield rifles, some stores, tents, &c., destroyed 3 cars & R[ail] R[oad] track, and burnt two Bridges – one 90 and the other 200 feet long.

At Des Arc we captured 100 prisoners, several hundred rounds of fixed 6 po[und] ammunition, several thousand bushels of Gov[ernmen]t corn, a large rebel mail, and destroyed their Telegraph.  All the force of the enemy have crossed the Arkansas [River] to Little Rock.

I should have gone to Little Rock dire[c]t if I could have crossed the sea of mud and wa[ter] between there and Duvall’s Bluff, but this is impossible at the present, and my orders were such as to comp[lete] my return at once.

I am Admiral very respectfully y[ou]r
Ob[edient] Serv[an]t,

W.A. Gorman
Brig[adier] Gen[ra]l Com[mandin]g.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds; an old paper mounting strip at the right edge of the reverse obscures a few letters of text.

Autograph Letter Signed, 7 ¾” x 10 ¾”, one page.  As Post Engineer at Fort Hamilton, situated at the mouth of New York Harbor in Brooklyn, Lee writes to a materials supplier, ordering hydraulic cement, commonly used to construct and repair stone and cement structures, even underwater.  While serving as post engineer at Fort Hamilton, 1841-46, Lee is credited with the design and construction of several New York-area fortifications, notably Fort Richmond, Fort Tompkins, and the forts at Willetts Point and Sandy Hook.

 “Henry Wilde, Esq[uir]e,

Sec[retar]y Newark L, & C, Ms. Co.,

Fort Hamilton, N[ew[ Y[ork],

11 April 1843.

Sir,

I have rec[eive]d your letter of the 18 Ult[im]o, offering to furnish me with fresh hydraulic Cement @ $1.25/100 per cask of 300 lbs., deducting 12 ½ c[ents] per cask for those returned.  I will thank you to send me to this place 50 Casks with as little delay as practicable.  The cement must be fresh, & the Casks light & strong.  You may also send 10 Casks of Lime.

Very respectf[ull]y Your Ob[edien]t Serv[an]t,

R.E Lee,

Capt[ain] Eng[ineer]s.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor soiling and wear and the expected folds; the integral leaf, addressed in another hand, is bound by a paper strip at the left edge, and has a small hole well beneath the address from the opening of a no-longer-present wax seal.

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.

Autograph Document Signed, 8” x 10”, Fort Hamilton, New York, June 2, 1846, “R.E. Lee, Capt[ain] Eng[inee]rs,” a partly printed requisition for supplies sold to the U.S. Army for use at the installation.  The hardware being purchased is enumerated in Lee’s hand on the front, as is a three-line docket beneath his signature on the reverse.  While serving as post engineer at Fort Hamilton, 1841-46, Lee is credited with the design and construction of several New York-area fortifications, notably Fort Richmond, Fort Tompkins, and the forts at Willetts Point and Sandy Hook.

Seldom seen in its entire form, as Lee’s signature and four lines of print preceding it are often excised and sold as a smaller document.  Lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds, several minor stains and paper breaks.

Signed First Day Cover, 3 ¾” x 6 ½”, “Joe McCarthy,” with an October 8, 1956, Appleton, Wisconsin postmark and an ironic “PRAY FOR PEACE” cancellation.  Co-signed beneath by local Postmaster Francis H. Sumnicht and two other notables.

Excellent, with light, even toning.

Signed First Day Cover, 3 ¾” x 6 ½”, “Joe McCarthy,” with an October 8, 1956, Appleton, Wisconsin postmark and an ironic “PRAY FOR PEACE” cancellation.  Co-signed beneath by local Postmaster Francis H. Sumnicht and two other notables.

Excellent, with light, even toning.

Civil War-Date Document Signed

Document Signed, 8” x 10”, “Approved, Danl. McCook, Co[lone]l Com[man]d[in]g Brigade,” a requisition for service to the Quartermaster’s Department of the 52^nd Ohio Infantry, August 30 to November 18, 1862.

