Details:

Milledge L. Bonham autograph letter signed, four pages on a folded bifolium, written on State of South Carolina, Executive Department letterhead and dated Charleston, August 12, 1863. Addressed to General P. G. T. Beauregard, the letter concerns the defense of Charleston during one of the most critical periods of the Civil War.

Writing while serving as Governor of South Carolina, Bonham discusses the deliberations of the recent State Convention regarding Charleston’s defenses. He explains that the convention resolved the city “should be defended at every cost or sacrifice,” but that military leaders believed additional preparations were necessary before risking a direct engagement with Union forces. Bonham reports that a committee—including prominent South Carolina leaders—had been appointed to consult with Beauregard and obtain his views on the city’s military readiness. He concludes by expressing confidence that every measure possible will be taken for Charleston’s defense, signing, “Very Respectfully, M. L. Bonham.”

The letter offers a remarkable firsthand account of Confederate civil and military coordination during the siege of Charleston. By August 1863, Union forces had intensified operations against the city following their assault on Fort Wagner and the sustained bombardment of Fort Sumter. Charleston remained one of the Confederacy’s most symbolically and strategically important ports, and Bonham’s correspondence illustrates the gravity with which state leaders viewed its defense.

Fragile condition. The manuscript exhibits extensive edge losses, primarily along the upper margins, scattered toning, folds, and general age-related wear. The document has been housed within a protective plastic encapsulation that is sealed only around the outer edges, allowing the letter to be removed without damage should future conservation be desired. 

Milledge Luke Bonham (1813–1890) served as a U.S. Congressman before resigning to join the Confederate cause. He was appointed a major general in the South Carolina militia in 1861, later serving in the Confederate Congress before being elected Governor of South Carolina in 1862. During his governorship he oversaw the state’s wartime administration through some of the Confederacy’s most difficult campaigns, including the prolonged defense of Charleston. Following his term as governor, Bonham returned to military service as a Confederate brigadier general during the final months of the Civil War.

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

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Reference sku: 11669 1416831-1