Description:

James Longstreet Remarkable Letter Penned Just Days After Being Appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the Confederate Army, Two Weeks Before the Battle of Fort Sumter and the Start of the Civil War

Single page ALS, signed "James Longstreet, paymaster", composed on 7.5" x 9.5" blue lined paper, and dated "March 28th. 1861". Accompanied by a 5.5" x 7.75" black and white modern portrait photo of Longstreet in his Confederate uniform. Letter and photo near fine.

A revealing letter penned by James Longstreet writing to Major R.B. Reynolds, March 28th, 1861 about defending his handling of Federal funds. Longstreet wrote the letter shortly before deciding to join the Confederate army, during which time simultaneously two paymasters in the department also resigned to join the Confederacy. Colonel Loring ordered him to assume their duties and close their accounts. Longstreet noted to a friend that he would "rather have my right hand cut off than leave the service owing a cent" (little did he know how accurate his comment would be). It was upon hearing of the battle of Fort Sumter, he made the decision to join the confederates. According to the records, Confederate authorities in Montgomery appointed Longstreet Lieutenant Colonel of infantry to rank from March 16, 1861. The commission was confirmed on the same day and evidentially forwarded to him in Albuquerque. He accepted the commission on May 1, a full eight days before he wrote his letter of resignation from the United States Army (his resignation letter was dated May 9th). The apex of this event was that he accepted a commission in an enemy army as a U.S. Army Officer, with the records containing a voucher signed by Longstreet for $306 in pay as a Confederate Lieutenant Colonel for the period May 1 to June 24. This leaves the reader with questions about Longstreet's intent. Could this letter be evidence of Longstreet's intelligence and his attempt to gain an advantage for the South by providing information about machinations in the North? To further stir the pot of odd events, instead of then going back to Alabama to review a commission in that States forces, he went directly to Richmond Virginia, the new capital of the confederacy with his commission in hand. Why did he not immediately resign when informed of the Confederate offer? Perhaps his intent was above board, and he may have needed to rectify the books. But it does leave one to conjecture why he chose to have remained in the U.S. Army while accepting a position with the enemy, crossing the line between honor and dishonor.

The letter in full, with unchanged spelling and punctuation:

"Albuquerque N.M.

March 28th, 1861

Major,

Your favor of the 26th is at hand. If in my letter of the 25th clashed to turn over all of my funds to Captain Gibbs I did not so intend it. My intention was to suggest that some of it be left here for the convenience of officers and discharged Soldiers. It certainly can make no difference to me personally who receives the funds. All that I am interested in is getting proper official (illegible). I have never entertained for a moment, the idea of having the department without turning over my funds to you. And it has been my intention frequently expressed here, to go to Santa Fe and ask you to examine my accounts, and see that they were properly rendered and all moneys properly accounted for.

I am Sir Very Respectfully

James Longstreet

Paymaster".

A complex situation and one which will most likely forever remain shrouded in mystery, but what does remain of these events is that Longstreet is the Confederacy's most controversial soldier. This scarce letter was written early in Longstreet's career and before his war injury. Letters from this period are highly desirable. A one page ALS dated June 28, 1861 sold for over $13,000, At Christie's 27 years ago, and a two page ALS dated December 5, 1861 sold for over $12,000 at Sotheby's 17 years ago.

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.

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