Union General (1823–1903) blamed for the debacle at Fredericksburg. Unsigned Civil War–dated manuscript ‘circular’ letter, one page both sides, 7.75 x 12.25, January 26, 1863. General Franklin’s farewell to his troops, shortly after the Battle of Fredericksburg. In part: “In obedience to the order of the highest authority the undersigned relinquishes the command of the Left Grand Division…The prompt obedience & cheerful cooperation you have at all times rendered, your patient endurance upon this march, your steady bravery upon the field, the manly determination with which you have encountered & overcome the dangers & hardships of several trying campaigns command his admiration & gratitude. All of you are endeared to him by gallant conduct & loyal service & most of you by the memories of many battlefields & the proud recollection that from none of them have you ever been driven back. By these common memories he exhorts you to prove true & fight gallantly in the future, as you have ever fought in the past, for the great cause in which you are engaged, believing that for yourselves you will win imperishable fame & for your country final & enduring victory. In severing a connection which you have made so dear he asks that no one will believe that he voluntarily parts with you in the face of the enemy.” Partial edge separation to central horizontal storage fold, and a few stray ink blotches, otherwise fine condition. Apparently the working copy or the draft dictated by General Franklin that was to be used as the substance for the official printed ‘Farewell Address’ distributed to his troops. While Franklin was blamed for the defeat at Fredericksburg, he claimed it was due to poor orders from Ambrose E. Burnside and launched a political offensive against the general, undermining his leadership. Burnside, in turn, retaliated by campaigning to have Franklin removed from the Army all together—instead, Franklin was relieved of command of the Left Grand Division and reassigned to a corps command in Louisiana, thus this letter of resignation. A most uncommon and historic Civil War item. RR Auction COA.
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