Abraham Lincoln

Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 16.75 x 11, July 1, 1863. President Lincoln appoints Samuel S. Warner as "First Lieutenant in the Revenue Cutter Service." Very boldly signed at the conclusion by President Abraham Lincoln and countersigned by Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase. In very good to fine condition, with somewhat mottled overall toning.
Warner's service branch—the United States Revenue Cutter Service—was established in 1790 by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Originally seen as a group of waterborne tax collectors, members of the organization served in a variety of capacities, eventually morphing into the US Coast Guard. During the Civil War, revenue cutters were stationed at every major seaport of the nation, and used during the war to search for smugglers, protect US ports, and assist the Navy in logistical operations. An unusual Lincoln appointment from a forgotten seafaring agency, boasting an exceptionally bold presidential signature.

Format: DS