Signature, as U.S. Senator, “Benj. Harrison, Ind[ian]a,” on a 5 ½” x 8 ¼” album page, above the signature of Daniel W. Voorhees, Harrison’s Indiana colleague in the U.S. Senate; the large signature of U.S. Senator John A. Logan, Union general from Illinois during the American Civil War, is on the reverse.

Excellent, with light, even toning and a few superficial stains and light surface creases.

Franked Envelope as Civil War Congressman

Franked Envelope, 3” x 5 ½”, “John B. Haskin, M[ember] C[ongress],” with stamped free designation and February 19, 1861 New York City and Williamsburgh, New York postmarks; addressed in another hand to a Westchester County, New York resident.

Smearing of ink in the New York postmark and in portions of the address; heavier soiling and wear at the edges.

Civil War-Date Signature

Signature, with rank in another hand, “William Hays, Brig[adier] Gen[era]l & A[ssistant] P[rovost] M[arshal] Gen[eral],” on a 1” x 3 ½” slip of paper, removed from a larger letter; affixed to larger backing.

General staining and wear throughout; there is a diagonal tear, with no loss of paper, through a portion of the signature.

Signed Card, 1 ¾” x 3 ¾”, bevel-edged, “W.B. Hazen, Br[i]g[adier] & B[re]v[e]t Maj[or] Gen[era]l, Chief Signal Officer U.S.A.”

Rectangular area of uneven toning from past framing surrounds the signature, along with general wear and soiling throughout; surface abrasion at the lower right; old mounting traces on the reverse.

Civil War-Date Endorsement Signed – Just six weeks before Hill’s death at the Battle of Petersburg

War-Date Endorsement Signed, on a 3 ¾” x 7” portion from the reverse of a medical furlough document.  Signed beneath by an adjutant, and on the reverse by two surgeons and 47^th North Carolina Infantry Sergeant Joseph Young Moss.

“H[ea]d Q[uarte]rs 3^rd Army Corps, Feb[ruar]y 17, 1865.  Res[pectfully] forwarded approved, A.P. Hill, Lieutenant Gen[era]l.”

A.P Hill was killed-in-action at the Battle of Petersburg, Virginia just six weeks after the signing of this endorsement.  Modern records indicate that Sergeant Moss was wounded and captured during the Battle of Gettysburg, later exchanged, and was again captured on the day of Hill’s death at Sutherland’s Station, Virginia.

On the medium-brown paper often used by the Confederates, thus a bit lacking in contrast, with the expected light fold creases.

Signature, with place and date also in Hill’s hand, “Fort Clinch, Fl[orid]a, Jan[uary] 31^st 1850, A.P. Hill, 1^st Art[illery],” on a 1 ¾” x 3 ¼” portion of a military document.

A large, bold example, in stark contrast to the smaller and lighter signings from many of Hill’s Civil War-time documents and letters.

Civil War-Date Signature & Rank

Signature, with sentiment and early-war rank, “Yours Sincerely, Joseph Hooker, Brig[adier] Gen[era]l,” on a 2” x 3 ¼” slip of lined paper, affixed to heavier backing of the same dimension.

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor wear and staining; portions affected by brushing and bleeding of ink, along with surface abrasion.

Signature, “Rufus Ingalls,” with rank in another hand, on a 1 ¼” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, removed from a military letter.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few small stains; an old mounting hinge is on the reverse.

Signed Album Page, 4 ¾” x 7 ¼”, “Andrew Johnson.”

Excellent, with light, even toning and original binding holes at the left edge.

Document Signed, 7 ¾” x 9 ¾”, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 14, 1828, “H. Johnson,” as governor on an imprinted form with a beautifully embossed seal at lower left, appointing a judge in West Feliciana Parish.

A seldom-seen document, with light, even toning; minor separation, with no loss of paper, at the usual vertical and horizontal folds; a few chips at the uneven left edge.

