(1833 – 1880) Career Army officer, a Union brigadier general commanding both infantry and cavalry forces. Torbert commanded his New Jersey brigade in the campaigns leading to the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the Battle of Gettysburg. He then served as chief of the Cavalry for the Army of the Shenandoah and led the cavalry at important battles such as the Battle of Third Winchester and the Battle of Cedar Creek. Good content, war-date A.L.S., 2pp. 4to., [n.p.], March 4, 1862, to a Capt. J. M. Wilson, assistant adjutant general to divisional commander Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin. In full: ‘I have the honor to protest against the detail from my Regiment for the Provost & General’s Guard. I contend that the details in the first place should be proportionate to the strength present in the different Regts and then proportionate to the strength of the Companies in a Regt. The Generals Guard calls for twenty privates of this number there are six men from my Regt. which is smaller than the 2d or 3d Regts. and in this detail there are two privates from the same company and two from the same company on the Provost Guard and none from the other companies. There are also two other men from one company a Copl [Corporal] & Private. On the Provost Guard there are two Copls. which I don’t think is proportionate to the number in the different Regts. I don’t think it can be said that we cant get sixty good men in the Brigade and make the detail proportionate to the strength of the different Regts. [all sic]’ He signs boldly ‘A. T. A. Torbert’ in black ink at the conclusion, adding his contemporary rank ‘Col 1st R[egiment] N[ew] J[ersey] V[olunteers]’. Shows original mailing folds, faintly toned at the edges and slightly ragged at the bottom edge, with cello tape marks to the upper corners of the verso, in very good overall condition. Sold with a period frontispiece engraving of Torbert, with his facsimile signature beneath the portrait.