Lot 6
Stuart, James Ewell Brown (Jeb), 1833-1864, Confederate general and cavalry leader; killed at the battle of Yellow Tavern.
A.L.S., signed J.E.B. Stuart, 1st Lt 1st Cav, three full pages, 4to, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, March 23, 1857, to Henry A. Wise, governor of Virginia. With an A.L.S. by Wise to fellow Virginian, John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, written on the verso; and with an Autograph Endorsement by Samuel Cooper, later a Confederate general. Written while on frontier duty.
As a young lieutenant, Stuart pleads his case for a promotion to a staff position, putting forth an articulate argument, disparaging somewhat Jefferson Davis, the outgoing Secretary of War. He writes, in part: "I understand (I have not seen them yet) that the Edition of the Army Regulations published just as Mr. Davis made his exit from the War Dept, have the extraordinary provision that no mounted. [mounted] officer shall be eligible to appointment in the Staff Departments. I can only account for such an absurdity by supposing that the unjust proscription of the Subalterns of the mounted Regt has been so long practically followed out, that it has passed unnoticed into the code. Any one endowed with reason common sense and, a common sense of Justice, except Mr. Davis [emphasis ours…Ed.], must agree that such an outrageous distinction has no foundation whatever in either law, justice or reason. And further: "It can not be denied that the Cavalry portion of our Army perform by far the most arduous duty belonging to the Service, ought it not then have a share of the immunities of the Service."
On the verso, Governor Wise has written: "I enclose to you within testimonials, well assured as I am that you will give to them all due consideration." Samuel Cooper then refers the matter to the Commissary General of Subsistence.
Fresh and Very Fine. Complete transcription available on request.
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000
Four and a half years after Stuart makes this plea for promotion out of the combat ranks, Jefferson Davis, now president of the Confederacy, appoints him Brigadier General.
|
| |
| Unsold |