Lightly and evenly toned, with heavier staining along two horizontal folds; water staining at the left and the center fold, well away from McCook’s endorsement.

Civil War-Date Letter Signed

Letter Signed, 7 ¾” x 9 ¾”, an early-ear communication regarding supplies needed for the Seventh Brigade, under General James Negley.

“Head Quarters Second Division, Camp Wood [Kentucky], Dec[ember] 16, 1861.

Capt[ain] J.F. Boyd
As[sistan]t Q[uarte]r Master.

Sir,

I have the honor herewith to enclose, a memorandum of the wants of the Q[uarte]r Masters Dep[artmen]t of the 7^th Brigade.  Gen[era]l Negley informs me he has, made several requisitions for the articles, without obtaining them.  You will please ereport to these Head Quarters why the articles have not been furnished.

I am Sir, very respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant,

Danl. McCook
As[sistan]t Adj[utan]t Gen[era]l.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds, several light surface creases, and a few old paper and hinge remnants on the reverse.

Civil War-Date Autograph Document Signed – Rations for Grant’s teamsters before the Battle of the Wilderness

Autograph Document Signed, 6 ¾” x 11”, partly printed, Culpeper, Virginia, May 2, 1864, “By command of Lieu[tenan]t Gen[era]l Grant, E.S. Parker, Ass[istan]t Adj[tan]t Gen[era]l.”  Just three days before the Overland Campaign commenced at the Battle of the Wilderness, Parker, as General Grant’s adjutant, approves rations for thirteen men employed as teamsters in the Quartermasters Department of Grant’s Headquarters.  With the exception of the signature of Captain Henry Warner Janes, formerly of the 55^th Illinois Infantry, at lower right, remaining manuscript portions of the document are also in Parker’s hand.

Overall condition is very good, with heavier toning and minor staining at three vertical folds.

Civil War-Date Letter Signed – preparing for the Battle of Iuka

Letter Signed, 8 ½” x 10 ½”, to “Hon[orable] Jno. J. Pettus, Governor of Mississippi,” informing Pettus of the disposition of troops sent to reinforce the militia shortly before the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi, September 19, 1862, resulting in Price’s defeat by Union General Wiliam S. Rosecrans.  Docketed on the reverse, presumably by Governor Pettus: “Gen[eral] Price writes in regard to his order to supply Militia & transmit copy of said order.”

“H[ea]d Q[uarte]rs Dist[rict] of the Tennessee
Tupelo [Mississippi], September 5, 1862

Governor,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1^st inst[ant]; delivered to me by Brig[adier] Gen[eral] Harris, & to say that I have issued the necessary orders for the supply of the Militia that have been reported to me, with subsistence, Camp & Garrison equipage, Arms & ammunition.

A copy of these orders are enclosed for your information.  Again thanking your Excellency for Your prompt attention to my request.

I am very respectfully,
Your ob[e]d[ien]t S[er]v[an]t,

Sterling Price

Maj[or] Gen[era]l
Com[mandin]g Dist[rict] of the Tennessee.”

Sound overall, with two horizontal folds; smearing of ink at the conclusion; text is unaffected by age spotting at the edges.

Civil War-Date Document Signed

Document Signed, an 8” x 10” folded four-page letter sheet, Richmond, Virginia, March 24, 1862, Geo. W. Randolph,” to “O. Sibley, Jr., Esq[uire], 3[r]d Ala[bama] Reg[imen]t, Care G.T. Lathrop, Engineer Bureau.”  On an official, imprinted Confederate form, Randolph forwards an important printed Circular from previous War Secretary Judah P. Benjamin, included on the subsequent pages, detailing the provisions for the enlistment of volunteers.  A further notation beneath is initialed “G.W.B.”  The upper left corners of both leaves bear circular embossing with Virginia’s “SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS” motto.

Overall condition is very good, with light, even toning and two horizontal folds; minor smearing of ink at the conclusion of Randolph’s signature.