President Lincoln "Let These Men take the oath..." Written Less Than 3 Months Before his Assassination
Abraham Lincoln
[Washington, DC], January 24, 1865
President Lincoln "Let These Men take the oath..." Written Less Than 3 Months Before his Assassination
ADS
Abraham Lincoln autograph document signed, a discharge written entirely in his hand. 1p, 3.25" x 2.25"; no place [Washington, DC]; January 24, 1865. Written on the verso of what appears to have been a petition for the release of the men, presumed to be Rebel POWs. In full: "Let these men take the oath of Dec. 8, 1863 & be discharged. / A. Lincoln / Jan. 24, 1865." Verso shows fragments of the original petition for release, including the partial signatures of the petitioners: Samuel Seyford, George Young, and James Young. Cropped, leaving room around Lincoln's writing. Slight smudging, and flattened folds. Otherwise, a near fine exemplar of Lincoln's pragmatic and humane approach to reconciliation. An approach best captured in his most famous quote: "with malice toward none; with charity for all."
Per the Lincoln Log, the President was in Washington at the time he wrote this discharge. The Civil War had entered its final phase, and the Union was in a strong position to emerge the victor. William T. Sherman had successfully completed his March to the Sea, capturing Savannah, Georgia on December 21, 1864. Fort Fisher had fallen on January 15, 1865, and on the very day Lincoln penned this discharge, he wrote a brief letter to William A. Menzies informing him: "Wilmington, N.C. is ours, of right and in fact." The capture of Fort Fisher effectively cut off Wilmington and further strangled Confederate access to supplies. In Virginia, General Ulysses S. Grant's army continued to besiege Robert E. Lee's forces around Petersburg and Richmond. Although the war would continue for several more months, Union victory had become a matter of when, rather than whether.
Tragically, President Lincoln would be assassinated just days after Robert E. Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, less than three months after penning this discharge.
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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Abraham Lincoln
[Washington, DC], January 24, 1865
President Lincoln "Let These Men take the oath..." Written Less Than 3 Months Before his Assassination
ADS
Abraham Lincoln autograph document signed, a discharge written entirely in his hand. 1p, 3.25" x 2.25"; no place [Washington, DC]; January 24, 1865. Written on the verso of what appears to have been a petition for the release of the men, presumed to be Rebel POWs. In full: "Let these men take the oath of Dec. 8, 1863 & be discharged. / A. Lincoln / Jan. 24, 1865." Verso shows fragments of the original petition for release, including the partial signatures of the petitioners: Samuel Seyford, George Young, and James Young. Cropped, leaving room around Lincoln's writing. Slight smudging, and flattened folds. Otherwise, a near fine exemplar of Lincoln's pragmatic and humane approach to reconciliation. An approach best captured in his most famous quote: "with malice toward none; with charity for all."
Per the Lincoln Log, the President was in Washington at the time he wrote this discharge. The Civil War had entered its final phase, and the Union was in a strong position to emerge the victor. William T. Sherman had successfully completed his March to the Sea, capturing Savannah, Georgia on December 21, 1864. Fort Fisher had fallen on January 15, 1865, and on the very day Lincoln penned this discharge, he wrote a brief letter to William A. Menzies informing him: "Wilmington, N.C. is ours, of right and in fact." The capture of Fort Fisher effectively cut off Wilmington and further strangled Confederate access to supplies. In Virginia, General Ulysses S. Grant's army continued to besiege Robert E. Lee's forces around Petersburg and Richmond. Although the war would continue for several more months, Union victory had become a matter of when, rather than whether.
Tragically, President Lincoln would be assassinated just days after Robert E. Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, less than three months after penning this discharge.
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.
WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
Estimate
Reserve
Time, Location
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