Civil War Era Letters About Clement Vallandigham, An Ohio Congressman Banished To The Confederacy: We Expect That Little Val Will Be Our Candidate If He Has Been Banished Sout &C. I Told The Abolitionist That He Was The Best Commissioner Could Send South & That They Would Not Ask Him To Go. So They Sent Him Under The Pretense Of Banishment And Heard That Old Vallandigham Was There And Has Had The Pleasure Of Being Arrested. If So I Hope They Will Tar And Feather Him And Send Him To Hell

(CLEMENT VALLANDIGHAM ARCHIVE). Clement Vallandigham (1820-1871) was an Ohio lawyer and politician who was strongly opposed to the Civil War. Although a Congressman from Ohio, he was a Copperhead who publicly expressed his views. He was, in 1863, convicted by an Army court martial for opposing the war and exiled to the Confederacy.Two letters from the Civil War discussing Vallandingham:a) ALS. 2pg. June 10, 1863. Lexington, Ohio. An autograph letter signed J. Earley, a Dr. Joseph Earley from Ohio, to his brother and sister in Friendship, New York. Dr. Earley wrote: the money came in good time for it short at the time & cannot go to our state convention as I am subpoenaed to attend a lawsuit as a witness on the day of the convention. I was chosen a delegate to the meeting on the 11th Inst. We expect that little Val will be our candidate if he has been banished Sout &c. I told the abolitionist that he was the best commissioner could send South & that they would not ask him to go. So they sent him under the pretense of banishment and that if they had sent an abo [litionist] he would have been& you spoke of the slaughter at Vicksburg & still they slay them there as if they were so many cattle. Another heavy battle at port Hudson. I read the acc & of the peace meeting at N.Y. City. I think that will do. The letter is on lined paper and is in fine condition.b) ALS. 4pg. July 5, 1864. Bermuda Hundred, Va. An autograph letter signed Ezal Bigbee to his family. He communicated: The grand old fourth passed off dry here. There was nothing going on here only our cannons opened on to the rebble [sic] fort but they raised the White flag and they stoppedThe report this morning that Petersburg was taken by old GrantJust tell the rebs there that they [can go] to hell and their heads shaved. The heard that old Vallandigham was there and has had the pleasure of being arrested. If so I hope they will tar and feather him and send him to hell. The letter is in very good condition.