GENERAL WILLIAM SPRAGUE - AUTOGRAPH - HFSID 320348
WILLIAM SPRAGUE Signature of the Rhode Island industrialist, politician and general Signature: "W. Sprague/R I", 3½x2. William Sprague (1830-1915), who was the Republican Governor of Rhode
Sale Price $162.00
Reg. $180.00
WILLIAM SPRAGUE
Signature of the Rhode Island industrialist, politician and general
Signature: "W. Sprague/R I", 3½x2. William Sprague (1830-1915), who was the Republican Governor of Rhode Island (1860-1863) when the American Civil War broke out, raised troops that participated in the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. Sprague, who at first believed that the war would last only 48 hours, was offered a commission as Brigadier General of Volunteers on August 9, 1861, but he declined the appointment. Sprague attended the Loyal War Governors' Conference in Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1862 to show his support for Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and Union war efforts. He resigned his governorship on March 3, 1863 to become a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island (1863-1875). Sprague, who had amassed a fortune with his family's weaving mills, was first married to Kate Chase (1863-1882), the daughter of Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase. After the couple's divorce, he later married Dora Inez Clavert of West Virginia and rekindled his interest in politics, becoming the Town Council President of Narragansett, Rhode Island in 1900. After a fire destroyed the couple's mansion there, they moved to Paris, where Sprague died. Irregularly cut. Lightly toned. Slightly soiled. Pencil notes (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition.
Following offer submission users will be contacted at their account email address within 48 hours. Our response will be to accept your offer, decline your offer or send you a final counteroffer. All offers can be viewed from within the "Document Offers" area of your HistoryForSale account. Please review the Make Offer Terms prior to making an offer.
If you have not received an offer acceptance or counter-offer email within 24-hours please check your spam/junk email folder.