MAJOR GENERAL ETHAN A. HITCHCOCK - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 03/29/1864 - HFSID 84344

GENERAL ETHAN A. HITCHCOCK
In this war-dated letter, Civil War General Ethan A. Hitchcock wrote this letter in 1864 to an autograph hunter, asking "What on earth can my young friend Susan want of the autograph of so insignificant an actor - in these stirring times - as her old friend".
Autograph letter signed "E.A. Hitchcock". Pencil notations at bottom edge and top right corner in unknown hand. 1 page, 5¼x8 ruled paper. Washington, D.C., March 29, 1864. Addressed to Mrs. Susan A. Doughty, Brooklyn, New York. In full: "What on earth can my young friend Susan want of the autograph of so insignificant an actor - in these stirring times - as her old friend [signature] (who is styled a) Maj. Gen. of Vol. and Commr of Exch:". Hitchcock (1798-1870) fought in all the major battles of the Mexican War and was Inspector General on General Winfield Scott's staff. In the Civil War, he was a major general on the Commission of Exchange of Prisoners and sat on a commission for revising the military code as well as the military advisor to President Lincoln. Hitchcock also uncovered evidence of fraud among Indian agents against the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory in 1841. Lightly toned, soiled and creased. Random ink stains. Staple holes at bottom left corner. Neatly torn from notebook at left edge. Irregular bottom edge with rounded bottom corners. Folded once vertically and twice horizontally and unfolded. Otherwise in fine condition.