Details:

Extraordinary Civil War-era manuscript petition signed by the officers and members of the Washington City Clay Guards, dated Washington, April 25, 1861, and addressed to Secretary of State William H. Seward. Written just under two weeks after the outbreak of the Civil War and only days following the Baltimore Riot, the document enthusiastically recommends Henry T. Taylor for appointment as a paymaster in the United States Army.

The petition praises Taylor as “a gentleman of high standing and wide influence in Virginia,” emphasizing that his unwavering loyalty to the Union had come at tremendous personal cost. The writers recount that because of his devotion to “the Union and the Constitution,” he had been driven from both his home state and his family. They further commend his courage, noting that he cast the only vote in his county for Abraham Lincoln, doing so under an open ballot while protecting himself from personal violence by standing armed “with a weapon in each hand.” The letter concludes by asserting that men willing to make such sacrifices for free speech and the nation’s honor deserved recognition from the Lincoln administration.

Beneath the recommendation appears an impressive roster of signatures from the officers and enlisted members of the Washington City Clay Guards, including company officers, sergeants, corporals, and numerous privates, creating an exceptional record of one of the capital’s earliest Union volunteer organizations during the opening days of the Civil War.

Very good condition. Folded as expected for mailing with scattered toning, light soiling, minor edge wear, and a few small archival repairs and paper losses at fold intersections. The manuscript remains highly legible throughout, with the numerous signatures bold and well preserved.

The Washington City Clay Guards were among the patriotic volunteer militia organizations formed in the nation’s capital at the outset of the Civil War. Organized to support the Union cause and defend Washington during its most vulnerable period, the company reflected the intense loyalty of Northern sympathizers living in the border region. Addressed to Secretary of State William H. Seward—President Abraham Lincoln’s closest political advisor during the war’s opening months—this remarkable manuscript captures both the personal sacrifices made by steadfast Unionists in Virginia and the urgent efforts to reward their loyalty as the nation descended into civil war.

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Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11669 1416832-1