Autograph Request Answered by Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson (Captured Jeff Davis)

Description

Autograph Request Answered by Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson (Captured Jeff Davis)
Offered for your consideration is a response to an autograph request (not present), written and signed by a Union cavalry general whose men captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Headlined from “
1305 RODNEY STREET
/
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
” and penned on “
August 23, 1914
”, this short missive is addressed to “
My Dear Sir
”. The body of the letter states that the author was “
Replying to your letter of Aug 11
th
asking for my autograph I have pleasure in sending you an extract from a letter dated March 20, 1865:
”, originally written from “
Chickasaw, Ala.
”. This extract, of a reasonable length, reads “
… Isn’t it unfortunate that the rains cannot be controlled by General Grant? … Withal, I hope we shall be off in time to do good service. My command is certainly in magnificent condition, well armed, splendidly mounted, perfectly clad and equipped, and will turn out a heavier [mounted] fighting force than ever before started on a similar expedition in this country. I am personally in the best of health and spirits.
”. After concluding the extract, he further states that “
Such was the case then and it is true today.
”. He concludes the letter “
Yours Very Truly,
/
James H.
Wilson
”, followed by the name and address of the recipient, “
Glen Walton Blodgett
Esq.
/
265 Delaware Ave. Buffalo
/
N. Y.
”. It would seem that Blodgett was a prolific autograph collector, and well-known in the field. This may be why he received such a lengthy and interesting response to his autograph request. Sadly, due to the length of the response, this piece would be somewhat difficult to display, though it would make a great addition to any collection. Boldly written in a large hand.
James Harrison Wilson
was born on September 2, 1837 on his father’s farm near Shawneetown, Illinois. He attended McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois, for one year, though he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1860 (he ranked sixth in a class of 41). Receiving a commission as a brevet second lieutenant in the Topographical Engineers, his first assignment was at Fort Vancouver in the Department of Oregon. Returning east at the outbreak of the Civil War, Wilson was advanced to second and first lieutenant and assigned as topographical engineer for the Port Royal Expeditionary Force, serving from September, 1861 through March, 1862. He was brevetted major for his service in the reduction of Fort Pulaski, after which he was transferred to the Army of the Potomac as its topographical engineer, though he also served as an aide-de-camp to Major General George B. McClellan (he was present at South Mountain and Antietam). He subsequently transferred to the Western Theater where he served as a lieutenant colonel and topographical engineer in Ulysses S. Grant’s Army of the Tennessee (during the Vicksburg Campaign he served as the inspector general of Grant’s army). Wilson was promoted to brigadier general on October 30, 1863, remaining on staff duty through the battle of Chattanooga. In early 1864, Wilson returned east and transferred from engineering to the cavalry, being assigned as chief of the Cavalry Bureau in Washington, D.C. on February 17, 1864. On May 6, 1864, Grant promoted him to brevet major general and assigned him to command a division of cavalry under Major General Philip Sheridan. He performed well during the Overland and Valley Campaigns of 1864, though he failed in an attempt to destroy the South Side and Richmond & Danville railroads. Just before the battle of Cedar Creek in October, 1864, Wilson was brevetted major general of volunteers and transferred west to become chief of cavalry for the Military Division of the Mississippi. In this capacity, Wilson trained Sherman’s cavalry for his March to the Sea, though he did not accompany the troopers. Wilson and 17,000 cavalrymen were attached to George H. Thomas’s Army of the Cumberland, participating in the battles of Franklin and Nashville (for his service at Nashville, Wilson was brevetted brigadier general in the Regular Army). He led the highly successful Wilson’s Raid through Alabama and Georgia, with his troops capturing the city of Columbus, Georgia on Easter Day, 1865. He was brevetted major general in the Regular Army for his performance during the action at Selma, Alabama, and received his full promotion to that rank on May 6, 1865. Cavalrymen under his command captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Captain Henry Wirz, the head of Andersonville Prison. At the close of the war, Wilson reverted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and was assigned to the newly created 35
th
United States Infantry, but he returned to serve in the Corps of Engineers. He resigned from the military in December, 1870, after which he worked as a railroad construction engineer and executive. He relocated to Wilmington, Delaware in 1883, and spent the following 15 years devoted to business, travel, and public affairs. Wilson re-entered the military during the Spanish-American War of 1898, serving as a major general of volunteers in Cuba and Puerto Rico. He saw service as a brigadier general during the Boxer Rebellion in 1901, before retiring again in 1902. James H. Wilson died in Wilmington, Delaware on February 23, 1925 and was buried in that city’s Old Swedes Churchyard.
The presently offered document exhibits signs of expected period use, followed by many years in what was probably a display of some type. Toning is noted across the entire surface, imparting a beige or tan hue to the paper. This toning is somewhat darker at the edges and along the folds, though this has not adversely affected the legibility of the text. Several of these multi-directional folds have affected the integrity of the paper, though no significant separations are noted. One tear can be found at the right edge of the first page, only affecting a small amount of the text at this time. The contrast is average, though areas of fading can be seen throughout (no text has been lost and the signature is quite strong). It would seem that some of this fading was due to the amount of ink being applied, as a lighter area will follow and precede a darker one. Measuring approximately 5¾ x 7½ inches when folded and 7½ x 11½ inches when laid flat, this piece would make a great addition to any Civil War or Union general autograph collection. It is interesting to note that when he died, Wilson was one of only four full—rank generals remaining from the Civil War.
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Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2
nd
Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.
American Coins and Collectibles
Shreveport, LA