President Ulysses S. Grant Appoints a Civil War Signal Corpsman a First Lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Cavalry
by Ulysses S. Grant
08/01/1870. John Quincy Adams first enlisted in 1862 with the 38th Ohio Volunteers. On October 15 of that year he was a quartermaster sergeant with the 10th Ohio Cavalry, reporting to Cairo, Ill., for Instruction on February 23, 1863. After a stint as acting lieutenant, on July 15, 1864, he was appointed by the President Second Lieutenant, to date from March 3, 1863. Adams was actively involved in the Georgia campaign conducted by Gen. William T. Sherman. He was... Read More
Offered by The Raab Collection, LLC
Just Days After Announcing He Would Not Seek a 3rd Term, President Ulysses S. Grant Writes the Son of His Confidant and Longtime Aide, John Rawlins, Wishing Him Luck on the West Point Graduation Examination
by Ulysses S. Grant
05/06/1875. An uncommon handwritten letter as President, showing Grant supporting Rawlins son after the General's deathUlysses S. Grant met John Rawlins in Galena, Ill., where they both lived before the Civil War. Rawlins was a lawyer who did work for the Grant family business and the two men became close. When Grant was appointed brigadier general in August 1861, he immediately added Rawlins onto his staff as adjutant; Rawlins effectively acted as Grant’s chief of staff for the rest... Read More
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A Decorative Soldiers Monument Association Membership Certificate, with Vignettes of Lincoln, Flags, and Soldiers, Signed by U.S. Grant as Association President
by Ulysses S. Grant
28/08/1865. Ulysses S. Grant was living in Galena, Illinois when the Civil War broke out. The Civil War won, on August 18, 1865, Galena celebrated Grant’s heroic return. Following a jubilant procession with much flag waving and speeches, a group of Galena citizens presented the General with a handsome furnished house on Bouthillier Street. Today the house is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as the U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site.The Soldiers Monument Association was a group... Read More
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Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant Gives a Pass Through the Union Lines, Likely for the Wife of His Respected Adversary at Vicksburg, Conf. General John Bowen
by Ulysses S. Grant
31/01/1864. Written by Grant while on a visit to his family in St. Louis, as he awaited his promotion to Lieutenant GeneralHis great victory at the Battle of Chattanooga in November 1863 made Major General Ulysses S. Grant the most prominent Union general. Soon legislation would be introduced in Congress to revive the rank of Lieutenant General—previously held only by George Washington and Winfield Scott—specifically to give Grant command of all Union armies. This Congress did on February 29,... Read More
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Future Frederick the Great, Here 9 Years Old, Writes His King Father, William I, King of Prussia, Hoping to Come Visit
by Frederick the Great
09/1721. Theirs was a famously combative relationship; Frederick would attempt to flee to Britain 9 years laterIn his early youth, Frederick lived with his mother and sister Wilhelmine, although they regularly visited their father's hunting lodge at Königs Wusterhausen. Frederick and his older sister formed a close relationship, which lasted until her death in 1758. Frederick was educated to speak both French and German, and many of his tutors were French Calvinists.The relationship between Frederick the Great and his... Read More
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Horace Greeley: A Shared Belief in the Goodness of God Would Let ""reason o’er the world prevail""
by Horace Greeley
25/11/1855. A signed quotation that sold publicly at Henkels in Philadelphia in 1895As the owner of the New York Tribune newspaper, Greeley was always influential in political circles. Greeley had first entered the political arena in 1840, promoting the candidacy of William Henry Harrison. He remained a politician for the rest of his life, promoting first Whig and, later, Republican causes. He helped to organize the Republican Party in 1854 and campaigned for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Having developed... Read More
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Horace Greeley, Who Would Sign the Bail Bond for Jefferson Davis, Writes Mrs. Davis and the Union General Overseeing the Davis Family, Insisting That Davis Was Not Guilty of Lincoln's Assassination and that He Be Given a Prompt and Fair Trial
by Horace Greeley
27/06/1865. The letter had to pass through US government screeners: ""If it be your duty to read the letter, I certainly have no objection.""A search of public sale records going back over 40 years fails to turn up any other letter of Greeley on the Davis matter, nor have we seen one.At the end of the Civil War, Jefferson Davis was arrested and imprisoned at Fortress Monroe, on the coast of Virginia. He was placed in irons for three... Read More
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The Original Resolution of John Hancock and the Continental Congress Directing Benjamin Franklin to Draw Spain Into the Revolutionary War in 1776
by John Hancock
30/12/1776. As President of Congress, Hancock instructs “the commissioners for the courts of France and Spain [both Franklin] consult together and prepare a Treaty of Commerce and Alliance…similar to the first proposed to the court of France” A significant effort to expand the war, gain international recognition and defeat Britain Documents of such importance in early American history rarely reach the market, let alone one signed by a Founding FatherWhen news reached France of the Declaration of Independence of the thirteen... Read More
