PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN SEEKS INFORMATION ON A CAPTURED UNION SOLDIER: “WILL GEN. HITCHCOCK PLEASE SEE & HEAR THIS GENTLEMAN?”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1809-1865). Lincoln was the sixteenth President of the United States. He was in office during the American Civil War and was assassinated shortly before the war’s conclusion.

ANS. 2pgs. September 12, 1864. N.p. An autograph note signed “A Lincoln” as President of the United States. Writing less than a year before his assassination, Lincoln writes to General Ethan Hitchcock (1798-1870) concerning a captured Pennsylvania soldier.  Lincoln wrote on the back of a letter sent to him: “Will Gen. Hitchcock please see & hear this gentleman? A Lincoln Sep. 12, 1864”.  The letter sent to Lincoln states: “Joseph A. Garman, of Stoystown, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, who was latter of the 5th Regiment Penn. Vol. Infantry under command of Col. D. M. Campbell, was captured by a Rebel force of guerillas, between Martinsburg and Winchester, Virginia, on Monday, May 2, 1864, whilst going from his regiment towards Martinsburg to procure supplies of goods. He was immediately taken southward & on the 9th of May, he wrote from Gordonsville; on 13th of May, he wrote from Lynchburg, and on the 19th of May, he wrote from Danville, this being the last information received from him. He is 5 ft 8 or 9 inches in height, was a large corpulent man, weighing about 240 lbs, dark complexion, black hair, & about 50 years of age.”  Joseph A. Garman served as sutler to the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and some research shows that he died a few days after being paroled or exchanged.  The manuscript has light soiling and the Lincoln signature is dark.