623. EPHRAIM ELMER ELLSWORTH (1837-1861) Union officer and a close friend of Lincoln, leader of 'Ellsworth's Zouaves" who was killed by a hotel owner in Alexandria after tearing down a Confederate flag which had flown above the hotel. Excessively rare A.Ms., 1p. oblong 8vo., [Washington, Apr. 10, 1861], a list of 24 names of members of Ellsworth's Zouaves boldly penned in black ink. Among the names listed are: "Haydon...Coates...Fessenden...Conner...Knox... Gen - the Count...Pflyel of Hungary...Aiken... Bell... ward...Hay..." with the names "DeWitt" and "Yates" crossed-out in pencil, presumably by the recipient, Capt. Edwin Coates. At bottom is a later A.N.S. of Capt. Edwin M. Coates, a close friend and comrade of Ellsworth, who writes: "N.B. List of names of Chicago Zouaves sent me by Col. Ellsworth to [?] such as men not true. E. M. Coates". Short split at bottom, else very good. Matted beneath the document is the typed transcript of a letter sent by Ellsworth to Coates which originally contained this list, Washington, Apr. 10, 1861, and marked and initialed by Coates as a true copy. In it Ellsworth explains the meaning of the list of soldiers sent to Coates: "...I send you a list of the men I rely upon - there may be some of them who have turned against me. I can trust no one who has for a moment doubted me. If you know of any such, crop off their names [which Coates apparently did in our document], and let me know immediately who they are...There can no longer be any doubt of war. Volunteers are already being raised in this city. I have told the President who I wanted as officers, and I know that as far as he can aid me I can rely on his good will...You must observe the greatest caution and if you let a hint of this get out you will ruin all..." It is a little known fact that Ellsworth was all but paranoid of the public's image of him and his Fire Zouaves. Certainly a document worthy of further research! $1,500-2,000