As US Army Chief of Staff, he writes to his newly appointed French counterpart, General Gamelin, whose military career would prove rather less successful than MacArthur's. Accompanied by a manuscript translation of MacArthur's letter, and by a typed transcript of Gamelin's reply Typed Letter signed: "Douglas MacArthur" as US Army Chief of Staff, 1 page, 7x8¾. Washington, D.C., 1935 January 18. To "My dear General [Maurice]Gamelin, Chief of Staff, French Army, Paris. In full: "I deeply appreciate your splendid note of comradeship and felicitation, which has just reached me. I think you know without my saying how entirely the American Army and I, myself, personally reciprocate. It is a peculiar pleasure to me to be able at this time to extend my most cordial congratulations on your advancement to head of the French Army. Your friends of the American Army rejoice with you in this signal recognition of your outstanding professional attainments. With renewed expressions of greetings and friendship, very cordially". Accompanied by two items: 1) Manuscript, 2-page copy of MacArthur's letter, translated into French; 2) Typed copy, unsigned of Gamelin's reply, originally dated 1935 February 11.…"

As Governor of New York, he used this red, silver-tipped pen to sign a railroad bill creating the Board of Transit Control in 1931 Document Signed: "Franklin D Roosevelt", 1 page, 9x14½. Albany, New York. April 27, 1931. Certificate authenticating that FDR used the attached pen to sign Senate Bill 12, the railroad unification bill. In full: "THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the pen hereunto affixed was used by me in signing Senate Bill Introductory Number 12, Printed Number 2455, entitled: 'AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to the plan of readjustment provided for in article seven thereof, to authorize the creation of the board of transit control and subsidiary corporations, to prescribe its and their duties and powers, to exempt its and their properties, income and securities from taxation and to make such securities legal investments, and to authorize the acquisition and operation of railroads and other transportation facilities, and otherwise.' and which became a law by my signature April 23, 1931, being Chapter 689 of the Laws of 1931. GIVEN by my hand and the Privy Seal of the State at the Capitol in the City of Albany, this twenty-seventh day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and thirty-one." Also signed by FDR's Secretary.

As President of Columbia University, he signs a typed letter to Robert Cutler concerning University projects to be funded by the Harriman brothers. TLS: "Ike" as President of Columbia, with ALS: "DE" on first page of 1½ pages (separate sheets) typed letter, 7¼x9½. Columbia University, New York, 1950 December 13. To Robert Cutler, Old Colony Trust Company, Boston, about planning and financing The American Assembly, an affiliate of Columbia University founded by Eisenhower in 1950 "to illuminate issues of public policy". The ALS on the first typed page, in full: "Dear Bobby-This formal dissertation was, as is obvious, prepared by a staff assistant. If you knew how pressed I am, almost to the point of panic, you'd forgive me for not re-writing it. So far as meaning goes, it expresses my sentiments very well indeed!" The typed letter, in part: "Since our delightful Boston visit, we have gone ahead rapidly with the plans for The American Assembly…Mr. W. Averell Harriman has given us a home for the Assembly and he, together with his brother, E. Roland Harriman, are providing the funds to adapt the property and to furnish it for conference purposes.…"

From the President to the son of Buchanan's Postmaster General: He cannot attend a meeting of the Society of the Army of the Potomac. Manuscript LS: "Benj Harrison" as President, 1p, 7½x10. Executive Mansion, Washington, 1892 May 21. To Hon. Horatio C. King, Brooklyn, N.Y. In full: "I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of May 19th in which you extend to me a cordial invitation to attend the annual meeting of the Society of the Army of the Potomac to be held at Scranton June 15th and 16th. I fear that it will not be possible for me to accept this invitation, and assure you that I regret that it is so." KING, son of Buchanan's Postmaster General, was Judge Advocate General of New York. In the Civil War, he served with the Army of the Potomac and Shenandoah from 1862-1865. Harrison was Colonel in the 70th Indiana Regiment in the Civil War. Just 2½ weeks after this letter, President Harrison was renominated on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention held in Minneapolis June 7-10, 1892. Tanned, lined page. Lightly creased. Vertical fold touches the "a" in Harrison. Fine condition.

