MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM B. HAZEN Scares carte-de-visite of the Union General best known for defending 'Hell's Half Acre' Autograph Signed Photograph: " W. B. Hazen, Maj. Genl.". 2¼ x4. William Babcock Hazen (1830-1887), a West Point graduate (1855), was severely wounded in a battle with the Comanche in 1859, returning from a long convalescent just in time to become a brigade commander in the Union Army at Shiloh. His Ohio brigade fought heroically at Stone's River (December 31, 1862), with a defense of "Hell's Half Acre" which prevented a collapse of the Union line. (He was wounded again at this battle.) Brevetted a brigadier general in April 1863, he led a division under Sherman during the assault on Atlanta and the march to the sea. Stationed on the Plains after the war, he advocated fair treatment of Native Americans, giving sanctuary to a band of Kiowa pursued by Custer. Now a colonel in the regular army, Hazen was an observer with the Prussian Army in its 1870-1871 war with France. Hazen gave testimony against Secretary of War Belknap, making corruption allegations which hastened Belknap's resignation. read more...

FITZ JOHN PORTER Unique near-profile carte-de-visite of the Union General who fought at Antietam and Second Bull Run Autograph Photograph Signed: " F. J. Porter/Maj. Genl." backmark of R. W. Addis, Washington, DC on verso. 2½ x4. Admiral David Porter's cousin, Fitz John Porter (1822-1901) was a West Point graduate who also taught there. He was wounded in the Mexican War and served on the frontier. At the end of August 1862, Brigadier General Porter failed to cut Stonewall Jackson's and James Longstreet's forces and allowed the Confederates to emerge from Second Bull Run with a victory. General Pope blamed the Union Army's failure on Porter, charging him with willfully disobeying his orders. Porter was court-martialed, found guilty in January 1863 and forced out of the Army. After spending the next 23 years trying to clear his name, in 1886, by Act of Congress, his rank was restored and Porter was reinstated so that he could honorably retire. A board of investigation also decided that Porter had shown better judgment by ignoring Pope's orders. read more...

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. read more...

THEODORE ROOSEVELT This typed 1911 letter, addressed to a New York newspaper, contains numerous corrections in Roosevelt's hand. It's a scathing letter regarding a court decision and the newspaper's support for that decision - a decision that Roosevelt said violated one of the core philosophies of the Republican Party. This was written one year before Roosevelt tried to wrest the Republican presidential nomination from William Howard Taft - and, failing that, embarked on a third-party run under the Progressive banner. Public figures rarely commit such strong sentiments to writing, which makes this letter especially rare and significant. Superb content draft Typed Letter, heavily corrected with 216 words in Roosevelt's hand, not signed, on his personal letterhead, "The Outlook", "Office of Theodore Roosevelt", 2p, 7¾x9½, separate sheets. New York, May 30, 1911. To Mr. C.H. Betts, The Lyons Republican, 41 Williams Street, Lyons, N ew York. Most probably the final draft. In part: "Really it is hard to believe that read more...

JAMES LONGSTREET Items from the general's order book during the Suffolk campaign of May 1863, seeking to locate General Hood and ordering prompt movement of "every serviceable horse in the City of Petersburg". With his corps detached from Lee's army, Longstreet captured vital supplies but missed the Battle of Chancellorsville. Longstreet's conduct in this campaign aroused heated debate after the war. Matted and framed to 9½x15. Autograph Document signed three times: "J Longstreet", 2 pages, 6½x8½. Richmond, Virginia, 1863 May 6. A series of entries from Longstreet's military order book, detailing commands to be sent to subordinates, signed by Longstreet himself. The pages contain three separate communications. In the first, Longstreet asks one of his captains, in part: "What arms and ammunitions do you need? In the second, he inquires about one of his division commanders. In part: "Is Gen. Hood in Petersburg? If he is [illegible] with him at the office of the operator that he may receive there ... read more...

