Lot 281
Gideon Welles (1802-78) Secretary of the Navy under Lincoln. Autograph Letter unsigned, 2½ pp, 10x7¾", Washington, 10 Nov. 1861. Fine. To an unidentified correspondent. Incomplete draft copy of an important letter regarding Lincoln's removal of John C. Frémont from command of the Western Department, to a man who obviously supported Frémont. In part: "…whatever may be the merits of Fremont or any other man, I trust his life or death, his good or evil fortune, is not such that the welfare of the country is dependent on him….It is not for me to say how just or unjust this conclusion is….The President appointed Fremont I know with hearty good will, and it would have given him unalloyed satisfaction had Fremont proved himself a greater general than Napoleon. No man in the Union more ardently desired that F. should be successful than the President…the delay to act indicated his reluctance to supercede a man of whom he hoped & expected so much….When the President became satisfied that the country was suffering detriment from Fremont… there was but one course for him to pursue….The extravagance & financial mismanagement of Fremont are admitted by every body….I am not prepared to say he is destitute of military capability although many who ought to be competent judges pronounce him deficient, and results in Missouri have not inspired confidence in him. But few of our generals have yet earned by high distinction as well as Fremont. He therefore is not the only failure, and the death or removal of any one of them, whether right or wrong, ought not to overwhelm us…." This is an amazing letter from within Lincoln's official family.
Estimated Value $600 - 800.
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| Realized $173 |
