ANDREW JOHNSON Signed 12½x15¼ photo mount dated by him October 5, 1867, and containing an albumen copy (10x11½) of a photograph of Johnson as President, seated at a writing desk Photograph Mount signed: "Andrew Johnson/Washington City/Oct. 5th 1867". Sepia, matted 12½ x 15¼ overall, 10 x 11½ image (two surfaces). Signed below photo, on the mount. Johnson represented Tennessee in the U.S. House (1843-1853) and Senate (1857-1862, 1875) and served twice as that State's Governor (1853-1857, 1862-1865). His second term was as a Military Governor appointed by President Lincoln. A pro-war Democrat fiercely opposed to secession but also opposed to imposition of a stringent Reconstruction regime on the defeated South, Johnson was nominated and elected in 1864 as Lincoln's second Vice President on a National Union ticket. Following Lincoln's assassination, Johnson succeeded to the highest office for a stormy term (1865-1869) in which he was increasingly at odds with the Republican majority in Congress. He was impeached by the House 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...

NAVY SECRETARY GIDEON WELLES ORDERS THE NAVY TO TRANSPORT CAPTURED FUGITIVE JOHN SURATT BACK TO THE US TO STAND TRIAL FOR CONSPIRING TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT LINCOLN GIDEON WELLES Telegram, unsigned, 1 page, 8½x11. 1866 December 6. Telegram partly printed in Portuguese, received from Gideon Welles in Washington, D.C., for transmittal to Admiral Goldsborough, American Squadron at Lisbon, Portugal. Manuscript text of Welles' message (unknown hand): "Send steamer to Alexandria, Egypt to receive Surautt [sic] from Consul Hale and bring him to Washington." [Welles' name has also been misspelled by the telegraph office.] Docketed on verso: "Hon. G. Welles/Secy of the Navy/6th Dec. 1866/Send steamer to/Alexandria, Egypt". Gideon Welles (1812-1878), a Jacksonian Democrat who joined the new Republican Party in 1854 because he detested slavery, was Secretary of the Navy throughout the Presidencies of Abraham Lincoln (who called him "Neptune") and Andrew Johnson (1861-1869). John Suratt (1844-1916) was the son of Mary Suratt, convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Lincoln and the first woman executed (hanged) by the US government. read more...

JAMES GARFIELD The President signs a warrant authorizing the Secretary of State to place the US seal on a congratulatory message to the new Kingdom of Romania. Signatures by Garfield as President are extremely rare, this one penned less than two months before he was shot. Presidential Warrant signed: "James A. Garfield" as President, 8x10, matted with a photograph of Garfield (with facsimile signature) to an overall size of 18½x15. Washington, D.C., 1881 May 5. In full: "I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of State to cause the Seal of the United States to be affixed to an envelope containing my reply to the letter of King Charles of Romania, announcing the erection of Romania into a Kingdom &c, &c. dated this day, and signed by me; and for so doing this shall be his warrant." 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). read more...

CIVIL WAR: UNION CAVALRY SABRE. Sword, overall length 43½ inches, and scabbard. The sword, which has a steel blade, has a brass hilt and wire and leather wrapped grip. The scabbard is steel. Sword is marked on ricasso: "Ames Mfg. Co. Chicopee, Mass. US JH 1858". On April 14, 1858, Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Massachusetts received an order from the Ordnance Department for 800 "New Pattern" Light Cavalry sabres. All 800 of these sabres, including this one, were delivered in October 1858, making them the first one percent of the 81,300 Light Cavalry sabres that Ames would produce for the Ordnance Department during the Civil War. This is likely the sword of an enlisted man, as their swords were usually dated on the ricasso. During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Army was divided into three components: the infantry, the artillery and the cavalry. In the early stages of the war, the cavalry supported the artillery and infantry by scouting, gathering intelligence and generally serving as the "eyes and ears" of the Army. As the war progressed, however, the cavalry took an increasingly offensive role, and by the end of the war the Union cavalry was recognized as fearsome offensive force. read more...

