JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN He signs a handwritten 1871 letter responding to a bill for nautical equipment, complaining that some of it was faulty. ALS: "J L. Chamberlain", 2 pages, 5x8. Brunswick, Maine, 1871 September 23. To C.S. Donnelly, Esq. In part: "Your bill is received as requested, & is I believe correct. I don't know anything about the Notch Boom but suppose Capt. Stover got it. It never came to my yacht, but if it was got for me, I will be accountable for it...Also I may mention that I found the pump, when I came to set it, in two pieces, never having been properly soldered or brazed. & I had to pay $1.00 to have it done...But the pump was an imperfect one, & I would have returned it if I could have done so. Please inform me if I am at liberty to make deduction accordingly...." Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914) commanded the 20th Maine in its famous defense of Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Chamberlain was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this action. read more...

GENERAL DANIEL H. HILL Important Civil War-dated letter. Confederate Major General Daniel H. Hill wrote this letter from Goldsboro, North Carolina in 1863 complaining about Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler and his cavalry. Autograph letter signed "DH Hill". 1 page, 7¾x11½, ruled paper. Goldsboro, North Carolina, March 28, 1863. Addressed to Major G. M. Sorrell, Confederate States Army. "The picket line from Mt. Roanoke to Wilmington is about 175 miles being a curved line. I have written to Genl. [Beverly] Robertson to know what is the least force which can cover it. The rest, I will order to Bertie [County, North Carolina]. They will not fight & the only use which can be made of them is as [illegible] and Pickets ... I wrote to the Sec. War in reference to dismantling G. J. Wheeler's bogus Regt. He has but four companies, very worthless & the time allowed him for the completion of his regt 15th March has expired. His Field and Staff have not been commissioned. The govt might buy the horses for the boat train & artillery & put the men in an Infantry Regt. I hope that this matter will be attended to promptly. read more...

FRANK JAMES Awaiting his second trial in a year, the famous outlaw writes a loving letter to his 7 year old son Robert ("My Dear Little Man") Autograph Letter signed: "Your Father/Frank James" in pencil, 1 pages, 5½x8½. No place, 1884 February 29. Written in block letters to "My Dear Little Man", in full: "I want you to hurry up and learn to ride so you can get you a new saddle. I want you to learn to write and write me a letter. Addressed in verso to "Robert F. James/at home". This letter was enclosed with a letter James wrote to his wife Annie. Accompanied by printed chart titled "The Deaf and Dumb Alphabet", showing the appropriate hand signals. Notation in Frank James' hand: "For Rob". FRANK JAMES (1843-1915) and his brother Jesse James fought as Confederate guerrillas in Missouri ("Quantrill's Raiders") during the Civil War. They joined Cole Younger and others in 1866 to form a gang led by Jesse, robbing banks and trains. Frank and Jesse survived and escaped the failed Northfield, Minnesota bank heist of 1876, forming a new gang. read more...

JAMES GARFIELD The 20th President of the United States signed this 5¾x2¾ piece of paper less than two months before being assassinated in office. Signature: "James A. Garfield/May 21 1881" 5¾x2¾ piece of paper. James Abram Garfield (1831-1881) rose to the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army during the Civil War, participating in the battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga, before resigning his commission to take a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (1863-1880). A political moderate, Garfield was the compromise choice of a deadlocked Republican Convention in 1880, nominated on the 36th ballot and elected President by a narrow margin. Garfield's assassination by a disappointed office seeker helped advance the cause of civil service reform which he had advocated. Shot on July 2 1881, Garfield died on September 19, only 200 days into his term. Signatures of Garfield as President, are thus extremely rare. Fine condition.  read more...

WILLIAM F. 'BUFFALO BILL' CODY The man known for his showmanship and scouting skills signed this handwritten letter concerning his financial issues. Various close associates liquidate Cody's assets so that he can pay his creditors. Autograph Letter Signed: "W. C. Cody" one page both sides, 8.5 x 11, Chicago Shan-Kive and Round-Up letterhead. Dated September 18, 1916. Letter to his attorney Henry Hersey regarding his grim financial situation. In Part: “They can explain this situation to you better than I care for they have not kept me well footed. But if you do not hear from them, I'll write you all I know. First Link got judgement for about $11,800. And sold the Irma hotel and four lots and bid it in him self. I have until Jan. 15th 1917. In which to reclaim the property. There separately he sold the fixtures, paintings, etc - I furnished the money and had W.L. Walls bid them in for me. Then Link advertised and sold a hotel of mine called Pahaska Tepee. I furnished the money and had Walls bid that in for me.” read more...

