Benjamin Harrison Civil War-Dated AES Re: Filling Vacancy Created By Promoted Assistant Surgeon Who

Benjamin Harrison
Gallatin, TE, ca. March 17, 1863
Benjamin Harrison Civil War-Dated AES Re: Filling Vacancy Created By Promoted Assistant Surgeon Who Would Die of Disease 6 Months Later
AES

A 1p autograph letter signed by a company captain in Benjamin Harrison's 70th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, with a 31-word autograph endorsement signed by Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901), future 23rd U.S. President, then Colonel of the 70th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, at bottom. Ca. March 17, 1763. Gallatin, Tennessee. The ALS and AES are inscribed on a single leaf of laid blue-lined paper. With flattened transmittal folds, some with closed tears along the folds which have been repaired verso. Isolated areas of discoloration, especially along the bottom edge. Else near fine. 7.75" x 9.875". Comes with a black and white portrait photograph of Harrison, stickered verso, 5.5" x 8.5"; along with the former collector's research printouts. From The Doug Wertman Collection.

Captain Parker S. Carson, of Co. G of the 70th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, wrote this letter to Governor of Indiana Oliver P. Morton (1823-1877), requesting that several officer vacancies within Co. G be filled with specific candidates. Colonel Benjamin Harrison's autograph endorsement signed, found towards the bottom of the letter, reads in full:

"The above recommendations are approved by me and I request that the appointments may be made at once + notice of appointments sent forward

Benja Harrison
Col 70 Regt Ind Vol."

As Colonel, Benjamin Harrison had been responsible for raising most of the 70th Regiment Indiana Volunteers, which had organized at Indianapolis in August 1862. The regiment was dispatched throughout Kentucky and Tennessee before being assigned to garrison duty in Gallatin, Tennessee from early February to June 1, 1863. From Gallatin, the 70th Indiana protected the railroad line from close to the Kentucky state border down southwest about 30 miles to Nashville.

The three vacancies in Co. G arose after First Lieutenant John M. White was promoted to Assistant Surgeon in December 1862. Now, three months later, Captain Carson requested that Second Lieutenant Thomas Webb be promoted to fill White's first lieutenancy, and that Samuel E. (Edward S.) Smock be raised to the rank of Second Lieutenant from that of Orderly Sergeant. Governor Morton accepted Colonel Harrison's and Captain Carson's recommendations; these same officers can be found in a roster found in Samuel Merrill's regimental history, "The Seventieth Volunteer Infantry In The War Of The Rebellion," published in 1900.

John M. White, the officer whose promotion to Assistant Surgeon caused a cascading effect of replacement promotions, did not enjoy his new status for very long. He died of disease on August 31, 1863, about six months after this letter was written. White's commanding officer, Surgeon A.W. Reagan, recalled that "Dr. John M. White, who came to stay [as an assistant surgeon], was a man of mild disposition, always attentive to his duties and very kind to any who applied to him for help. He was put in charge of Hospital No. one in Gallatin, where in failing health he continued his work until his death." White's service in the 70th Indiana thus lasted a year, between his enlistment in August 1862 and his death in August 1863.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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7.75" x 9.875"