Self-contained war-dated endorsement, signed “U. S. Grant,” one page, 3.25 x 6.25, dated September 14, 1864. Written in another hand, Grant recommends New York Governor Horatio Seymour approve a general’s request. In full: “Respectfully forwarded to his Exc’y Horatio Seymour Governor of the State of New York, with the recommendation that for the good of the service, and to promote the efficiency of the Engineer Brigade, the requests of Gen. Benham be granted.” Boldly signed at the conclusion by Grant. In very good condition, with scattered creases and wrinkling, tiny chip at right edge just touching the end of the final stroke of Grant’s crossing of the “t,” scattered stains, and mounting remnants on the reverse with slight show-through.
The requesting officer, Henry Washington Benham, was an 1837 West Point graduate who was commissioned a Brigadier General of Volunteers in 1861. After disobeying orders and launching an unsuccessful assault on Confederate forces in 1862, he was demoted and assigned to engineering duty in Massachusetts, only to be reinstated by Lincoln as commander of the engineering brigade of the Army of the Potomac. General Grant was apparently satisfied with the actions of his subordinate officer, here giving his blessing to Benham’s request “for the good of the service, and to promote the efficiency of the Engineer Brigade,” and requesting that Governor Seymour do the same. The day after forwarding Benham’s letter, Grant traveled to West Virginia to meet with Sheridan and discuss combat strategy in the Shenandoah Valley—battles that would mark the decline of Confederate power. Four years after this correspondence, Grant defeated Governor Seymour in the 1868 presidential election! Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$75.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
