Description:

Montgomery Meigs
Washington, DC, March 7, 1865
General Montgomery C. Meigs Explains Delays in Payments
Partially printed DS
MONTGOMERY C. MEIGS, Partially Printed Letter Signed, to C. W. Thomas, March 7, 1865, Washington, DC. 1 p., 8" x 9.5". Docketing on verso; expected folds; small tears on folds, not affecting text; residue of prior mounting on verso.

In this brief form letter, Union Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs cites the "exhausted state of the appropriations for the Department" for not remitting nearly $900,000 to the chief quartermaster at Hilton Head, South Carolina.

In November 1861, the largest amphibious landing of U.S. Forces until D-Day more than eighty years later led to the capture of Hilton Head Island on the southern coast of South Carolina. Through the remainder of the war, the island and its Port Royal served as a refueling station for Union ships involved in the blockade of southern ports, a supply depot for armies operating in the area, and a refugee camp for formerly enslaved African Americans seeking their freedom. The island also housed hospitals for wounded and ill Union soldiers and a prisoner-of-war camp.

Montgomery C. Meigs (1816-1892) was born in Georgia to a prominent physician and his wife but grew up in Philadelphia. He was educated at the Franklin Institute and the University of Pennsylvania. He entered the United States Military Academy in 1832 and graduated in 1836. Commissioned as a first lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery, he spent most of his service with the Corps of Engineers. In 1853, he became responsible for supervising the construction of the Washington Aqueduct (1852-1860) and enlarging the U.S. Capitol (1853-1859). In April 1861, he helped devise and execute a secret expedition for the relief of Fort Pickens in Florida, which remained under Union control throughout the war. In May 1861, Meigs was promoted to brigadier general and Quartermaster General of the Army, replacing Joseph Johnston, who became a Confederate general. As Quartermaster General, Meigs earned a reputation for being efficient, demanding, and scrupulously honest. Some estimate that he disbursed more than $1.5 billion during the war, all accurately vouchered and accounted for.

Charles W. Thomas (1833-1882) was born in Maine and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1855. After service on frontier duty, he was a member of the expedition to relieve Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor in 1861. He then worked in the commissary and quartermaster's offices in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. During the Peninsular Campaign, he served as chief quartermaster of the 3rd Army Corps at Fortress Monroe, Virginia. He was in charge of the quartermaster depot at Baltimore before being appointed Chief Quartermaster for various jurisdictions in South Carolina from October 1864 to July 1866. After additional quartermaster service in Missouri and Virginia, he resigned in 1872 and later served as a clerk in the Interior Department.

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.

  • Dimensions: 8" x 9.5"
  • Medium: Partially printed DS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide 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 that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, 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. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

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. 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 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

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

March 12, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

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