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Sale 118
The Nov 14-15, 2020 Collectibles Auction
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Lot 158 |
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Morgan, John Hunt -- Autograph Album Signed by Morgan and 68 of His Officers While in the Ohio State Penitentiary in 1863. A brown leather-bound autograph album with decorative blind and gilt tool work on both boards, 5¼x7¾". The first endpaper has an inscription by a previous owner: "Dec. 10th 1875. Sallie David, Uniontown, KY." On the next leaf is a presentation inscription: "To Miss Ruth C. David from J.S.C. Penitentiary, Columbus, Ohio, September, 1863." This album was originally purchased directly from a descendant of Henry Clay.
The next page bears the rare autograph of John Hunt Morgan, Confederate general and legendary cavalry commander. His signature is in a very desirable form, including his rank and hometown: "Jno. H. Morgan / Brigd. Gen / CS Army / Lexington / Ky." On the next sixty plus pages of this album are beautifully accomplished signatures of Morgan's staff officers, one per page, most all showing rank, division, and hometown. Some forty-eight officers are natives of Kentucky, with the balance from various other states and Washington, D.C. Also listed are several men, one from Texas, who were killed in battle.
Some of the other autographs include: Capt. Thomas S. Morgan, likely a cousin of John Hunt Morgan; Lt. Col. Joseph T. Tucker, a member of the Kentucky 11th, Chenault's Cavalry, who was later exchanged and served under Breckinridge in West Virginia; Capt. Buford A. Lucy, Asst. Quartermaster for Chenault's Regt.; Lt. Col. James B. McCreary, who would help Morgan escape from this prison on Nov. 27, 1863 and would later become governor of Kentucky; Capt. Hart Gibson, Morgan's asst. adj. gen.; Col. Basil W. Duke, Morgan's brother-in-law and right-hand man, promoted to general on Morgan's death, member of Pres. Jeff. Davis's escort staff at the end of the war, also a historian and author; Charlton Hunt Morgan, John Hunt's brother and aide de camp; Col. William W. Ward, head of the 9th Tennessee; 2nd Lt. Thomas W. Bullitt, helped dig the tunnel for Morgan's escape; Capt. T. Henry Hines, the architect of Morgan's escape; and Capts. Loreno D. Hockersmith, Jacob C. Bennett, and Ralph Sheldon, all of whom escaped with Morgan and Hines.
In July 1862 Morgan had led a very successful raid through Kentucky, which raised alarms all the way to the White House. In June and July 1863, Morgan led some 2500 troops on a 1,000 mile raid to destroy bridges, railroads, and Union supplies in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, farther north than any other uniformed Confederate penetration during the war. General Braxton Bragg, who was Morgan's regional commander, had given explicit orders not to cross the Ohio River--an order which Morgan flouted and which proved costly. After Union gunboats intercepted many of his men, Morgan surrendered at Salineville, Ohio. The enlisted men were sent to the Camp Douglas stockade in Chicago, while Morgan and his officers were escorted to the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus. On November 27, Morgan and six of his men made a daring escape by tunneling through a ventilation shaft beneath their cells and scaling the wall. Two were recaptured but Morgan and the other four made it back to the South. Less than a year later, on Sept. 4, 1864, in Greeneville, Tennessee, Morgan was fatally shot by Union cavalrymen.
The book is in good condition, with the spine re-backed. The signatures, however are in fine condition, with only tiny tears on the top of the first two pages, not affecting any writing.
This amazing item is certainly one of the finest groupings of Confederate signatures available, especially to a collector of material related to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Estimated Value $7,500 - UP
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Realized
$7,680 |
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Lot 159 |
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Original Cipher Battlefield Communication From General Burnside to General McClellan -- Antietam Campaign -- With Translation. Manuscript ciphered communication, in ink on 10x8" sheet, both sides, headed "Hd Qrs. Right Wing etc. in field near Damascus Sept. 10th 8 PM." The ciphered message begins: "Caldwell - Katy Thomas for just state shall to & their to has in regards with this that everything to market a affairs will the drink Adam received of send new report return indicate left accordance office directions but udder seem on once pigeons…." Signed "Doyle."
