Lot 1252

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Description:

(1839-1917) Union Captain during the Civil War, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, and the first man tasked with pursuing John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Very rare A.L.S. as Chairman of the Campaigns for the presidential ticket of James G. Blaine and John A. Logan, 2pp. 8vo., New York, Oct. 6, 1884, addressed to the Secretary of the National Republican Committee. In part: 'As the time approaches for the meeting of the nominating Conventions for Congress...I desire to make known to the Com[mittee] that I am a candidate in the 11th Congr[essional] Dist[rict] of N.Y....if nominated I can be elected provided I have the aid and support...I therefore ask that in any consultation the Committee may have...I may be favored with a participation in it...I shall lay before State Com the same facts with a view to such cooperation...to achieve Mr. Blaine a Republican House of Reps for his Administration...' Of course, Blaine lost to Grover Cleveland after narrowly losing the swing state of New York by just over one thousand votes. Vertical fold, two negligible punctures at upper-left, else fine. Sold with a printed campaign broadside, 4to., announcing the opening of the Irish-American Republican Association and the Blaine and Logan Campaign Clubs, both chaired by O'Beirne and docketed 'O'Beirne' on the verso. After Lincoln was shot and taken across the street, O'Beirne escorted vice-president Johnson to his deathbed shortly after Johnson's would-be assassin, George Atzerodt, lost his nerve and fled. Then, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered O'Beirne that he was 'relieved from all other duties at this time, and directed to employ yourself...in the detection and arrest of the murderers of the President...' Following Stanton's orders, O'Beirne made his way through the streets of the capital to Atzerodt's hiding place, discovering a loaded revolver under his pillow, leading to Atzerodt's capture five days later. With the help of a map of the upper Potomac found in Atzerodt's room, he pursued Booth along the river banks for twelve days, leading him to the Garrett Farm in Northern Virginia. After telegramming the Secretary of War of Booth's location, office politics led Stanton to pull O'Beirne from the case and select Lafayette C. Baker as his replacement.

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May 23, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000