Oct 26, 2023 - Sale 2650

Sale 2650 - Lot 18

Price Realized: $ 1,000
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 700 - $ 1,000
WRITING FROM UNION CAPITAL TO BATTLE AT BRISTOE STATION JUST OUTSIDE CITY (CIVIL WAR.) STANTON, EDWIN M. Autograph Letter Signed, as Secretary of War, to General George Meade, conveying the results of two elections [Republican victories in gubernatorial races held the previous day in OH and PA]. 1 page, 4to, "Washington, D.C." stationery, ruled paper; faint staining along left edge, minor smudging to few words along left edge. Washington, 14 October 1863
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"Sufficient returns are in to show that we have carried Ohio by about fifty thousand, majority on the home vote which will probably be swelled to seventy thousand by the Soldier Vote.
"Curtin's election is regarded in Philadelphia as certain by a very large majority and the Republicans are now celebrating the victory by street processions in that city."
After the demoralizing defeat of Union General William Rosencrans's army at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, victories in both the political and military spheres became important to the maintenance of faith in Lincoln's prosecution of the War. On October 14, 1863, Union General George G. Meade engaged Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Bristoe Station, VA (roughly 30 miles from Washington, DC), after having recently been forced to retreat from Lee's unexpected advance. In the present letter (written at 12:15 pm and received 15 minutes later, as indicated in Stanton's date line and a secretary's note at bottom edge), Stanton is presumably helping to keep up the sprits of Meade by conveying the news that the Republican-dominated, pro-War parties were victorious in two recent bellwether gubernatorial elections (in Ohio and Pennsylvania)--demonstrating the public's continued support. It is unknown whether this news helped in securing Mead's eventual victory when the Confederates made a final retreat at Rappahannock Station (Remington, VA) on November 7.