Description:

Philip H. Sheridan & Wesley Merritt
various, ca. February 1865
Superb Signed Endorsements by Union Commanders P. Sheridan, W. Merritt & J. Robertson
DS

The bold signatures of Philip H. Sheridan as "P.H. Sheridan," Wesley Merritt as "W. Merritt," and James M. Robertson as "J.M. Robertson," on secretarially penned endorsements, added to a letter signed by late captain Joseph W. Martin as "J.W. Martin," who requests to be replaced as he withdraws from service. Pleasant Valley, Maryland, February 18, 1865. 3pp, 7.75" x 9.75", originally bifold, presently two separate sheets. The reverse of the endorsement page is blank. Expected transmittal folds with minor separation at edges and toning at folds. In near fine condition.

Provenance: From the collection of Larry Berra, son of baseball legend Yogi Berra.

Captain Joseph W. Martin's letter reads, in part:

"I most respectfully ask that 1st Lt. Moses P. Clark, now commanding this company, be promoted to the captaincy of the battery made vacant by my withdrawal from this service on the 16th inst. This officer has served uninterruptedly in the armies of the east since the commencement of the war and by his personal gallantry in the field and his strict attention and adherence to the rules of military organizations has won the position he now occupies..."

On February 20, 1865, Robertson endorses Martin's request: "I take great pleasure in fully endorsing all that Capt. Martin has said in relation to Lieut. Clark, and think the interests of the service would be promoted by his advancement."

On February 21, 1865, Merritt endorses Martin's request: "I cordially endorse the recommendations for the promotion of Lt. Clark to the Captaincy of this Battery."

On February 23, 1865, Sheridan endorses Martin's request: "Respectfully forwarded. The application for the promotion of Lieut. Clark is strongly recommended for the good of the service."

A career United States Army general, Philip H. Sheridan (1831-1888) is widely regarded as one of the most successful field commanders. He was quickly promoted during the first years of the Civil War after distinguishing himself at Perryville, Stones River, and other battles. In 1865, Sheridan played a pivotal role in ending the Civil War by leading cavalry forces to sever Confederate supply lines, contributing to Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox in April. Following the war, he commanded the Military Division of the Southwest, managing troops on the Rio Grande to influence the French withdrawal from Mexico.

Wesley Merritt (1836-1910) was an American major general who served in the cavalry of the United States Army during the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, and Spanish-American War. During Major General Sheridan's Valley Campaigns of 1864, Merritt commanded the 1st Division, Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Shenandoah. Arriving at the opportune moment, his division routed the Confederate forces at the Third Battle of Winchester, a deed for which he received a brevet promotion to major general of the volunteers. He was second-in-command to Sheridan during the Appomattox Campaign and was one of several commissioners for the surrender at Appomattox Court House. Merritt was brevetted major general in the regular army, in April 1865, for bravery at the Battle of Five Forks and the Appomattox Campaign. In June 1865, Merritt was appointed command of Cavalry Forces of the Military Division of the Southwest, commanded by Sheridan. In January of 1866, he was one of a number of brevetted generals mustered out of volunteer service and returned to their pre-war ranks in the regular army. In August of 1898, Merritt became the first American Military Governor of the Philippines.

James Madison Robertson (1817-1891) was a career United States Army artillery officer who commanded the First Brigade of U.S. Horse Artillery during the American Civil War. Engaged in most of the major battles in the Eastern Theater, he received a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel for services at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. During the Wilderness Campaign of 1864, the First Brigade of the U.S. Horse Artillery was attached to Brigadier General Philip Sheridan's Cavalry Corps, and Robertson was awarded a brevet promotion to colonel on May 31, 1864, for "gallant and meritorious service" at the Battle of Cold Harbor.

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: 7.75" x 9.75"
  • Medium: DS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, 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.

May 6, 2026 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