KING GEORGE VI, CO-SIGNED BY: QUEEN ELIZABETH (THE QUEEN MOTHER) This exquisite presentation album - signed by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth as King and Emperor and as Queen Consort - contains an historic 78-RPM recording of the BBC radio broadcast of George VI's coronation and an address by him as king. It comes framed, Gallery of History Style, in a presentation case with a UV-resistant UF-3 Plex lid. Two items: 1) Album signed "George R I" by King George VI and "Elizabeth R" by Queen Elizabeth on vellum inside front cover. "14¼x12½x3¾. On cover: "The Coronation/of/The Majesties/King George VI and Queen Elizabeth/in/Westminster Abbey/and/H.M. The King's Broadcast Message/May 12th, 1937" in gilt. "R.I" stands for "Rex Imperator" (King Emperor), a title used from 1877, when Queen Victoria became Empress of India, to 1948, following Indian independence. Album has purple satiny-fabric endpapers. Contains 15 78-RPM records, 11¾ inches in diameter each by the Gramophone Co., Ltd. read more...

GENERAL JOHN BUFORD The Union cavalry commander, whose decision to "hold the high ground" on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg may have saved the Union, prepares to inspect the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry in the first year of the war. Double-matted and framed with a biographic plaque to an overall size of 20½x22½. Buford died less than five months after Gettysburg. A very scarce war-dated document! Autograph Letter signed: "Jno Buford/Asst. Insp. Gen, USA", 1 page (lightly lined), 5x8. Louisville, Kentucky, 1861 December 14. To Colonel Edward C. Williams, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry, in full: "I am instructed by the Genl-in-Chief to inspect the troops of the Dept. of the Ohio. Please have your Regt. In line of battle by 1 o'clock P. M. on Monday. The inspection will be conducted as prescribed by the Army Regulation. The men equipped as for the field." Matted and framed with a portrait of Buford and a biographical plaque to an overall size of 20½x22½. John Buford (1826-1863) a West Pointer (1848), served on the Western read more...

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. Cody had begun his wild west career herding cattle at age nine. read more...

WILLIAM F. CODY Autograph letter to General Nelson Miles (1896), introducing a friend, signed "Your old Scout/W.F. Cody" ALS: "Your old Scout/W.F. Cody", 1 page, 6x9½. New Hampshire House, New York, 1896 January 29. To General Nelson A. Miles, Washington, D.C. In full: "Please permit me to introduce Mr. J.L. Cunningham and (sic, an) old personal friend who wishes to speak to you. If you will give him a hearing. You will greatly oblige." Both NELSON MILES and BILL CODY overlapped in their time of military service during the western campaigns against the Indians. Cody was Chief Scout for the 5th Cavalry and Miles commanded the 5th Infantry. They served under Philip Sheridan. In 1896, the year of this letter, Cody's Wild West Show was extensively touring and he was also developing his land in Cody, Wyoming; while Miles was Commander in Chief of the Army. Great associations, worthy of further research. Lightly creased. ¾-inch separation at upper left blank horizontal fold. 2-inch separation at lower left horizontal fold touches 1 word (all intact). ¾-inch separation at lower right blank horizontal fold. read more...

JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN He signs a handwritten 1871 letter responding to a bill for nautical equipment, complaining that some of it was faulty. ALS: "J L. Chamberlain", 2 pages, 5x8. Brunswick, Maine, 1871 September 23. To C.S. Donnelly, Esq. In part: "Your bill is received as requested, & is I believe correct. I don't know anything about the Notch Boom but suppose Capt. Stover got it. It never came to my yacht, but if it was got for me, I will be accountable for it...Also I may mention that I found the pump, when I came to set it, in two pieces, never having been properly soldered or brazed. & I had to pay $1.00 to have it done...But the pump was an imperfect one, & I would have returned it if I could have done so. Please inform me if I am at liberty to make deduction accordingly...." Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914) commanded the 20th Maine in its famous defense of Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Chamberlain was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this action. read more...

JOHN HANCOCK, JOHN AVERY and MOSES GILL Massachusetts' Governor, Secretary of State and future Acting Governor sign a document appointing a Revolutionary War veteran as a Bristol County Justice of the Peace (1781). Partly Printed DS: "John Hancock" as Governor of Massachusetts, 1 page, 11¾x18¾. Boston, 1781 March 27. Countersigned: "John Avery Secy". Appointment of "Elisha May Esq. of Attleborough to be one of the Justices to keep the Peace in the County of Bristol…for the term of seven Years…And to keep and cause to be kept, the Laws and Ordinances made for the Quiet, Rule and Government of the People in the said County…and to chastise and punish all Persons offending against the Form of those Laws and Ordinances…and to cause to come before the said Elisha May Esq all those that shall break the Peace, or attempt any Thing against the same…." On verso is a Manuscript DS: "W. Spooner" read more...

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT 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. read more...