ZACHARY TAYLOR Three months before his Presidential nomination and one year before his inauguration, Taylor writes military aide and political supporter J. B. Butler that he cannot come to Cincinnati because he may soon be ordered back to "the seat of war." Autograph Letter signed: "Z. Taylor", 2 pages (front and verso), 8x9¾. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1848 March 1. To Major J. B. Butler, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In full: "Your kind favor of Feb. 9 came duly to hand and I am truly indebted to you for the wish you have expressed that I should visit Cincinnati etc., but I assure you such a journey is at present quite out of the question as Rumors have been rife of the intention to order me again to the seat of war and tho' all is uncertain, I must maintain myself for a time at least where I may be readily accessible to the communications of the Dept. Accept my sincere thanks for the many kind sentiments of regard you have once and heretofore expressed towards me both those of a political & personal nature." The popularity of war hero Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) led to his election as the 12th U.S. President (1849-1850). read more...

ROBERT E. LEE and MARY CUSTIS LEE Carte-de-Visite photograph signed by the Lee and his wife, to her cousin Susan P. Meade! Photograph Signed: "R.E. Lee" and inscribed and signed on verso: "Susan P. Meade/from her cousin/Mary Custis Lee". Sepia, 2½x4 overall, image 2¼x3½ (two surfaces). Photographer's imprint at lower border: "Boude & Miley. Lexington, Va." In the early 1850s, photographer Mathew Brady photographed Robert E. Lee in civilian clothes. Artist and engraver A.H. Ritchie reproduced the image and then painted a uniform on Lee showing epaulets and Lee as a Major General in the Virginia Militia. The print was originally issued out of Baltimore and was widely circulated in 1861. The photograph offered here is a vignette view of Lee from the Ritchie engraving. "Vignetting" was a way in which a photography studio would avoid copyright problems for reproducing another's work. Robert Edward Lee (1807-1870), among the most revered military leaders in American history, was the son of Revolutionary War hero and Virginia Governor "Lighthorse Harry" Lee. read more...

JEFFERSON DAVIS and JUDAH P. BENJAMIN As Confederate President and Secretary of War, both signed this printed document on vellum, commissioning privateers to wage war against the US on the high seas. This copy was signed but never used. Printed early in the war, it includes a handwritten correction of the location of the CSA capital, with Montgomery struck out and Richmond written in. Partly Printed DS: "Jefferson Davis" as President of the Confederate States of America and "J.P. Benjamin" as Secretary of State, 1 page, 16½x11¾. On vellum. Montgomery Richmond, 1864 January 8. In full, with blanks not filled in: "Know Ye, That by virtue of the power vested in my by law, I have commissioned, and do hereby commission, have authorized, and do hereby authoriz[e]____or vessel called the_____ [missing] particularly described in the schedule hereunto annexed,) read more...

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 read more...

JEFFERSON DAVIS Five days after General Lee's surrender, the Confederate President, determined to fight on, signs instructions to General Beauregard, framed in the Gallery of History style to 37x21. ALS: "J.D." as President of the Confederacy, on verso in lower ¼ page of 8½x5 telegraph form, South of Yadkin River, 1865 April 14. On telegram form headed "The Southern Express Company/Forward Packages by Passenger trains and Steamers, and Dispatches by Telegraph,/to all parts of the Confederate States". Telegram from Brigadier General S.H. Ferguson to General Beauregard completely in the hand of a telegraph clerk, including signature. In full: "Have Crossed Almost all my horses on RR bridge with a little work wagons Can be brought over by hands will push on after enemy & have advised Genl Johnston to put his Command at work to repair Rail Road if this is approved orders had better be given = neither find passable today. S.H. Ferguson Brig Genl" 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...

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...

JEFFERSON DAVIS, JOHN H. WINDER and THOMAS J. GREEN Davis signs an autograph endorsement forwarding to Confederate Secretary of War Benjamin a handwritten letter from Green, a former general in the army of independent Texas, warning that Confederate soldiers were carrying CSA weapons home with them. General Winder adds a handwritten note to the same document, ordering that guards be posted at depot and they confiscate these weapons. Civil War-date Autograph Endorsement signed: "Sec of War attention./J D", as President of the Confederate States of America in pencil in upper blank margin of letter to him. THOMAS J. GREEN. ALS: "Thos J Green", 1p, 7¼x9¼. Esmeralda near Warrenton North Carolina, 1862 March 17. To "HIS EXCL./JEFFERSON DAVIS/PRES. C.S.A.". In full, original spelling: "I feel it my duty to call your attention to what I believe is highly detrimental to the public service. read more...

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. unless he was vastly superior in numbers to Pope and knew Pope would not be reinforced in time to save him. read more...