ALFRED T. TORBERT Exceedingly rare carte-de-visite photo of Torbert in uniform by Mathew Brady! Autograph Signed Photograph: "Yours truly/A. T. A. Torbert, Brig. Genl: Vols." 2½x4 carte-de-viste with backstamp of Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries, New York & Washington. Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert (1833-1880), an 1855 graduate of West Point, was appointed a First Lieutenant in the Confederate States Army on March 16, 1861, just before the start of the American Civil War, but the Delaware native declined the appointment and remained a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. By August 1862, he was a Brigade Commander of the VI Corps of the Army of the Potomac, and Torbert was promoted to Brigadier General on November 29, 1862. On April 10, 1864, he was given command of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. During Major General Philip Sheridan's Valley Campaigns (1864), Torbert commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Shenandoah. He later commanded the Army of the Shenandoah from April 22, 1865-June 27, 1865.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTERHandwritten letter, signed in the text as "General Custer" (even though he had reverted to his pre-war rank), written in the Dakota Territory two years before his death at the Little Big Horn. Letter includes Custer's stab at poetry. Third Person Autograph Letter, 1 page, 7¾x6¼. Fort Lincoln, D.T. [Dakota Territory], 1874 June 5th. Unknown addressee. In full: "Gen Custers compliments his regrets likewise, in response to your kind invitation. His absence should never create surprise except from his own habitation. This being written his duty might end. With no fear of being called Alfred Tennyson. He simply desires, however to send you, the accompanying leg of venison." 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. Earning the confidence of cavalry commanders Pleasanton and Sheridan, he rose swiftly to the rank of brevet major general by war's end.

FITZ JOHN PORTER Court-martialed after Second Bull Run, the Union officer defends his actions to Robert E. Lee's biographer and tells of his long friendship with the Confederate General. Important ALS: "F.J. Porter", 3¼ p, New York, 1870 January 22. To General Robert E. Lee's former Aide-de-Camp, Colonel Charles Marshall, who at the time was in the midst of writing an autobiography of his experiences with the General: An Aide-De-Camp of Lee, Being The Papers of Colonel Charles Marshall. Marshall corresponded with many of Lee's subordinates in an effort to collect their correspondences with Lee for reference and publication in the book. Porter had known Lee since his boyhood and was "close to him" in the Mexican War and "at West Point, where for a time I [Porter] was his adjt".General Lee died just nine months after this letter. Porter writes, in full: "I have yours- and thank you. The opinions quoted in my 'data' are all from original letters - I had Genl Lee's written permission to use his letters, whenever I deemed it necessary - I withheld on account of delicacy to him, and to prevent his name, during life, being banded about by Radical hounds.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTERImportant, 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.

THE FORMER UNION OFFICER IS SUPPORTED BY CONFEDERATE OFFICERS AS HE FIGHTS TO CLEAR HIS NAME   FITZ JOHN PORTER. ALS: "F.J. Porter", 4p, 5x7¾. New York, 1882 January 24. To Colonel Charles Marshall, Baltimore, Maryland. Begins: "My dear Colonel". In full: "I Thank you warmly for your full reply to my letter - I knew or believed that no written messages had passed between Longstreet & Gen Lee to the effect I wrote you - but Longstreet had testified to that effect before the Board. had written it years before. and Col. W.M Owens of New Orleans. had without confering (sic) with Longstreet. stated he heard Gen Lee about 1. PM. tell Longstreet to advance. & Longstreets reply that he wanted to hear from Stuart of the force coming up on this right - and So I took it for granted it was so. I am glad to have the details you give. That Genl Lee had a contempt for Genl Pope and justly I never doubted. He knew Pope. I don't think that any grounds could have induced him to make the moves he did.

