Civil War Auction
Lot 1027:
Description
Personal correspondence letter from the Governor of Virginia, John Letcher. The letter was written while he was Governor, in Richmond VA and is dated November 1st, 1862. The letter reads: “Will General Winder be kind enough to inform me how I can procure the witnesses referred to in his communication of this date, and where I can procure the other testimony through Captain to oblige his friend. John Letcher.” Written on the other side 7 lines of text: “1862 John Letcher Nov 1 551 G Wants to know where to find witnesses.” Letter measures 5” x7-3/4”.
John Letcher was elected as Governor of Virginia in 1859 and served from 1860 to 1864. Letcher was prominent in the organization of the Peace Conference of 1861 that met in Washington, D.C. to devise means to prevent the impending American Civil War. He discouraged secession but actively sustained the ordinance passed by Virginia on April 17, 1861.Despite scheduling a popular vote to determine whether Virginia would declare secession from the United States, ultimately, the actions of the Virginia Secession Convention of 1861 and the state government, especially Letcher, effectively led Virginia to declare secession from the United States on May 23, 1861. Letcher appointed Robert E. Lee, who had just resigned as a Col. in the U.S. Army, as commander in chief of Virginia’s army and navy forces on April 22, 1861, at the grade of Major General.
General John Henry Winder was a career United States Army officer who served with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He later served as a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. Winder commanded prisoner-of-war camps throughout the South [Including Libby Prison] during the war, and was charged with improperly supplying the prisoners in his charge.
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