LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 Oct: The Luhrs Collection #9675  / 

61064

Two Civil War Letters

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 300.00 USD
Two Civil War Letters
<B>Two Civil War Letters With Abraham Lincoln Assassination Content.</B></I> A lot of two letters from a Union soldier to his wife. The first, a one page letter, 7.75” x 9.75”, written from Fort Lafayette in New York harbor and dated April 17, 1865 reads in part: “<I>There has been great excitement here since the President was murdered. The country has met with a great loss and may well mourn. We commenced firing here at sun rise this morning and kept it up until after sun set. The same was done at every fortification in the Harbor and all flags at half mast.</B></I>” The second letter, three pages, 7.75” x 9.75”, written from the Hotel de Lafayette, New York harbor, April 21, 1865 discusses the city of New York in mourning. It reads in part: “<I>I never saw New York look as it does now. Almost every house is in mourning. Some of them having more than one hundred yards of crape in festoons about the windows and doors. The whole city presents a very mournful appearance and is so thickly draped in mourning as to make the front of every building look black when you cast your eye down the street.</B></I>” This first-hand account of the events just after Lincoln's assassination are a priceless record of a dark period in American history. The letters have the usual fold creases, else they are very legible and in near fine condition. <I>From the collection of Henry E. Luhrs.</B></I><BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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