525B

SIGNED LETTER BY CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS WRITTEN IN HIS OWN HAND

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SIGNED LETTER BY CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS WRITTEN IN HIS OWN HAND
SIGNED LETTER BY CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT JEFFERSON DAVIS WRITTEN IN HIS OWN HAND. Dated Nov. 11th 1861, Jefferson Davis wrote this letter in response to a forwarded request from William Yancey. Yancey had been sent to Europe in March as Confederate Commissioner to England and France. He had earlier asked to resign his commission, then requested that he be given leave to return home to take care of personal affairs, in the case that he was to be kept in the diplomatic service of the Confederacy. The letter reads in “Upon the receipt of information sent through Mr. Williams that Mr. Yancey desired to return a letter was written to him which authorized him to do so. The application was for recall but the authority was so given as to leave the question of his remaining at home, open for future consideration and decision. It was sent long since and he may now be on his way home." Yancey’s return was in fact delayed several additional months, because three days before this letter was written, Captain Charles Wilkes, U.S. N., commanding the United States sloop-of-war, “San Jacinto," forcefully boarded the British steamship Trent and captured the Confederate commissioners, John Slidell and James Mason, who were travelling to relieve Yancey. The Trent Affair caused an International stir, and the Lincoln administration released the two men quite promptly, avoiding the strong European support for the Confederacy that would surely have resulted if the Union were popularly perceived in Europe to be a threat to the sovereign rights of non-combatant nations. This is a very nice letter pertaining to a pivotal incident in Civil War history. CONDITION: 8-1/2" x 7-1/4" unlined sheet folded at left margin to a width of 6-1/2". Approx. 1-1/2" x 1/2" loss near top of folded section, not visible as folded. No visible watermark in sheet. Very light minor stains - sheet has darkened slightly while previously framed, with lighter edges where protected. 4-50203