|
Sale 118
Lot 158
Morgan, John Hunt -- Autograph Album Signed by Morgan and 68 of His Officers While in the Ohio State Penitentiary in 1863. A brown leather-bound autograph album with decorative blind and gilt tool work on both boards, 5¼x7¾". The first endpaper has an inscription by a previous owner: "Dec. 10th 1875. Sallie David, Uniontown, KY." On the next leaf is a presentation inscription: "To Miss Ruth C. David from J.S.C. Penitentiary, Columbus, Ohio, September, 1863." This album was originally purchased directly from a descendant of Henry Clay.
The next page bears the rare autograph of John Hunt Morgan, Confederate general and legendary cavalry commander. His signature is in a very desirable form, including his rank and hometown: "Jno. H. Morgan / Brigd. Gen / CS Army / Lexington / Ky." On the next sixty plus pages of this album are beautifully accomplished signatures of Morgan's staff officers, one per page, most all showing rank, division, and hometown. Some forty-eight officers are natives of Kentucky, with the balance from various other states and Washington, D.C. Also listed are several men, one from Texas, who were killed in battle.
Some of the other autographs include: Capt. Thomas S. Morgan, likely a cousin of John Hunt Morgan; Lt. Col. Joseph T. Tucker, a member of the Kentucky 11th, Chenault's Cavalry, who was later exchanged and served under Breckinridge in West Virginia; Capt. Buford A. Lucy, Asst. Quartermaster for Chenault's Regt.; Lt. Col. James B. McCreary, who would help Morgan escape from this prison on Nov. 27, 1863 and would later become governor of Kentucky; Capt. Hart Gibson, Morgan's asst. adj. gen.; Col. Basil W. Duke, Morgan's brother-in-law and right-hand man, promoted to general on Morgan's death, member of Pres. Jeff. Davis's escort staff at the end of the war, also a historian and author; Charlton Hunt Morgan, John Hunt's brother and aide de camp; Col. William W. Ward, head of the 9th Tennessee; 2nd Lt. Thomas W. Bullitt, helped dig the tunnel for Morgan's escape; Capt. T. Henry Hines, the architect of Morgan's escape; and Capts. Loreno D. Hockersmith, Jacob C. Bennett, and Ralph Sheldon, all of whom escaped with Morgan and Hines.
In July 1862 Morgan had led a very successful raid through Kentucky, which raised alarms all the way to the White House. In June and July 1863, Morgan led some 2500 troops on a 1,000 mile raid to destroy bridges, railroads, and Union supplies in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, farther north than any other uniformed Confederate penetration during the war. General Braxton Bragg, who was Morgan's regional commander, had given explicit orders not to cross the Ohio River--an order which Morgan flouted and which proved costly. After Union gunboats intercepted many of his men, Morgan surrendered at Salineville, Ohio. The enlisted men were sent to the Camp Douglas stockade in Chicago, while Morgan and his officers were escorted to the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus. On November 27, Morgan and six of his men made a daring escape by tunneling through a ventilation shaft beneath their cells and scaling the wall. Two were recaptured but Morgan and the other four made it back to the South. Less than a year later, on Sept. 4, 1864, in Greeneville, Tennessee, Morgan was fatally shot by Union cavalrymen.
The book is in good condition, with the spine re-backed. The signatures, however are in fine condition, with only tiny tears on the top of the first two pages, not affecting any writing.
This amazing item is certainly one of the finest groupings of Confederate signatures available, especially to a collector of material related to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Estimated Value $7,500 - UP
|
| |
| Realized $7,680 |
|
