Description:

[Lincoln Abraham]

Abraham Lincoln Prevents Execution of Soldier for Desertion

[Abraham Lincoln.] John W. Shaffer, Manuscript telegram to Abraham Lincoln, January 21, 1864, Fort Monroe, Virginia. 1 p., 7.625" x 9.875", on U.S. Military Telegraph letterhead. Tear on bottom fold not affecting text.

Complete Transcript

"Office U. S. Military Telegraph.

                                                                        War Department.

The following Telegram received at Washington, 10 55 PM January 21 1864.

            From Ft Monroe

                        Dated, January 21 1864.

The President

            Execution of Henry C. Fuller Co C one hundred Eighteenth (118) NY. Vols was suspended as you ordered

                                                                        J. W. Shaffer

                                                                        Col & Chief of Staff

17 Col".


On February 8, 1863, private Henry C. Fuller of the 118th New York Volunteer Infantry deserted his regiment just short of six months into his three-year enlistment. He and his regiment were encamped near Fort Ethan Allen along the Potomac River in Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C. Fuller returned home to his farm in Keene, New York, near the Vermont border. In August, enrolling officer E. F. Boynton found Fuller at his home and forced him to surrender. Initially placed in jail in Plattsburg, New York, Fuller was transferred to Fortress Monroe, where he faced a court-martial convened on December 23, 1863. The court-martial found Fuller guilty of desertion and sentenced him to be “shot to death by musketry.” In mid-January 1864, Major General Benjamin F. Butler, in command at Norfolk, ordered the sentence to be carried out within forty-eight hours of having been read to Fuller.

When he learned of Fuller’s sentence, Rowland C. Kellogg, the captain of Company D in the 118th New York, wrote to his father U.S. Representative Orlando Kellogg (1809-1865). Congressman Kellogg had helped to organize and finance the 118th New York and was known as the “Father of the Regiment.” He immediately appealed to President Abraham Lincoln to suspend the execution of Fuller’s sentence until he could investigate it. Kellogg wrote triumphantly, “The President told me today that the sentence of Henry C. Fuller would stand suspended till I could have a Hearing for him. I shall save him.”

On January 20, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln sent a telegram to Major General Benjamin F. Butler at Fort Monroe, Virginia. He wrote “If Henry C. Fuller, of Co. C. 118th. N.Y. Vols. under sentence of death for desertion, has not been executed, suspend his execution until further order.” After receiving this telegram in reply, Lincoln penned this brief message on a card to Congressman Kellogg on January 22, “I have answer that execution of Henry C. Fuller is suspended.” Ultimately, Lincoln commuted Fuller’s sentence to imprisonment for three years.

Henry C. “Hank” Fuller (1829-1907) was born in New York and was a farmer. He married Sylvia M. Brown (b. 1836), and they had at least three children. He enlisted as a private in Company C of the 118th New York Volunteer Infantry on August 11, 1862. He deserted on February 8, 1863, but was captured on his farm in New York in August, tried by court-martial in December, and sentenced to be shot. President Lincoln intervened and commuted his sentence to three years in prison. Fuller returned to New York and farming and lived into the twentieth century.

John Wilson Shaffer (1827-1870) was born in Pennsylvania and settled in Freeport, Illinois, in 1849. He became a merchant and was elected county sheriff in 1856. He helped to organize the 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, then became a quartermaster successively for General John Pope, General David Hunter, and General Benjamin F. Butler in their various commands. He was promoted to colonel and became Butler’s chief of staff in the fall of 1863. He resigned in September 1864 because of ill health. In 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him as governor of the territory of Utah, but he died suddenly after only seven months in office.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice, unless you inform us otherwise, immediately upon your receipt of invoice***

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.


After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item.Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000