(1829 - 1896) Union brigadier general who fought with distinction at Pilot Knob and in the subsequent Union retreat. Fine historical content, war-date A.L.S., 4pp. 4to., Washington, D.C., April 23, 1862, to his father, former Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of the Interior THOMAS EWING (1789-1871). The younger Ewing relates his visit to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and President Abraham Lincoln to present them with Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck’s letter announcing the recent Union victory at Shiloh on April 6-7. In large part: ‘[Ohio Senator and later Secretary of State, brother of William T. Sherman] John Sherman & I called to see Secy Stanton last evening. He had not yet heard a word from Halleck. Sherman showed him a copy of Halleck’s letter sent by Capt Hammond, at which he was greatly pleased & said he would have it published when it was received. He had sent Genl. [William T.] Sherman’s name to the President for Major General as soon as he saw [Ulysses S.] Grant’s official dispatch. We then called on the President who read the copy of Halleck’s letter, & said as soon as the original came he would send in Sherman’s nomination. He evidently was indisposed to nominate him on the strength of Grant’s report, as Grant is not clear of very damaging charges of neglect of duty in regard to the battle. He told me when I left that when he sent the General’s name in he wanted me to present his special regards to Mrs. Sherman, for whom, he said, he has a great liking. I told him the good feeling was cordially reciprocated, & that Mrs. Sherman had raised the Republican flag on the strength of his nomination & had ever since been his advocate and political friend. He rubbed his hands & said ‘thats first rate!’ I told the President of the statement of ‘Agate’ in the Cincinnati Gazette that Sherman had repeatedly stated to his brother officers more than a week before the battle that he regarded the position of the army as extremely critical, & was apprehensive of an attack…’ Ewing changes the subject to discuss a recent bill in the Senate: ‘...I enclose the Pottawatomie Treaty. The Pacific [Railroad] will not go through, I think: & we will not calculate upon its passage. I doubt the possibility of getting a bill through for our road alone to Denver, on account of the fierce jealousies & rivalries among friends of the various Iowa & Missouri sen[a]t[o]rs & of our own…’ Ewing states his plans to remain in Washington for at least a month on various business, and signs boldly in black ink at the conclusion. He then adds a post-script conveying the greetings of the President and Stanton, and executes his name again ‘T. Ewing’ in addressing the letter to his father at bottom left. Shows original mailing folds, with a mounting strip remnant and minor soiling to the final page, otherwise in very good to fine condition overall.