Lot 286
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the U.S. (1861-1865), assassinated. Autograph Letter Signed as President, one page, 5 x 8, Washington, January 12, 1863, to Secretary of War, Edward M. Stanton, on Executive Mansion letterhead, in full:
"I intended proposing to you this morning, and forgot to, that [Carl] Schurz and Stahl [Stahel, Julius] should both be Major Generals. Schurz to take Sigel's old corps, and Stahl to command cavalry. They, together with Sigel, are our sincere friends; and while so much may seem rather large, any thing less is too small. I think it better be done. Yours truly, A. Lincoln"
Extremely Fine condition.
Estimate 10,000 - 15,000
Both Schurz and Stahel were promoted from Brigadier to Major General in March of 1863, directly as a result of this letter. The fact that he considered both men "sincere friends" is an indication of his desire to promote high ranking officers who shared his political views to counteract those factions within the Union who disagreed with him.
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| Realized $24,000 |