GENERAL GODFREY WEITZEL Pair of binoculars with case signed and war-dated in 1861 by Union Major Godfrey Weitzel. He served with the unit that guarded Abraham Lincoln during the 1861 presidential inauguration and later commanded the XXV Corps of U. S. Colored Troops during the First Battle of Fort Fisher. These binoculars were given to Weitzel by Lincoln, with impeccable provenance from the general himself! Ephemera signed "President/Abraham/Lincoln/to/Godfrey/Weitzel/1861" inside case lid. 4¼x3x1¾ Galilean binoculars in 5x3½x2¼ leather case. Stamped inside lid in gold: "McAllister & Brother/728 Chestnut Street/Philadelphia". Weitzel served with the unit that guarded Abraham Lincoln during the 1861 presidential inauguration and helped build defenses in Washington, D. C. Lincoln gave these binoculars to him, and they have impeccable provenance from Weitzel himself. Weitzel (1835-1884) was an engineer with the U. S. Army before the American Civil War; among his pre-war projects were helping to improve the defenses of New Orleans. He entered the war a first lieutenant on the Union side and was eventually promoted to major general in the volunteer service by the end of the war. read more...

WILLIAM F. CODY ("BUFFALO BILL") 4x5 photo of Cody, signed and signed on the 7x9 photo mount in 1903 as both W.F. Cody and Buffalo Bill Photograph Mount inscribed and signed: "W.F. Cody/'Buffalo Bill'/To Ormsby Trench/1903". B/w, 7x9 overall, image 3¾x5½ (two surfaces). Photo by Marceau Studios, 258 Fifth Avenue, New York. William Frederick Cody earned the name "Buffalo Bill" for killing thousands of buffalo as a hired hunter in 1867 and 1868. Cody's theatrical career was launched in 1872 with re-enactments of Indian battles. By 1883, he formed his first Wild West spectacle, becoming a master showman. Vintage mount is lightly foxed, soiled and slightly stained with some wear at edges. Photo is lightly soiled and slightly foxed. Signature and inscription in fine condition. read more...

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER Important, Civil War-dated ALS, enthusiastically endorsing a new saber shield and urging that the US Cavalry be equipped with it Autograph Letter signed: "G. A. Custer, Brig. Genl.", 1 page, 6¼x8. Washington, D.C., 1864 April 6. To Captain R. R. Moffatt, in full: "Having carefully examined your 'Sabre Shield,' and having considered its merits, as pertaining to my own branch of the service, I do not hesitate in pronouncing it a most invaluable acquisition to the cavalry arm of the service. I am firm in the belief that the possession of it by our cavalry would give confidence and increases courage to those wearing it. The trifling weight of the shield is such as to be almost unfelt by the wearer. I hope it will be adopted at once."  George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876) graduated last in his class at West Point in 1858, but promptly redeemed himself through his brave and aggressive cavalry leadership during the Civil War. read more...

JEFFERSON DAVIS Davis writes to Colonel Robert Scott concerning a text of his Civil War recollections, intended for publication. Davis speaks of his dissatisfaction with General Beauregard's actions during the war.  Here he claims he told Beauregard: "The last sentence of my telegram conveyed to Genl. Beauregard my dissatisfaction at the change and doubt as to the expected result." Autograph Letter signed: "Jefferson Davis", 2 pages (front and verso), 5x8. Beauvoir, Mipi, 1884, October 11. In full: "Yours of the 8th inst. has been this day received, and the enclosure compared. It is in the main correct, the alterations you will find restored by pencil erasure and interlineation. You were correct in the supposition that it was a telegram; and that together with the fact that it was addressed to one fully informed of my views, will account for its brevity. The telegram to which mine was a response, was, I believe, the one which announced a change of the plan of campaign; which Genl. Beauregard accepted at Augusta, and thence, was to procede to execute. read more...