CSA Gen. Richard Taylor Twice Endorsed Letter Re: Court Martial Case

An autograph letter endorsed twice by Confederate General Richard Taylor. 2pp (front and back), measuring 7.75" x 9.75", Alexandra, dated December 4-30, 1863. The original letter was addressed to Taylor by C.S. West, Acting Junior Advocate General, on December 4, 1863.The final endorsement on the letter is dated December 30th, showing that Lt. Gen. P. H. Thomson has forwarded it to Major General Magruder. The letter has flattened folds, with some separations. Light toning, soiling, and foxing throughout. Boldly signed. Overall very good. The two endorsements by Taylor could be split if desired by potential collectors.

The letter concerns charges brought up against Major Teel. Taylor endorses the letter on verso "R. Taylor" on December 7, 1863, and writes "Respectfully returned. This officer has never reported to me." Beneath his endorsement is a response from Asst. Adj. General S. S. Andrews, explaining that Major Teel was granted a leave of absence for 60 days and was meant to report to Major General Layton at the expiration of his leave. General Taylor writes a further endorsement, dated December 23, which reads, "Respectfully returned to Dept. Hd. Qrs., with the suggestion that these charges be referred to the permanent Court Martial at Galveston Texas as all the witnesses are in Green's Brigade which will probably be operating in that vicinity. Maj. Teel has been ordered to report at Dept. Hd. Qrs. for further instruction. It was my intention to have assigned him to duty as Division Ordnance Officer to the Cavalry Division of Genl. Green." 

Richard "Dick" Taylor (1826-1879) was the only son of President Zachary Taylor and a politician, military historian, and Confederate general. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Taylor joined the Confederate States Army, serving first as a brigade commander in Virginia and later as an army commander in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. At the war's conclusion, Taylor wrote a memoir entitled "Destruction and Reconstruction: Personal Experiences of the Late War", which is considered by many to be one of the most creditable accounts of the war.

Trevanion Theodore Teel (1824–1899) was a Confederate Army officer and lawyer. In 1846, he enlisted in Capt. William Walker's Company K of the Second Indiana Infantry regiment for service in the Mexican War and was later promoted to first lieutenant. Teel served in Gen. Zachary Taylor's campaign in northern Mexico and received two wounds at the battle of Buena Vista. At the end of the war, the Teel family moved to San Antonio, Texas, and was admitted to the bar. When the Civil War broke out, Teel mustered his Knights of the Golden Circle company into state service, which was later reorganized at Fort Clark and designated Light Company B, First Artillery (in which Teel was elected captain). He would go on to be promoted to major of artillery in February 1862, and fought in New Mexico, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi during the Civil War. No record of a court martial can be found by us, so we can only assume that he saw no consequences for the case discussed above. After the war Teel won considerable fame as a criminal defense attorney. Teel died at El Paso on July 6, 1899.

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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