Description:

C.S.A. PRISONER AUTOGRAPH ALBUM FROM FORT WARREN, MASS.
A superlative collection of over 110 signatures, many with sentiment, penned by Confederate prisoners held at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. The pentagonal fort, completed 1845, occupied six acres of land and provided maximum security to high-risk Confederate prisoners held therein. The autograph book bears embossed leather covers with gilt lettering, and all signatures within are crisp and clean. The book was likely owned by a fellow prisoner, and is signed on the first page: "A. R. Carter Fort Warren Nov. 27, 1861". Prisoners came from all walks of life: soldiers, politicians considered "disloyal", businessman, and so on. Perhaps the two most famous signatories are JAMES M. MASON and JOHN SLIDELL, who both sign the same page, adding their home states. Following the Trent Affair (which almost led to war with Britain), the pair were held at the fort until finally freed in January, 1862. Others include CSA Gen. ADOLPH DE LAGNEL who adds his rank as Captain of artillery, Gen. JOHN PEGRAM adding rank as "Lt. Col. P.A.C.S. Richmond, Va.", REV. NATHANIEL GREEN, a secessionist minister from New Orleans who preached anti-Union and anti-Lincoln sermons, he preached all the sermons at Fort Warren and has a small bound religious tract pasted beside his signature, WILLIAM H. WINDER, son of the CSA general of the same name, EDWARD S. RUGGLES, arrested in New York as a spy, twice wounded in combat, CAPT. MICHAEL BERRY, a pioneer of steam navigation, CHARLES J. FAULKNER, Minister to France held hostage and exchanged for Congressman Alfred Ely, also served as Chief of Staff to Stonewall Jackson, GEORGE W. BROWN, secessionist Mayor of Baltimore, editor FRANCIS FLANDERS and JUDGE JOSEPH R. FLANDERS, New Yorkers arrested for refusing to take the oath of allegiance claiming Lincoln's orders were illegal, CHARLES HOWARD, President of the Baltimore & Susquehanna Railroad, DAVID LOWBER, a blockade runner, CHARLES S. MOREHEAD, ex-Governor of Kentucky and anti-Unionist who before war broke out accused Seward of attempting to cut-off trade from the South, LAWRENCE SANGSTON, Maryland state representative who wrote a description of life as a prisoner at Ft. Warren, AUSTIN E. SMITH, naval agent at San Francisco, son of Gen. William Smith, arrested in Panama as he attempted to join the CSA, CAPT. ROBERT TANSILL, a Marine arrested aboard a U.S. vessel, and many officers, the vast majority of whom were captured at Fort Hatteras. Covers are scuffed and binding is a bit loose, spine worn, yet contents are near fine. The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark, was a small but significant engagement in the early days of the American Civil War. Two Confederate forts on the North Carolina Outer Banks were subjected to an amphibious assault by Union forces that began on 28 August 1861. The ill-equipped and undermanned forts were forced to endure bombardment by seven Union warships, to which they were unable to reply. Although casualties were light, the defenders chose not to continue the one-sided contest, and on the second day they surrendered. As immediate results of the battle, Confederate interference with Northern maritime commerce was considerably reduced, while the Union blockade of Southern ports was extended. More importantly, the Federal government gained entry into the North Carolina Sounds.

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October 9, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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