Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed – seeking a pass “to reclaim the remains of a dead Soldier.”

Autograph Letter Signed, on beautifully imprinted 6” x 7 ½” official stationery as Massachusetts governor.  During the second year of war, Andrew seeks the assistance of Franklin E. Howe, an officer in the 36^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, in procuring a pass for a colleague in the regiment, to reclaim the remains of an unnamed dead soldier.  Modern records indicate that Howe died of disease on May 5, 1864 in Westminster, Massachusetts.

“Boston, April 29, 1862, L[ieutenan]t Col[onel] Howe.  My d[ea]r Col[onel], If you can help Mr. A.S. Tuttle to get a passage to Roanoke Island to reclaim the remains of a dead Soldier you will confer a favor.  I am unaware about the regulations nom a sick passenger to N[orth] C[arolina] not in military service.  Your serv[ant], John A. Andrew.”

Accompanied by the imprinted transmittal envelope, addressed to Howe.  The letter is excellent overall, with light, even toning and two horizontal folds; the transmittal envelope bears heavier staining, with irregular tearing at the edges from opening.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed

Early in the American Civil War, Ashby’s 7^th Virginia Cavalry functioned primarily on scout and outpost duty along the Potomac.  In the spring of 1862, Colonel Ashby served with distinction in the Shenandoah Valley campaign as head of Stonewall Jackson’s cavalry.  Only two weeks after his promotion to brigadier general, Ashby was killed-in-action.

Autograph Letter Signed, 5 ¾” x 7”, an important, confidential early-war strategic communication, directing the destruction of a dam on the Potomac, between Martinsburg, Virginia and Williamsport, Maryland.

“Camp Jefferson, Sept[ember] 24, [18]61.  Col[onel] Riley.  Dear Sir,  I shall need your cooperation in a few days to destroy the Dam No. 4 – by throwing such force as you can safely send out from Martinsburg towards the Dam to be between that point and the crossing opposite Williamsport, but near enough to be supported by the whole body with me if you should be threatened.  When I am prepared for the work I will inform you – Do not let this be known as secrecy is important.  Respectfully, Turner Ashby, L[ieutenan]t Col[onel] Com[mandin]g.”

Extremely rare, as no other such examples have been offered for sale in the recent past.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few stains, and there are inconsequential pinholes and minor breaks at the intersections of several folds.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed

Autograph Letter Signed, 7” x 9”, on “Head-Quarters King’s Division” imprinted stationery, directing the encampment of his corps, shortly after the conclusion of the Shenandoah Valley campaign.

“Warrenton [Virginia], 25 – 6 [June, 1862].  P.M.  Major Perkins, A[ide] D[e] C[amp], Etc.  Select a good position and camp our Corps where they are.  I return in an ambulance.  Truly Yours, N.P. Banks, M[ajor] G[eneral] C[ommanding].”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few light stains; minor bleeding of ink on several letters; two horizontal folds.

Civil War-Date Document Signed – an imprinted 142^nd New York Infantry Pass

Document Signed, 3 ¾” x 5”, West Point, Virginia, May 4, 1864, “A.M. Barney, L[ieutenan]t Col[onel] Commanding Regiment,” a desirable, partly printed pass; dated one day before the fighting began at the Battle of the Wilderness and countersigned by 142^nd New York Lieutenant Joseph Hastings Hays, who was wounded at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia the following month.

Lightly toned, with the expected folds; general wear and staining throughout.

Franked Envelope, 3 ¾” x 8 ¼”, “Free, R.H. Bayard, U.S. Senate,” also addressed by Bayard, to “Herman Cope, Esq[uire], Bank U.S., Philadelphia,” with stamped free designation and a Washington, D.C. postmark, May 8, no year, and a red wax seal on the reverse.

Well-worn, with light toning; numerous edge chips and tears, all away from the signature and address.

Signed Card, 1 ¾” x 3 ¾”, bevel-edged, “John Beatty.”

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.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed - from Leavenworth, Kansas

Autograph Letter Signed, 5 ¼” x 8 ¼”.  From Leavenworth, Kansas, the vicinity of his father’s actions at the Pottawatomie Massacre and the Battles of Osawatomie and Black Jack in 1856 “Bleeding Kansas,” Brown conveys details of his return home to his wife in Ohio.  Accompanied by the transmittal envelope, imprinted “R. Stevenson, Photographic ARTIST, 40 Delaware Street, Leavenworth, Kansas”; addressed by Brown, to “Mrs. Wealthy C. Brown, Jefferson, Ashtabula Co[unty], Ohio, Box 125,” with a three-cent U.S. postage stamp and a June 6, 1862, Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory postmark at the upper right corner.

“Leavenworth City Kansas, Thursday, June 5 1862.    

My Loved Wife,

I have this moment got yours of the 28^th.  All in a hurry this morning as a Boat for St. Louis has just come and is off in a few minutes.

It will take me about five days to Chicago including one Sunday – say two days there then, one perhaps at Cleveland when I will be home as fast as I can.  Every thing is waiting and I must say good bye. 

Your own, John.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few minor stains and smearing of ink to several characters; chipping at the upper right corner and at the edge of the lower of two horizontal folds detracts very little.  The envelope has the expected wear at the edge and the right edge has been torn somewhat irregularly in opening.

Signature, with date and place of residence, “O.H. Browning, Quincy, Illinois, Aug[us]t 10, 1874,” on a 3” x 7 ¾” slip of lined paper; affixed to heavier backing.

Excellent.

Letter Signed, on imprinted stationery as U.S. Interior Secretary, promoting a clerk in the General Land Office.

“Washington, D.C., March 24^th 1868.  L. Harreson of Pennsylvania, is hereby promoted to a Clerkship of the Second Class in the General Land Office to take effect from the first instant.  O.H. Browning, Secretary of the Interior.” 

Lightly toned, with a few stains and two horizontal folds; trimmed slightly at the left edge; old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Signature, with sentiment and date, “very Respectfully yours, O.H. Browning, Feb[ruar]y 1, 1867,” on a 2 ¼” x 4 ¾” slip of lined paper; penned as U.S. Interior Secretary.

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor show-through of old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Signature, as U.S. Senator, “B.K. Bruce, Miss[issippi],” on a 1 ½” x 4 ½” portion of an album page.

Excellent.

Early Civil War-Date Pass

Autograph Document Signed, 3” x 5”, a rare handwritten pass from Burnside’s early-war encampment near Washington, D.C., named for Rhode Island Governor William Sprague.

“Camp Sprague.  Washington, June 6^th 1861.  Pass Serg[ean]t Crandall till eleven o’clock.  A.E. Burnside, Col[onel] Com[man]d[in]g.”

Pencil notations in an unknown hand on the reverse list several identified enlisted men of the 1^st Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry.  The 1^st Rhode Island Infantry under the command of Colonel Burnside was actively engaged at the Battle of First Bull Run, July 21, 1861 and returned to Providence, Rhode Island, where the unit was mustered out on August 2, 1861.  Colonel Burnside re-entered Union service soon afterward and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, effective August 6, 1861.

Lightly toned, with somewhat heavier soiling and wear at vertical and horizontal fold lines; a few small tears and minor chips at the edges.

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.

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.

Autograph Note Signed, 2 ½” x 4 ¼”, an undated, cordial reply to a letter.

“To Mark: Thank you for the nice letter, and best wishes to you and your family.  Jimmy Carter.”

Excellent.

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.