This huge 17¾x26 engraving of the Union Army general is signed by him and framed Annotated Engraving Signed: "Wm. T. Sherman. 1890". 17¾x26. The engraving appeared in Colliers Once A Week, a popular New York-based magazine. Printed in the white margin below the engraving appears: "From 'ONCE A WEEK,' 65 Warren Street, New York." This engraving was signed the year before his death. General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891) is perhaps the best-known Union Army general besides Ulysses S. Grant. Sherman's "March to the Sea" from Atlanta, Georgia, resulted in millions of dollars in property damage and the draining of Confederate resources. When offered a promotion to the same rank Grant (then Commander of the Union Army) in 1864, Sherman refused out of respect to Grant. Five years later, Sherman replaced Grant as Commanding General when Grant became President. During Sherman's 14 years in command, he worked to resettle the Native Americans throughout the West. In brown ink. Framed handsome South American rosewood frame, engraved historical plate. Fine condition. Framed to an overall size of 25¼x41.

She writes, signs and dates the first two lines of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" on a book plate, which is affixed to the inside cover of her book, Later Lyrics. Autograph quotation signed: "Mine eyes have seen the glory/of the coming of the Lord./Julia Ward Howe./May 9th 1898." On a bookplate 3½x5½ affixed to inside front cover, 326p, 5x7, hardcover. Her book, Later Lyrics, J.E. Tilton & Company, Boston: 1866. Howe has written the opening line of her poem, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, which she was inspired to write after visiting army camps in Washington, D.C. in 1861 during the Civil War. Howe's poem, first published in the February 1862 issue of "The Atlantic Monthly", was later set to music to the tune of the popular antislavery song, "John Brown's Body", and became the semi-official song of the Union Army. Bookplate is lightly soiled at upper blank margin. Exterior cover of book and spine slightly worn. Internally sound. Fine condition.

JOHN ENDECOTT This exceedingly rare document is from the very earliest history of the American colonies and Massachusetts!  It's a five-line complaint signed by John Endecott, colonial governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1649. Documents from this early in American history are rarely seen outside of private collections and are highly desirable! Framed to 10x6½ in a gold-colored frame with cream-colored matte. Document signed "Jo: Endecott Gov.". Brown ink and lead pencil notations in top left corner and at left edge. 1 page, 5½x1¼. Framed to 10x6½ in a gold-colored frame with cream-colored matte. Marblehead, Massachusetts, April 24, 1649. Five-line complaint. Endecott (c. 1588-1665), also spelled "Endicott", was a colonial governor (1629-1630, 1644-1645, 1649-1650, 1651-1654 and 1655-1664) and deputy governor (1641-1644, 1650-1651 and 1654-1655) of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the New World. Endecott arrived with 60 other settlers in the Naumkeag, future site of Salem, Massachusetts and already settled by seceders from the Plymouth colony, led by Roger Conant.

Stock Certificate signed: "Robt Morris" as President of Delaware and Schuylkill Canal Navigation and U.S. Senator, 1p, 9¾x8. Philadelphia, 1792 August 4. Certificate No. 1084. In part: "Be it hereby certified, by the President, Managers, and Company of the Delaware and Schuylkill Canal Navigation, That John C Moller of [left blank] is entitled to one Share of Stock, in the said Company, numbered Ten Hundred and Eighty four transferrable (sic) in the presence of the Treasurer, by the said John C Moller or his attorney...." Also signed by the Treasurer of the company. Docketed (unknown hand) on verso, transferring Moller's stock to David Dunbar on January 7, 1793 and to other shareholders in 1793, 1794, 1795 and 1803. In the 1790s, Morris and other Philadelphians promoted the Delaware and Schuylkill Canal Navigation company, which was eventually made unnecessary by the establishment of the Schuylkill Navigational Company and the Schuylkill & Susquehanna Canal Company, the latter being supplanted by the Union Canal Company. The canals had been proposed to transport coal from the Allegheny region to eastern markets.