SEVEN WEEKS AFTER SURRENDERING FORT SUMTER, COLONEL ROBERT ANDERSON WRITES TO GENERAL LORENZO THOMAS ABOUT A RECENT MEETING WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S LIFELONG FRIEND, JOSHUA SPEED   ROBERT ANDERSON. Important ALS: "Robert Anderson/Col. USA", 1p, 7¾x9¾. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1861 June 4. To General Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant General USA, Washington, D.C. In full: "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Genl Orders (Adjt Genls Office) No 25.6&7 and G.O. No. 7 Hd Qrs of the Army, and also of a letter from the Hon. J.K. Moorehead to the Hon. Secy of War, with enclosures, referring to certain parties in Louisville Ky reported to be engaged in furnishing or forwarding, Revolvers, Tents, Knapsacks &c to the rebels, Mr. Joshua Speed, a firm Union Man and a man of sound judgement, to whom I showed these papers, advises that no steps be now taken in this matter-greater harm than benefit to the cause would result from it. A letter from Surgeon Wright USA. the Senior Medical Office in this Dept. is, herewith, forwarded. read more...

ABRAHAM LINCOLN This is a rare handwritten legal document, signed by Lincoln with his firm's name of "Murphy & Lincoln" and with two paragraphs of comments on a suit against Sam Frazier, sheriff of Vermillion County, Indiana. It's an excellent example of a document from before he became 16th President of the United States. Rare Autograph Endorsement signed: "Murphy & Lincoln [illegible]", 1p, 7¾x12½. Champaign County, Illinois, circa 1852. In full: "And the defendant doth the like." Signed beneath the first paragraph of a manuscript document relating to the case of Nelson Ligget vs Samuel Frazier, who were represented by Linder Benedict & Davis. In full: "And the said plaintiff for replication to said defendants first pleas by him above pleaded, says precludi non, because he says That the said defendant at the time and place when & in the said plea mentioned, he the said defendant did not then and there have in his possession the said writ in said plea mentioned And this the said plaintiff prays may be enquired of by the county &c." A second paragraph follows Lincoln's first endorsement. read more...

GENERAL GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER 3-page text, unsigned but entirely in his hand, explaining the rules of croquet. While it is extremely unusual to find Custer writing on a sport not directly related to his military duties, Custer, his wife Libbie, and his soldiers did entertain themselves with croquet and similar sports in idle times at their military posts. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, 3 pages, 7½x9½. No place, no date. In full: I. In commencing to play, each player, in their proper turn, places their ball at a distance from the starting post equal to twice the length of their mallet. II. The order of the wickets is as follows. Leaving the starting post players will take the 1st wicket, then the middle wicket from left to right, then the three wickets on the right of the table in their proper order. Then the middle wicket from right to left, then the wicket nearest to the turning post. Then the turning post, then the wicket nearest the turning post. Then the middle wicket from right to left. Then the three wickets in left side of table in their proper order. Then the middle wicket from left to right, then the wicket nearest starting post. III. read more...

J. E. B. "JEB" STUART Demanding carbines for his men, Stuart writes an insistent letter to Porter Alexander as he readies his cavalry for the first of their many daring raids behind Union lines. Autograph Letter signed: "J. E. B. Stuart", 1 page, 3¾x6. Headquarters, Cavalry Brigade [Army of Northern Virginia], 1862 May 17. To "Dear Major" [E. Porter Alexander. Chief of Ordnance]. In full: "Have you done anything for that Blakely yet? Please attend to it at once as we are almost in daily use of it. I need carbines of long range, do make an effort to procure me a few hundred or even one or two. The 6th N[orth] C[arolina] vol[unteers] has 10, and other Inf[antr]y reg[imen]ts 20 [more], & various other non-combatants are thoroughly armed & equipped. Eradicate & eliminate for the cavalry." James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart (1833-1864), called Jeb by his friends and by history, graduated from West Point in 1854, serving on the Western frontier. read more...