WILLIAM F. "BUFFALO BILL" CODY His autograph letter, signed as Cousin Will, asking to be sent "some more headache powders" to relieve the headache caused by his financial woes Autograph Letter signed: "Cousin Will", 1 page, 8x10. New Rochelle, N.Y., no date. To "Dear Frank and Nellie". In full [spelling errors in original]: "I've had a lot of hard upset. Twice I've had moneyed men who were ready to put up a $150,000 to back me with a new show. And that man Tammen has scared them out by telling them he had a contract for my services for 1916 which he hasent. But he still thinks if I cant get out with a show I come back and make more money for him, which will never do. However, I haven't given up. But will stay here until know what I can do. The men are still working at the mines. Say, please send me some more headache powders. This nervous strain makes my head ache. I am living here at Rochelle with my nephew and neice. Its only 45 minutes from New York. Love ever." William Frederick CODY (1846-1917) earned the name "BUFFALO BILL" for killing thousands of buffalo as a hired hunter in 1867 and 1868.

WILLIAM F. CODY: BUFFALO BILL 4¼x6½ cabinet card photo, signed both as W.F. Cody and as Buffalo Bill Cabinet Card Photograph signed: "W.F. Cody/'Buffalo Bill'". B/w, 4¼x6½. Superb portrait of William F. Cody with his desirable double signature. Photographer's imprint, "Gessford/238 Fifth Ave./N.Y.", at lower mount. William Frederick Cody (1846-1917) was a rider for the Pony Express in 1860, a scout for the Kansas Cavalry against the Indians (1863) and served in the U.S. Army in the Civil War (1863-1865). From 1867-1868, he furnished buffalo meat for the Union Pacific Railroad construction crews, earning his nickname, "Buffalo Bill". Cody was a scout for the 5th U.S. Cavalry from 1868-1872 and in 1876. From 1872-1883, he was on stage as an actor at first in E.Z.C. Judson's play, Scouts of the Plains. He organized Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in 1883 and toured the United States and Europe successfully for over 30 years. Fine condition.

ABRAHAM LINCOLNWhile defending a woman accused of murdering her husband (1857), the future President added six lines of text in his own hand to the written deposition of a witness.Autograph Statement unsigned at the conclusion of Manuscript Document Signed: "J.L. Springgate", 2 pages, 7¾x12¼. Woodford County, [Metamora, Illinois], c. 1845-1857.AT THE CONCLUSION, SIX LINES IN THE HAND OF LINCOLN DIRECTLY ABOVE SPRINGGATE'S SIGNATURE, NOT SIGNED BY LINCOLN WHO WROTE,IN FULL: "Re-cross examination by defendants- The morning of the sale, Laws said that he wanted to go and buy horses, and wanted Vandike to go with him and be his security, and then they both, and this witness went to the sale together (The plaintiff objects to the last piece of evidence)". The names of the plaintiff and defendants are spelled differently throughout the document. Headed: "Deposition of Witness to be used in evidence on the trial of the case now pending in the Circuit Court of Woodford County where John A. Minahan is Plff & J J Lass & Wm G Vandike are defts pursuant to agreement representative of the parties.

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.

WILLIAM F. CODY The famous Wild West showman pens a hopeful letter to his friend, stating "New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season." The letter was written during the downfall of Cody's show empire due to outside expenses draining the immense profits from his show Autograph letter signed: "Col.", 1 page, 8½x11 framed to an overall size of 25½x18½. Buffalo Bill's Wild West combined with Pawnee Bill's Great Far East. May 29, 1911. Portsmouth, [New Hampshire]. In full: "Dear Mayor Glad Light, Your letter which found me is fine health. We had two bad towns last week. Fitchburg & Newburyport. No one ever done business in either. The week hurt us at least $2000 in Lowell-sent your bank 5100 today to take up one of my notes. Been getting good deposits from the mines. Been getting in shape [illegible] or any one. I believe I'll walk a sale of the [illegible]. Note if good are doing. [illegible]. While I telegraph you for now we are all OK here-now. And barring accident we will be OK. New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season.