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President Warren G. Harding Thanks an Author and Diplomat for His Sympathy on Mrs. Harding’s Severe Illness in 1922, Brought on Partly by Her Discovery of Harding’s Affair with Nan Britton
by Warren Harding
20/09/1922. Florence Kling Harding’s discovery of her husband’s affair in 1922 with Nan Britton took its toll on her health. In early September 1922 she came down with a serious kidney ailment, and the public was alerted as to the severity of it on September 8 in a medical bulletin, and the eminent physician Charles Mayo was called in. By the time he arrived, she was suffering from sepsis and was falling in and out of consciousness. News of... Read More
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The Career Begins for a Future President: The Oath of Candidacy of Warren G. Harding
by Warren Harding
8/7/01. He signs twice; once affirming his candidacy and once verifying the contributors and contributions A highly unusual signed candidacy document, the first we have ever hadWarren G. Harding was owner and editor of the Marion Star newspaper when in the late 1890s he became interested in a political career. Democrats generally won Marion County's offices; when Harding ran for auditor in 1895, he lost, but did better than expected. The following year, Harding was one of many orators who... Read More
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Outgoing President Benjamin Harrison Discusses Diplomatic Appointments in a Letter to Noted New York Politician Cornelius Bliss
by Benjamin Harrison
19/11/1892. Letter signed, on black bordered Executive Mansion stationery as his first wife, Caroline Scott Harrison, had died less than a month before, three pages, November 19, 1892, to Cornelius Bliss concerning the appointment of a friend of Bliss as Ambassador to Portugal. Bliss was a seasoned politico who would be Theodore Roosevelt’s campaign manager in 1904.“I have your letter of the 16th and notice what you say about Mr. Einstein. I knew of course he took the race... Read More
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President Benjamin Harrison Writes Railroad Magnate Chauncey DePew Requesting a Private Car for His Sick Sister-in-law
by Benjamin Harrison
01/01/1891. Though there is a date of 1891 marked in an unknown hand at the top, it would seem likely that the sick woman is the sister of Harrison’s second wife, Mary Scott Lord who was the widow of Walter E. Dimmick, especially since a name is crossed out by Harrison which looks like it was “Mrs. Lord.” Mary Lord married Benjamin in 1896 after his presidency, thus the date is uncertain. DePew was President of the New York... Read More
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The Beginning of Workers' Compensation in the United States
by Benjamin Harrison
14/02/1893. This led to the establishment of Workers' Compensation in the United StatesThe watershed events in the development of modern workers' compensation laws occurred in the improbable setting of Prussia under the leadership of its Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck pushed through Workers' Accident Insurance in 1884, creating the first modern system of workers' compensation. This was followed over the next few years by Public Pension Insurance providing a stipend for workers incapacitated due to non-job related illnesses and... Read More
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Benjamin Harrison Offers His First Congratulations to His Son on the Birth of His Grandson, Future Congressman William Henry Harrison
by Benjamin Harrison
16/08/1896. “I had seen in the newspapers a report of the birth of your son but waited official confirmation before extending my congratulations to you and May…. I think the name you have in mind very appropriate.”Benjamin Harrison was born in 1833 in North Bend, Ohio, to a prominent family that had a legacy of political activism. He was the great-grandson of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, and grandson of the nation's 9th President, William Henry Harrison.... Read More
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The Original, Delivered Manuscript of the Inaugural Address of President Benjamin Harrison
by Benjamin Harrison
04/03/1889. Exhibited at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential SiteFeatured on the Inspired by History podcast Our research has failed to turn up even one other delivered manuscript – The Reading Copy – of an Inaugural Address having reached the market. https://vimeo.com/1012299840?share=copy When George Washington delivered an inaugural address in 1789, he created a precedent that every President has followed since. The address is the first official act of the new President following the swearing in, and sets the tone for his administration. People... Read More
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Former President Benjamin Harrison Struggles to Maintain His Family Relationships Intact, As His Son Russell Expresses Contempt For His Father’s Second Marriage
by Benjamin Harrison
05/01/1898. He also advises Russell on life and business: “Whatever course you determine upon, you owe it to your family to keep up heart and courage.” The former President says he has only $2000 cash and must work for a livingBenjamin Harrison was born in 1833 in North Bend, Ohio, to a prominent family that had a legacy of political activism. He was the great-grandson of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, and grandson of the nation's 9th President,... Read More
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Future President Benjamin Harrison is Moved by a Letter From His Grandfather, President William Henry Harrison, to Help a Man Get a Federal Appointment
by Benjamin Harrison
27/05/1881. Before he was elected president, a man approached Harrison asking him to use his influence to get him a job in a customs house. Harrison sympathized with him, because Harrison’s grandfather, President William Henry Harrison, had a relationship with the man’s father.Autograph letter signed, on his law office letterhead, two pages, Indianapolis, May 27, 1881 to William H. Robertson, Collector of the Port of New York, the most important and powerful customs house in the nation, asking that... Read More
