Lincoln Lincoln autograph ✍️ sold for $37,000

Mdiesel

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I thought this is pretty cool, it looks like a women was trying pretty hard to keep her ole man from going to war. Trying to keep William Richardson outta the war! 😂

Abraham Lincoln Autograph Letter Signed Regarding an Investigation into the War Department. One page, 5" x 8", Executive Mansion, Washington; December 14, 1864. Written to Hon. Sec. of War Edwin Stanton on Executive Mansion stationery. On the upper edge of the letter is written in an unknown hand: "Case of Private William Richardson Co. F. 2nd D. C. Vols."



Lincoln writes in full:

‘Dear Sir, I think a man who offers to volunteer, and is reject, should not afterwards [be] drafted and forced to serve. This lady alleges that such is the case of her husband. Please have the case investigated & reported on.

Yours truly A. Lincoln
.’

Below Lincoln's text is written in an unknown hand:

‘War dept. Report. Dec. 19/64 The solider, it appears was refused enlistment because he had a wife and family dependent on him, and not for any physical disqualification. He has recently been examined, & pronounced fit to serve, although his wife represented him to be physically unfit. Respectfully, To the President.’

“Volunteering had almost halted during the winter of 1862-1863. One 3 March 1863, President Lincoln signed a new conscription act known as the Civil War Military Draft Act of 1862 which applied to all males between the ages of 20 to 45 for service instead of assigning quotas for each state.

An extraordinary letter, exhibiting Lincoln's compassion for what he sees as an injustice in the wartime draft system for which he authorizes an investigation. The War Department report, written below Lincoln's request, clearly shows the information " The lady alleges" was not the complete story and the full facts were withheld to keep the husband at home.”
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https://historical.ha.com/itm/autog...gation-into-the-war-department/a/6236-47214.s
 
Good post, thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:
I like the way Lincoln & Stanton are addressing each other so formally on an average piece of White House stationery. These men literally saw each other all the time but even then they are all business & addressing each other as “Hon. Sec. of War, Dear Sir.” & response is “Respectfully to the President” on basically what we would consider a note pad which no one else would necessarily even see except for the two of them.
 
Lincoln usually signed his name "A. Lincoln", except for important documents like the Emancipation Proclamation, etc. which he signed "Abraham Lincoln". I wonder if it was signed with his full name, if it would have brought more money. Thanks for sharing.
 
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