Description:

GEORGE DONNELLAN - CONFEDERATE SPY WITH THE ROSE GREENHOW SPY RING REPORTS ON FIRST MANASSAS
Second Lieutenant George Donnellan, formerly a railroad worker, was a clerk in the Interior Department until his resignation following Lincoln's inauguration. g of couriers including several doctors who came to be called the "Doctors Ring". On July 16, 1861 Donnellan showed up at Greenhow's door with a message from Greenhow's handler, future Gen. Thomas Jordan: "Trust the Bearer". Doing just that, Greenhow passed a message to Donnellan which set forth the strength of McDowell's forces and the fact that they would be marching that day from Arlington Heights and Alexandria toward Manassas. Donnellan rode at a breakneck pace through the Union lines toward Pierre G. T. Beauregard's headquarters, never once being challenged, and provided the information crucial to the rout of McDowell's force five days later. The highly-important A.L.S. offered here is 2pp. sm. 4to., written from "Camp Pickens, Head Quarters", July 22, 1861 - the day after the battle. From the battlefield, Donnellan writes Gen. Daniel Ruggles, then in charge of Confederate defenses in the Fredericksburg area, describing the Confederate victory. In part: "...in the hurry of war movements everybody is so busy that I have not yet conferred with Gen'l Beauregard...Of the 50 pieces artillery I mentioned...30 have been captured. Our loss has been pretty heavy but that of the enemy much heavier. 400 or 500 of Patterson's men are here prisoners. I will give you detail...after conferring with Gen'l Beauregard. Mr. Gales who accompanied me here returns with but one horse the one I rode having been hitched as other horses are, and has either been stolen or borrowed...I will notify Gen'l Holmes of the fact...". Near fine condition. Donnellan then established "Doctors Ring" which passed along further information on Union troop dispositions and movements. Two days after the battle, Grewenhow and other ring members were arrested by Pinkerton for espionage, and encrypted notes from Donnellan were found in her possession. Donnellan escaped - probably because he lacked a horse with which to return to Washington! He would later serve under generals Magruder and Van Dorn, would be captured at Vicksburg, return to duty, and be paroled at Meridian.

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September 9, 2014 11:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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