(1823 - 1875) Union brigadier general who would later become a U.S. Congressman and prominent Senator from Connecticut. He pursued Stonewall Jackson during the latter’s 1862 Valley Campaign and faced him in battle at Cedar Mountain. Fine military content, war-date A.L.S., 2pp. 4to., Harrison’s Landing, VA, July 10, 1862, to Connecticut governor William A. Buckingham. In large part: ‘We have been here a week, being the first reinforcements to reach Gen. McClellan after his five days battle [now called the Seven Days Battles]. We were pushed to the front and had a two days’ skirmish ourselves to secure our position. We are satisfied with the skill of McClellan, content with our position and confident of future success. The Army is unquestionably in good spirits and intends to be in possession of Richmond yet. I see you are organizing new Regiments. Permit me to recommend for Company officers the best-drilled sergeants, corporals, and privates of the Regiments in the field. You can easily get their names from the colonels, and the efficiency of a Regiment depends more upon its Line officers than upon all other things put together. I hope to get home for a few days while we are in ‘summer quarters’. I would like to organize a Brigade of your new Regiments and bring it back with me. I prefer my boys of the old 5th [Connecticut Volunteer Infantry] to these strangers from the West. By the way, the 5th did gloriously at Winchester. I have heard it from men who knew nothing of them or of my former connection with them…’ he signs ‘O S Ferry’ in black ink at the conclusion. Shows original mailing folds, slightly ragged at the left edge where detached from a second leaf, faintly toned with some ink show-through on both sides, and a period ink identifying inscription in the right margin of the second page, otherwise in very good to fine condition overall.