The decoded and typewritten text of this message is annotated as being furnished by the War Department, Feb. 20, 1895, at the request of Gen. Peter C. Doyle, Buffalo, N.Y. The decoded message reads as follows: "Headquarters Right Wing In the Field near Damascus September 10, 1862 - 8 p.m. General McClellan: The following report just received will indicate the state of affairs here. I shall send a squadron of cavalry to New Market at once, and report to you on their return. Everything would seem to indicate that the enemy has left this neighborhood, but in accordance with your directions I shall move carefully. Hooker's corps is on the National road in supporting distance of Ridgeville; two divisions of Reno's corps at Ridgeville; two on the Damascus and New Market road, three and a half miles from Damascus. The reserve artillery at the forks of the road, two miles from Damascus in the direction of New Market, where our headquarters are established. Reno sent a company of cavalry out to within two miles of New Market and without meeting any pickets. The captain reports that all the citizens informed him that the enemy had left New Market. Burnside, Major-General."
This communication between senior commanders is part of the positioning of troops during the week prior to the battle of Antietam. Burnside moved out of the DC area up through Brookeville, MD to New Market while Hooker was near Ridgeville, just down the road. Along with Franklin and Sumner, both moving in the same direction along parallel routes, they had not encountered any Confederates in the area. Lee's troops were moving through Virginia toward Harpers Ferry, then to the north-northeast. The armies finally met on Sept. 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, MD. Called the Battle of Antietam by the Union and the Battle of Sharpsburg by the Confederates, it would be the single bloodiest day in American history to date, with close to 23,000 in casualties.
Military intelligence from Lee's Special Order 191 was recovered by Union troops on Sept. 13 and played an important role in the Battle of Antietam. The battle would have been a clear Union victory if Lee had not got word to A.P. Hill, who was at Harpers Ferry with his Light Division. Hill raced to Antietam just in time to counterattack a move by Burnside to destroy Lee's right flank, bringing the battle to a stalemate.
The original message as encoded and written in the field shows some wear and has a couple of clean breaks at folds, but nothing is missing or torn off, so in very good condition for this type of document. The War Department-prepared decoded copy is in fine condition, with transmittal envelope present. Ciphered messages are exceedingly rare in private hands. Estimated Value $6,000 - UP
Cowan, June 2017, Lot 104.
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Lot 160 |
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Lee, Robert E. -- DS as President of Washington College (1807-1870) Legendary Confederate general. Document signed, "R E Lee," as President of Washington College in Virginia, one page 10½x8". Being a report for the month ending March 31st, 1867 for Mr. Edwin T. Dumble. Marks are noted for Latin, Greek, and Mathematics. Not long after surrendering his army, General Lee accepted the position of president of Washington College. He was afraid that he would encounter hostility but took the position with the financially-troubled school because he thought it was "the duty of every citizen in the present condition of the Country, to do all in his power to aid in the restoration of pease and harmony." He made numerous changes to the curriculum and the school was financially stable when Lee died in 1870. Lee's name was added to the school after his death. Mr. Dumble (from Texas) would graduate on June 18, 1868.
LOA by James Spence Authentication. Estimated Value $1,500 - UP
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Realized
$1,784 |
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Lot 161 |
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1892 Grant's Tomb Medallion in Original Leather Box, 2nd 1864 Medallion, + Three Grand Army of the Republic Medals in Superb Condition. Superb collection of Civil War era related medals and two important medallion:
1.) Very prized Ulysses S Grant Washington Lincoln Commemorative Peace Medal. American bronze medal commemorating the life of President Ulysses S. Grant. c.1892. The front features 3 relief busts of the presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant. The reverse features an image of Grant's Tomb. Inscribed "FATHER SAVIOUR DEFENDER" "APRIL 27. 1892." on the front in raised block period script. Inscribed "BORN APRIL 27. 1822. DIED JULY 23. 1885." "LET US HAVE PEACE" in raised block period script. The medal comes in its original case. Issued on the occasion of Benjamin Harrison laying the cornerstone for Grant's Tomb. Extremely handsome medallion measures 2 1/16" in diameter, 1/4" thick, and weighs 2.4 ozt. The case measures 3 1/8" long, 3" wide, and 7/8" thick. Superior condition
2.) Civil War year, 1864 Great Central Fair-U.S. Sanitary Commission Medal Bronzed copper, 57 mm, rims 6 mm thick, 106.6 gm. Dies by Paquet. Obverse scene of caring for the wounded, legend around WE GIVE OUR WEALTH FOR THOSE WHO GIVE THEIR HEALTH FOR US, reverse eight-line inscription IN COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT CENTRAL FAIR FOR THE U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION HELD AT PHILADELPHIA JUNE 1864
Three highly collectible Civil War related medals, The Grand Army of the Republic
1.) The Grand Army of the Republic (Founded 1866-Dissolved 1956) was an enormous fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, Union Navy, Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Springfield, Illinois, and grew to include hundreds of "posts" across the nation. Politically and culturally the organization was immensely influential. An excellent example with a most unusual Post 103 pin from Philadelphia across the grosgrain flag. Excellent condition with superior age patina on the medal.
