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John D. Imboden

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,500.00 USD
John D. Imboden

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Auction Date:2014 Apr 16 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Lawyer, teacher, and Confederate officer (1823–1895) most active in the Virginia area. ALS signed “J. D. Imboden,” four pages both sides, lightly-lined, 8.5 x 11, Damascus Enterprise Company letterhead, August 4, 1891. Letter to S. O. Dounde. In part: “I will here state…that Gen’l. Lee’s Army was not ‘crushed,’ nor was it de-moralized—It was repulsed with very heavy loss of life, and had to retire to the South Side of the Potomac…we retired in perfect order, taking all of our unexpended material of war—and all our artillery and small arms, that had escaped the casualties of battle, together with our transportation which was under my immediate escort to Williamsport on the Potomac…These are facts of history; that the ‘War Records’ published by the U.S. Gov’t establish beyond controversy…whomsoever made that ‘Genl. Lee's Army was crushed at Gettysburg’ or that it ‘met a crushing defeat’ in any other sense than it failed to win a victory and had to retire—simply repulsed—baffles.

On the night after the great battle, July 3rd, 1863, General Lee sent for me…I was then with him till perhaps 2 AM of the 4th discussing the order of our retreat, and receiving his instructions for the part I was to perform….Lee undoubtedly felt most keenly his disappointment in failing to defeat Genl. Meade and drive him back upon Washington. But that he felt that either he, or his army were ‘crushed’ never entered my mind then, nor afterwards...As he dismissed me, he followed me out of his tent to tell me confidentially that he would prepare & send to me by a Staff Officer early next morning a sealed package for President Davis, for me to carry on my own person, till I reached the river, and then to forward it by a trusted officer, with all expedition possible to Richmond—and said he ‘at the risk of your life it must not fall into the hands of the enemy. If you are attacked, as is probable, and if you are in danger of being over powered destroy the package.’ That paper was his first brief report of the battle—and I put it safely through. On the 7th 8th & 9th being unable to cross the swollen river till a bridge was prepared, I was repeatedly at Genl. Lee's Hd. Quarters…and there met many of his leading Generals—notably Genl. Longstreet…Genl Lee arose to greet him by extending his hand and cordially exclaiming ‘Well how is my old war horse this wet morning?’… [Then] I withdrew, feeling exhilarated by the cheerful spirits of my distinguished superior officers, one of whom I regarded as invincible and unconquerable—our adored Genl. Lee—and the other as his then Chief Lieutenant, since the death of the matchless ‘Stonewall’ Jackson. I felt, as we all did, that final triumph was only delayed by temporary failure at Gettysburg—and I think our whole army shared these feelings of absolute confidence.” In fine condition, with mounting remnants to edges. While on this mission to deliver the first report on the Battle of Gettysburg to Jefferson Davis, Imboden was also in charge of escorting the wagon trains of thousands of wounded soldiers back to Virginia. As mentioned in the letter, they encountered the flooded Potomac River, leaving them trapped and vulnerable. When Union cavalry generals John Buford and Judson Kilpatrick attacked, Imboden’s cavalry fought a rear-guard action to save the Confederate wagon train, earning him high praise from Robert E. Lee, who spoke of the way in which he ‘gallantly repulsed’ the Union cavalry. A positively exceptional letter brimming with content regarding the war’s greatest generals and battles.

A full transcript of the letter is available upon request.