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The Union Officially Welcomes a New State, the Westernmost Point in the Contiguous United States
by Benjamin Harrison
11/11/1889. A true treasure, being the only admission order for statehood we have ever seenhttps://vimeo.com/916158914?share=copy Washington became the 42nd state of the United States on November 11, 1889, when President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation admitting it to the Union. After a hiatus of thirteen years when no new states were admitted to the Union, the United States Congress passed an act in February 1889 enabling the territories of Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana to seek statehood. President... Read More
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Joel Chandler Harris, Author of the Uncle Remus and ‘Brer Rabbit stories, Tells a Fascinating Tale That Took Place in Atlanta During Sherman’s March to the Sea
by Joel Chandler Harris
23/01/1886. A very uncommon letter, as we can find just two others of Harris reaching the public sale market in over half a centuryJoel Chandler Harris was a journalist, fiction writer, and folklorist best known for his collection of Uncle Remus and ‘Brer Rabbit stories. In addition, he published local-color stories in prominent magazines such as Scribner’s, Harper’s, and The Century, and wrote for the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. Born in Georgia, he was there throughout the Battle of Atlanta... Read More
Offered by The Raab Collection, LLC
From the Battlefield Library of William Henry Harrison, Carried With Him to Inspire During the War of 1812
by William Henry Harrison
19/09/1813. The Battle of Lake Erie was fought on September 10, 1813, on Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the British Royal Navy. This ensured American control of the lake for the rest of the war, which in turn allowed the Americans to recover Detroit and win the Battle of the Thames to break the Indian confederation of Tecumseh. It... Read More
Offered by The Raab Collection, LLC
William Henry Harrison, Former Minister to Colombia, Writes His Legation Secretary on Efforts to Get the U.S. Government to Pay Their Expenses Getting to South America
by William Henry Harrison
07/03/1831. “I was informed some time ago that the government has refused to allow Mr. Thornton credit for the $200 which was paid for our passage from Erie to Maracaibo. I have remonstrated against this and have gotten the promise of a reconsideration. I have just written a note to Mr. Van Buren [President Van Buren] on the subject. If you come here shortly, I wish you would attend to this business.” A scarce ALS of Harrison relating to his... Read More
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Future President William Henry Harrison, as Aide de Camp to “Mad” Anthony Wayne During the Northwest Indian War, Orders Supplies Including Whiskey for a Defeated Indian Tribe
by William Henry Harrison
11/07/1795. The Americans under Anthony Wayne defeated the Ohio Indians, including members of the Delaware tribe almost a year before, and afterwards supplied them with provisions until the end of the war by the Treaty of Greeneville in August 1795. Future President William Henry Harrison was Aide de Camp to Wayne.Autograph document signed, Greeneville, Ohio, July 11, 1795. “The Commissary will issue to the Delawares one hundred & twelve pounds of flour & beef & seventy five gills of... Read More
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William Henry Harrison Implements the Historic Treaty of Greenville, Which Opened the West to American Settlement
by William Henry Harrison
11/08/1795. A search of public sale records indicates that the last such document came up in 1992In the 1780s Native American leaders in the Northwest Territory developed a pan-Indian alliance similar to that led by Pontiac in the 1760s. This alliance created a military force very much the equal of that available to the United States on the frontier. A series of battles and lesser skirmishes occurred on the western frontier. In these battles the pan-Indian alliance proved itself... Read More
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Presidential Candidate William Henry Harrison Defends Himself from an Attack by Future Abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens, Then an Important Figure in the Anti-Masonic Party, Because He Will Not Embrace Anti-Mason Sentiments
by William Henry Harrison
28/11/1835. “…you have a copy of a letter written in answer to one of Mr. Stevens received late today. I send it to you that you may have all the correspondence. He objects much to the publication of my former letter to him.”A significant number of Founding Fathers were Freemasons, but as politics grew increasingly democratic in the Age of Jackson, many rural Americans believed Freemasonry represented urban arrogance, secrecy, and rituals that posed a threat to Republican democracy.... Read More
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Pay Order Signed by William Henry Harrison as Commander of the U.S. Army of the Northwest in the War of 1812
by William Henry Harrison
24/11/1812. William Henry Harrison was named secretary of the Northwest Territory - a huge tract of land composed of most of the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin - by President John Adams in 1798. As the territory's first congressional delegate, Harrison helped obtain legislation that divided the land into the Northwest and Indiana territories, the latter of which he served as governor of from 1801 until 1813. As governor, Harrison oversaw the efforts to gain... Read More
Offered by The Raab Collection, LLC