Signed Program, 4” x 6”, as President on the front cover, “Lyndon B. Johnson,” for a White House event honoring the President of the Philippines, October 5, 1964, featuring The Harkness Ballet.

On heavy paper, lightly and evenly toned, with superficial wear and soiling.

Signature, as U.S. Senator, “Cha[rle]s W. Jones, Fl[orid]a,” on a 2 ½” x 4” portion of an album page.

Lightly and evenly toned.

Mexican War-Date Signature & Rank

Signature & Rank, “P. Kearny, Jr., L[ieutenan]t 1^st Dr[agoon]s Com[man]d[ing]…” on a 1 ½” x 5” slip of paper; a portion of the document from which Kearny’s signature was removed is included, and bears the manuscript heading, in an unknown hand, “Date. 31^st December 1846.  Station. Saltillo, (Mexico).”

Minor wear and staining, with two pinholes at the left edge of the dated slip of paper.

Signature, as U.S. Representative, “F.C. Le Blond, Celina, Ohio,” on a 2 ¾” x 5” portion of an album page.

Lightly and evenly toned.

Autograph Letter Signed, 7 ¼” x 9 ¼”, thanking one “J.H. Coghill, Esq[uire], New York City,” for the gift of a book.

“Richland, Stafford Co[unty], V[irgini]a,
Feb[ruary] 10, 1880.

My dear Sir,

I beg that you will accept my thanks for the book you were kind enough to send me, and I must also tender my congratulations for the excellent manner displayed in grouping the material, you have so carefully gathered, in such handsome form.

Grateful too, for the Kind feelings expressed for myself,

I am very truly yours,
Fitzhugh Lee.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with the expected folds; tipped to slightly larger backing at the edges.

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.

War-Date Autograph Letter Signed – to Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard

Autograph Letter Signed, on a 5” x 8” folded lettersheet, with exceptional early-war content, to General P.G.T. Beauregard, commander of the Confederate Army at Manassas, Virginia.  As newly commissioned major general, Longstreet informs and seeks Beauregard’s direction in the placement of “blackened logs,” commonly referred to as “Quaker Guns” at the time, designed to deceive the Union Army into believing that they faced the heavy artillery of a well-equipped foe on the banks of the Potomac.                                                                                                             

“Taylors, Dec[ember] 6^th 1861.  My Dear General, But two of the Redoubts have been set apart for the batteries of my Division.  I have ordered sheds over the embrasures of these and blackened logs put in there; no others.  If you desire me to have others fixed please advise me.  Very Sincerely Yours, J. Longstreet.  [to] Gen[eral] G.T. Beauregard.”

Beauregard makes initialed notation, in pencil, at the bottom edge:

“Ans[wer].  Arrange all to be garrisoned by the 2^nd Division.  G.T.B.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Signature, with the rank held from June 11, 1851 through the outbreak of the American Civil War, “N. Lyon, Capt[ain], 2^nd Inf[antr]y, Com[mandin]g Comp[an]y ‘B’”, on a 3” x 4 ¼” slip of lined paper.

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

Autograph Letter Signed, 8” x 10”, requesting a cask of wine be sent to Fort Independence, Massachusetts. 

“Boston, 5^th July, 1849.  Major Wm. D. Fraser, U.S. Corps Engineers, N[ew] Y[ork].  D[ea]r Sir, I will thank you to forward to this place by first packet convenient one cask Gaudron for the service of Fort Independence.  Gaugeret & his Assistant joined me from St.[?] Newton on the morning of the 3^rd July.  Very Respectfully, Your Ob[edien]t Jos. K.F. Mansfield, Capt[ain]…& B[re]v[e]t Col[onel].’’

Overall condition is very good, with heavier wear and toning at the usual vertical and horizontal folds.

Signed Card, 1 ¾” x 3 ½”, with Confederate rank, “Will T. Martin, Maj[or] Gen[era]l Cav[alry], Wheeler’s Corps, C.S.A.”

Lightly toned, with minor staining and a few surface abrasions and indentations; old mounting remnants on the reverse and minor bumping at the corners.