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Description

Abraham Lincoln Civil War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed as President to Maj. Gen. Meade on Capital Punishment for an Army Deserter ALS as president, signed “A. Lincoln,” one page, 7.25 x 8.75, September 21, 1863. Handwritten letter to Major General George Meade, commander of the "Army of the Potomac," in full: "I am appealed to in behalf John H. Williams, Co. D. 4 Regt. Md. Vols., I Corps who is said to be under sentence of death to be executed on the 25th for desertion. The appeal is made on the ground of unsoundness of mind. Please give me briefly the facts and your views." In fine condition, with trimmed edges, and overall archival silking to both sides. This letter is listed in the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 6, by Roy Basler, who notes: 'The roster of Co. D, Fourth Maryland Volunteers, lists no John H. Williams, but Charles W. Williams who was sentenced to be shot for desertion (Army of the Potomac, General Orders No. 91, September 17, 1863) is listed with the notation 'Died, September 25, 1863.'' During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln struggled with the challenge of dealing with Union Army deserters. A compassionate leader, he generally showed leniency, understanding the pressures soldiers faced—in March of 1863, he proclaimed a general call of amnesty for the 125,000 Union men then missing from their units, absolving them from punishment in exchange for their return. However, he also recognized the need to maintain discipline, and desertion was considered a capital crime. In all, only 147 Union deserters were executed during the course of the war, and it seems that Williams of the Maryland Fourth was one of these unlucky few. By year's end, the war-weary Lincoln had largely ended the practice; when commuting a death sentence in January 1864, Lincoln explained that his decision was made 'not on any merit in the case, but because I am trying to evade the butchering business lately.'

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Abraham Lincoln Civil War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed as President to Maj. Gen. Meade on Capital Punishment for an Army Deserter ALS as president, signed “A. Lincoln,” one page, 7.25 x 8.75, September 21, 1863. Handwritten letter to Major General George Meade, commander of the "Army of the Potomac," in full: "I am appealed to in behalf John H. Williams, Co. D. 4 Regt. Md. Vols., I Corps who is said to be under sentence of death to be executed on the 25th for desertion. The appeal is made on the ground of unsoundness of mind. Please give me briefly the facts and your views." In fine condition, with trimmed edges, and overall archival silking to both sides. This letter is listed in the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 6, by Roy Basler, who notes: 'The roster of Co. D, Fourth Maryland Volunteers, lists no John H. Williams, but Charles W. Williams who was sentenced to be shot for desertion (Army of the Potomac, General Orders No. 91, September 17, 1863) is listed with the notation 'Died, September 25, 1863.'' During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln struggled with the challenge of dealing with Union Army deserters. A compassionate leader, he generally showed leniency, understanding the pressures soldiers faced—in March of 1863, he proclaimed a general call of amnesty for the 125,000 Union men then missing from their units, absolving them from punishment in exchange for their return. However, he also recognized the need to maintain discipline, and desertion was considered a capital crime. In all, only 147 Union deserters were executed during the course of the war, and it seems that Williams of the Maryland Fourth was one of these unlucky few. By year's end, the war-weary Lincoln had largely ended the practice; when commuting a death sentence in January 1864, Lincoln explained that his decision was made 'not on any merit in the case, but because I am trying to evade the butchering business lately.'

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amherst, États-Unis
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U. S. Grant Civil War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed to Gen. Halleck on the Committee on the Conduct of the War (1865) Civil War-dated ALS signed “U. S. Grant, Lt. Gen.,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, Head Quarters Armies of the United States letterhead, February 7, 1865. Handwritten telegram to Major General Henry Halleck, sent from his headquarters at City Point, Virginia, marked "Cipher" in the upper left. In full: "I will be in Washington on Thursday or Friday next. Please notify the Com. on Conduct of the War. I will be obliged to you also if you will notify Mr. Washburne." In fine condition. The Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War investigated and provided oversight of President Abraham Lincoln's command of the Union Army in the Civil War. General Grant asks Henry Halleck to inform the committee, and his chief advocate, Congressman Elihu B. Washburne, of his impending arrival in the nation's capital. On February 11th, Grant appeared before the committee in relation to Benjamin Butler’s earlier failed effort against Fort Fisher and the question of prisoner exchanges with the Confederates. On the latter subject, the Union Army commander explained: 'I have effected an arrangement for the exchange of prisoners, man for man and officer for officer, or his equivalent, according to the old cartel, until one or the other party has exhausted the number they now hold...Just as fast as they can deliver our prisoners to us I will receive them, and deliver their prisoners to them...The suffering said to exist among our prisoners south was a powerful argument against the course pursued, and I so felt it.'