$50,000
Autographed letter signed ("R. E. Lee, Genl."), in the hand of an aide-de-camp, one page, February 21, 1865, Headquarters of the C.S. Armies [Richmond, Virginia]. The Confederate general (1807-1870) writes to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, commander of the Union army, in response to Grant's letter of February 16th, regarding the exchange of citizen prisoners. He writes in full: "I am informed by the Secretary of War to whom the proposition relative to citizen prisoners contained in your letter of the 16th which was submitted, that our commissioners of exchange have already received instructions to effect an arrangement with those of the United States, similar to that proposed by you, And I am also informed that it is intended that the release of citizen prisoners held by the Confederate authorities shall immediately follow the exchange of military prisoners more in progress. This fact renders it necessary to reply more fully to your specific question with reference to the prisoners referred to in your letter, and I hope there will be no difficulty in receiving all such prisoners on both sides. Very respectfully Your Obt. servt. R. Lee, Genrl." At the start of 1865, with the war nearing a close and in response to the swelling of prisoner camps, including Andersonville, Lee and Grant reopened prisoner exchanges. An agreement between the Confederate Agent for the Exchange of Prisoners, Robert Ould, and his Union counterpart, John E. Mulford, was completed on February Read more…
Auctioneer:
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
Date:
2015-05-07
