Nov 08, 2018 - Sale 2492

Sale 2492 - Lot 16

Price Realized: $ 1,690
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200
"NEVER . . . CALL HIM 'DRUNKEN GRANT' AS HE . . . DON'T DRINK AT ALL" (CIVIL WAR.) OLIVER OTIS HOWARD. Letter Signed, "O.O. Howard," to E.B. French, sending a letter intended for Secretary of War Edwin Stanton [not present] requesting the transfer of Adelbert Ames to his command, anticipating that the next major military engagement would take place in the region, contradicting claims that General Ulysses Grant is a drunk and characterizing him as clear-headed and brave. 4 pages, 8vo, "Headquarters Eleventh Corps" stationery, written on recto and verso of two sheets; faint scattered staining, remnants of prior mounting along side edges touching few letters of text, few short closed separations at folds. "Lookout Valley" [Chattanooga], 14 January 1864

Additional Details

"I heard tonight that our mutual friend Ames wishes to return to my command. . . . If Ames can bring me a brigade of six New England regiments, he will strengthen me wonderfully and soon win his way to further promotion. It is too bad to shut him up at Charleston where a less enterprising Brigadier would do just as well. . . . One of the Maine 'Veteran' regiments is coming, I hear . . . . There will be unassigned regiments in Massachusetts--perhaps in N[ew] H[ampshire] and V[ermon]t. I have had Mass[achusetts], N[ew] H[ampshire], V[ermon]t, R[hode] I[sland] and Conn[ecticu]t Reg[imen]ts, and think I would be appreciated as a Commander in either state.

". . . I believe the next effective blow will be struck in this quarter . . . . At any rate General Grant, with his purity of Character, fixedness of purpose and clear head is about the safest man to serve under, more particularly for field operations. Tell Farwell never to call him 'drunken Grant' as he is about the only big General that don't drink at all. He don't swear and isn't afraid of bullets. . . ."

From the Collection of William Wheeler III.