Description:

Rare James A. Garfield End-of-Civil-War-Dated ALS Mentioning "Gen Sherman" & "Savanna Ga"

A 1p autograph letter signed by James A. Garfield (1831-1881), then an Ohio Congressman and future 20th U.S. President, as "J.A. Garfield" at lower right. Written in Hiram, Portage County, Ohio on March 28, 1865 on watermarked "Windsor" stationery, once probably bifold but crisply sheared along the edge. Expected wear including flattened paper folds and a few isolated minor closed tears along these folds. Minor scattered discoloration and edge darkening. Some pencil underlining and partial erasures by a former collector. Else near fine and very legible. 7.75" x 9.75." Accompanied by a handsome portrait engraving after publisher Selmar Hess with facsimile signature measuring 7" x 9.5."

At the onset of the Civil War, James Garfield was a college-educated lawyer serving in the Ohio state legislature. He balanced his legislative duties with military recruitment and fundraising at first, but after 1861, he accepted a commission in the 42nd Ohio Infantry Regiment of the Union Army. Garfield had returned to government by December 1863, but this time as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Garfield wrote this letter to Colonel James Allen Hardie (1823-1876) requesting that he sign and send along a permit previously signed by General William T. Sherman to recipient William Ransom Tolles (1823-1893) of Burton Geauga County, Ohio. Tolles was a Civil War veteran who had been involved in recruiting, like Garfield, and who currently lived in part of Garfield's congressional territory: the 19th district of Ohio.

In part, with unchanged spelling and punctuation:

"Enclosed please find a permit from Gen Sherman allowing Col W. R. Tolles to visit Savanna Ga. I am well acquainted with the Col - He is a resident of this Dist. and served with distinction in the army - from which he resigned in consequence of being disabled in the service - I respectfully request you endorse his permit and send it to his address..."

William R. Tolles began his Civil War career as a Captain in the 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was slightly wounded at the Battle of Shiloh. From 1863, he served as Lieutenant Colonel of the 105th Ohio Infantry, commanding forces at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. Tolles reluctantly resigned his command in January 1864 due to ill health. The reasons for Tolles's trip to Savannah are unknown. The city had fallen to Sherman's forces after his March to the Sea in December 1864.

After the Civil War, Tolles relocated to Michigan and then acquired a soldier's homestead in southern California, where he became one of the regions first full-time fruit growers.

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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