January 2016 Internet Auction Ends Thursday, January 14th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/14/2016
Civil War homefront letter datelined North Guilford, New York on 25 September 1864 to ''Halsey A. Rhodes / Headquarters / Eng. Brigade / Washington D.C. / Care of General Benham''. Letter discusses Lincoln's draft orders, which towns throughout the north sought to avoid by first offering up the requisite number of volunteers. Letter reads in part, ''...There has been a great excitement for the last five or six weeks in getting volunteers to fill the quotas on the last call of 500,000...they have paid (the different towns) bounties from five hundred to one thousand dollars to each man for one year...Dan Gibbs is home again on furlough, he is one lucky soldier, gets to leave to come home two or three times a year and make good long visits. His wife has a little daughter, perhaps that accounts for his being here now...(john) has enlisted for one year, eleven hundred and fifty dollars bounty he expects to get, they have two sons left...'' Among the perks that Lincoln used to encourage enlistment included money ranging from $50 to over $1,000 per soldier, or a promise of extended furloughs. Four page ink letter measures 5'' x 8''. Very good condition with legible writing.
1864 Civil War Letter Regarding Lincoln's Controversial Military Draft -- ''...There has been a great excitement...in getting volunteers to fill the quotas on the last call of 500,000...''
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