Partly Printed DS: "Andrew Johnson" as President and "William H. Seward" as Secretary of State, 1p, 13¾x10. Washington, 1866 May 4. Appointment of William T. Coggeshall of Ohio as "Minister Resident of the United States of America to the Republic of Ecuador". COGGESHALL (1824-1867) presented his credentials on September 20, 1866, serving until his death in Guapolo, Ecuador on August 3, 1867. Congress had passed the Tenure of Office Act on March 2, 1867, over JOHNSON's veto. It required Senate approval for a president to remove any federal official previously confirmed by the Senate. On August 12, 1867, just nine days after Coggeshall's death, Johnson dismissed Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, a Radical Republican, in defiance of the act. This action led to Johnson's impeachment in 1868. The Radical Republicans controlling the Senate then refused to confirm most of Johnson's appointments, including three successive Ministers to Ecuador. It was not until Grant became President in 1869 that the Senate confirmed the appointment of Coggeshall's successor. SEWARD, who had been appointed by President Lincoln on March 5, 1861, served as Secretary of State through Johnson's administration. Lightly creased. Folds, vertical fold touches the second "l" in William.

Comprises: (1) Autograph Letter Signed: "your affectionate Brother", 3½ pages, 7 5/8 by 9¾. Camp Newbern, N.C., February 16, 1863. Normal folds. Slightly worn at folds on first page, else fine. To his brother, Joseph Wensel, Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pa., who Americanized the family name. Henry has written his letter with a German accent. Spelling not corrected. In part: "I in form you that I Received your letter on the 13th day of february and 25 cents in money and 4 postage Stamps and I was very glad to hear from you and the old folks and I was very much obliged for the money and Stamps...I wish you whould fetch my two Saws too over to your house and keep them in your Care till Come home and if you want to youth [use] them why youth them till I Call for them and if I never Come home no more why you may keep them and pay to my Wife what you think is Ride [right] are what you think they are worth you may keep them for keeping in Repair as long as I am in Service...…"

Civil War legend Joshua Chamberlain signed check to local stonecutter. Partly Printed Check signed: "J.L. Chamberlain", 7x2¾. Brunswick, Me., 1867 October 12. Drawn on the First National Bank of Brunswick. Payable to D.M. Melcher for $65.00. Affixed at left is a 2-cent U.S. Internal Revenue stamp picturing Washington. D.M. Melcher & Co., Brunswick, Maine, was a stonecutter company that erected monuments in cemeteries. Colonel Chamberlain, formerly a professor at Bowdoin College, Maine, commanded the 20th Maine in its famous defense of Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. His unit was posted as left flank of the Union Army and fended off repeated Confederate attacks throughout the day. He broke the Confederate lines by a bayonet charge. Chamberlain, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions that day, received the only battlefield promotion to General in the Civil War. At Appomattox Courthouse, April 9, 1865, Brevet Major General Chamberlain was chosen to accept the Confederate surrender. He then ordered Union troops to present arms to their former enemy as a mark of respect. Chamberlain was Republican Governor of Maine (1866-1970), then assumed the presidency of Bowdoin.  His severe war wounds eventually killed him in 1914.

Authenticated strands of Mary Surratt's hair mounted on an 8½x11 page. Illustrations on front and verso of the card include: an "Image of Mary Surratt taken from a contemporary CDV owned by Samuel Curtis"; a copy of an entry from the original diary kept by Samuel Curtis, referencing the hair (the entry originally accompanied the hair but cannot be read from this page); and a reproduction of the envelope that contained the hair, bearing the writing of Curtis. Surratt's execution on July 7, 1865 is also depicted in two reproduced photographs, taken both before and after the hanging. There are also reproductions from other Curtis entries: April 9, 1865, mentioning Lee's surrender; April 15, referring to Lincoln being shot; and April 20, "the boys went to the city of Washington to see the remains of our late President Lincoln." All of the above are reproduced on the front and verso of the page showing the hair. Curtis was a member of the 8th Regiment that was present at the execution of four conspirators in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at the Old Penitentiary in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Mary Surratt, who kept the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth devised his assassination plot, was among those hanged. She is reported to have been the first to die.