Grant War Date ALS Re; Uniforms Near Wars End

Signed "U.S. Grant, Lt. Gen." Written on Head Quarters Armies of the United States letterhead and addressed to White, Whiteman & Co. of New York. City Point, Virginia, dated February 3, 1865. 2pp (front and back), measuring 7.5" x 9.75". The letter requests that a coat and pair of pants be made for a member of his staff, and Grant suggests his own measurements as a reference point. With flattened mail folds and light soiling. A few small holes at the cross folds. Boldly signed by Grant.

In full:
"Please make a coat & pants for Lieut. Col. F. T. Dent of my Staff who is now absent from here and cannot send his own order. When the clothing is finished send it, with the bill, to my address—I do not recollect whether you took Col. Dent's measure on the occasion of your visit to City Point or not. If you did not the clothing can be made to my measure our size being about the same except in height. I am two inches the taller of the two."

Frederick Tracy Dent (1820-1892) was Ulysses S. Grant's brother-in-law, and the two had been classmates together at West Point. Prior to the Civil War, he served in the Mexican-American War and the Yakima War. In March 1863, he was promoted to major and stationed in New York to help suppress the riots caused by the draft. One year later, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed as General Grant's aide-de-camp. President Lincoln appointed Dent to brigadier general of volunteers to rank on April 5, 1865 but did not submit the nomination prior to his assassination ten days later, so the nomination was delayed nearly a year.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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