Pair of Two Civil War-Era Letters Re: Banishment of Clement Vallandigham

A pair of two Civil War-dated letters (ca. 1863-64), the first from an Ohio physician and the other from a solider in the 142nd New York Regiment, each describing a polarized view of Copperhead Clement Vallandigham following his banishment in mid-1863. Exhibits darkened soiling, slight creasing, and areas of ink smudging throughout. Please see below and accompanying photos for additional information. Overall, very good with interesting contents.

The lot includes:

1.) ALS from Dr. Joseph Earley to his brother and sister in Friendship, NY, 2pp, dated June 10, 1863, Lexington, OH.

Reading in part: "I was chosen a delegate to the meeting on the 11th inst. We expect that little Val will be our candidate if he has been banished south &c. I told the abolitionists that he was the best commissioner we could send south & that they would not ask him to go. So they sent him under the pretense of banishment…
You spoke of the slaughter at Vicksburgh [sic] & still they slay them there as if there were so many cattle. Another heavy battle at Port Hudson. I read the acc of & peace meeting at N.Y. City. I think that will do."

2.) ALS from soldier of Company H, 142nd N.Y. Regiment, 4pp, dated July 5, 1864, near Bermuda Hundred, VA.

Reading in part: "Just tell the rebs there that they [can go] to hell and their heads shaved. We heard that old Valingdingham [sic] was there and has had the pleasure of being arrested. If so I hope they will tar and feather him and send him to hell…".

Clement Laird Vallandingham (1820-1871) was a lawyer and politician from Ohio who served as a leader of the Copperhead faction of anti-war Democrats during the American Civil War. From the start of the War's inception, Vallandingham would give numerous public speeches in its opposition- and by extent the policies of Abraham Lincoln- leading to his eventual court martial by the Union Army in 1863. Lincoln would describe him as being a "wily agitator", thus ordering his exile from the Union and sending him across enemy lines into the Confederacy. From there, Vallandingham would travel to Canada where he declared himself a candidate for Governor of Ohio. While he would go on to win the Democratic nomination, he was ultimately defeated in the 1863 election.

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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