2.) GAR Naval Veteran Association of Connecticut, U.S. Navy June 18, 1884, outstanding medal with nautical elements of a US Navy anchor, chain, ropes, a banner all surrounding a fine engraving of the USS. Constitution. Rare (we could not find another example) and in superior condition.
3.) GAR Union Artillery Battery pin, 1886 excellent condition with pin back intact. Estimated Value $600 - UP
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Realized
$780 |
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Lot 162 |
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Autograph Letter to 'Sell a Negro Wench and her two Male Children'. G. Phillips, ALS to Andrew Adams, Esq. Middletown, CT, October 22, 1787. One page, docketed on verso. Offering "an excellent Wench about 22 years of age….she is capable of any kind of domestic Labor, if it is for no fault that I wish to sell her. I can now take horses ?… in part payment." Boldly written with scattered iron gall (ink) corrosion but otherwise quite fine. Estimated Value $400 - UP
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Realized
$264 |
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Lot 163 |
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Colonel James Sanks Brisbin -- Commander of Colored Cavalry. ALS to his "Dear Wife" June 6, 1863 from Camp 6th Cavalry Callett's Station, 8 pp. Quarto (8 x 4¾") on lined paper. A fine informative personal letter discussing the current events including his career. In part…"I have letters today which informs me I will soon be called to an important Command in Hunters Dept, North Carolina. I think I will soon be made a Brigadier General - My friends are urging my name again and General and Senator Wade seem to think I am the man for the n***s. If the Dept will give me Three Thousand Mounted n***s I will take them and fight them. I believe the dar*ies will make the best of soldiers. The Government intends putting Seventy Five Thousand Colored troops in the field immediately….I had a long talk with Gen. Buford today. He thinks there is some Twenty Thousand here to meet them. Three Thousand of our men went out today on reconnaissance - they will fight the Rebbes tomorrow and find out how strong they are. If they are not too strong we will cross the River and give them a bloody battle. I know we can whip the Rebbes on a fair field two to one….
Colonel James Sanks Brisbin's assignments included: April 26, 1861 2nd Lt. 1st Dragoons; August 3, 1861 2nd Lt 1st Cavalry; August 5, 1861 Captain 6th Cavalry; March 1, 1864 Colonel 5th United States Colored Cavalry; May 1, 1865 Brigadier General, USV. Wounded at 1st Bull Run, July 1861 (also wounded at Sabine Crossroads) Early 1864 - Promoted to command of a black cavalry regiment. Estimated Value $400 - UP
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Realized
$168 |
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Lot 164 |
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Two Civil War Era Documents: 1864 Secretary of Navy, Gideon Welles and In 1861, James M. Greene President of Naval Asylum. Two Civil War era documents: 1.) Document signed from the Naval Asylum, Philadelphia, dated April 30th, 1861 to a Charles H. Burbank confirming that his application to the office of Assistant Surgeon has been reviewed by the Secretary of the Navy and that he is sixth in line for a commission to be called into service. After five years, he will be entitled to the rank of Surgeon if he has proven himself successful. It ends with " (We) hope, that by the cheerful and conscientious discharge of your professional duties, and by your correct, gentlemanly and moral deportment, you will reflect an honor on your country and on the department of its Naval Service…" 10 x 8½" and in excellent condition. 2.) On August 28th, 1864, Mr. Burbank was promoted to Surgeon, two years early with this document by direction of the President of the United States and signed by Secretary of the Navy. Gideon Welles. Welles was a staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln in his campaign for President and was chosen by him as Secretary of the Navy. In short order he pulled together a mess of a Naval fleet and expanded it ten fold. His Naval portion of the Anaconda Plan strongly weakened the Confederacy's ability to finance the war by limiting the cotton trade, and proved a major contribution towards Northern victory. 18 x 9½, overall excellent clean condition with a small edge tear at fold. Estimated Value $400 - UP
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