Description:

CONFEDERATE GENERALS A. P. HILL, WILLIAM MCCOMB AND HENRY HETH
A fine association set of signed endorsements on a war-date document, 1p. 4to., Jan. 17, 1865, on rough brown ‘hardship' paper, an application for furlough for a Pvt. John Johnson on account of sickness, written and signed by his captain, with a surgeon's note certifying the subject's illness below. On the verso, the application is endorsed as approved by Johnson's commanding officers and the lieutenant colonel commanding his regiment, before being forwarded to WILLIAM M. MCCOMB (1828-1918), Confederate brigadier general who served gallantly in all of the battles of the Army of Northern Virginia, including the Seven Days, Cheat Mountain, the Overland campaign and the siege of Petersburg, and was severely wounded at Antietam and Chancellorsville. He executed his A.E.S., in full: ‘Hd Qrs. Archers & Johnsons Brigs Jany 20th, 1865 Res. Forwd. Approved Wm McComb Col. Comdg'. The application next bears the A.E.S. of HENRY HETH (1825 – 1899), Confederate major general who commanded the Department of East Tennessee, succeeded A.P. Hill at Chancellorsville, and commanded the division that precipitated the battle of Gettysburg and which also participated in Pickett's Charge. He writes, in full: ‘Hd. Qrs. Heth's Div Jany 21 1865 Res. forwarded & appd H Heth Maj Genl', thus executing his surname twice. The application next bears the rare signed endorsement of AMBROSE P. HILL (1825 – 1865), Confederate lieutenant general who led Hill's Light Division through the Battles of Cedar Mountain, Antietam and Chancellorsville, led the III Corps at Gettysburg, killed in the final defense of Petersburg. He hurriedly signs ‘A P Hill' in black ink. Finally, the application is endorsed as approved ‘By order of Gen Lee', the endorsement signed by Lee's assistant adjutant general, Lt. Col. CHARLES S. VENABLE (1827-1900). Heth's endorsement is rather light, as is the initial application on the recto, which has been silked for preservation, with the remaining signatures bold, in very good condition overall. While McComb and Heth would survive the war, Hill would die in battle just two months later, in April of 1865.

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March 27, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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