Abraham Lincoln Autograph on Historical Civil War letter

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Abraham Lincoln Autograph on Historical Civil War letter:
$15500.00

This Civil Warletter on US District Court letterheadwas signed by Abraham Lincoln on December 26th 1864. This letter comes with a detailed history as to the need for the President\'s signature as well as a lithograph of Lincoln, and a signed letter of authenticity. It is matted and framed. Although I had to remove it from the frame to take the picture because of glare.

The details surrounding the letter are as follows - In early December 1864 Union General Frederick Steele ordered the evacuation of Fort Smith. General John Thayer wrote Steele protesting, saying \"When we leave Fort Smith the inhabitants will be left to the mercy of guerrillas. and loyal people will be subjected to terrible suffering.\"Lt. ColonelA.W. Bishop was worried too, as was Lincoln\'sUS Marshall for ArkansasWilliam Stoddard, and they determined to go outside military channels to directly appeal to the President. Stoddard wrote to his friend John Hay, Lincoln\'s secretary, this letter, and sent Bishop in person to deliver it.

Contents of the letter:

\"I wish to introduce to your kind consideration Col. A.W. Bishop of this state. He wishes to see the President at once to see if the order for evacuation of northwestern Arkansas cannot be revoked. It is a terrible thing on this state. Please aid our representative in obtaining an immediate interview with the President.\" William Stoddard

On this letter John Hay has written:

\"Executive Mansion, Dec 26, 1864. Respectfully referred to the Secretary of War.\" Lincoln added his bold signature as endorsement.

Lincoln was personally moved by the plight of these southern Unionists, and deciding not risk Sec of War Stanton\'s rejecting this plea determined to bypass him. Beneath the endorsement, Bishop himself wrote \" I did not deliver this letter to the Sec of War, but proceeded otherwise to accomplish my mission, and my course was approved by President Lincoln.