Just kidding Ken, but congratulations nonetheless on securing a priceless Civil War document. See the story here.
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Reflections of a High School History Teacher & Civil War Historian
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Cool!
Yeah, I’m thinking about hanging it between the Scully and Mulder actions figures, and the scale model of my first car (a 1972 Nova, complete with bondo and a toothpick representing the axe handle I had to use to hold the hood up).
Hate to burst a few bubbles here, but that’s not Grant’s handwriting. Compare it to the facsimile in Grant’s handwriting in his Memoirs, and you’ll see it’s a staff officer’s copy (Eli Parker is a good guess). I think the document’s authentic, just not in Grant’s hand.
Even better guess? Theodore S. Bowers.
So much for the appraisers I guess. Geez. I’ve passed on Brooks’ comments (thanks Brooks), and I’m confident that the item (which is still pretty cool) will be properly identified.–Ken
National media is all over this – even Raleigh’s local media ran a loop on the document.
Great find regardless if Grant wrote it.
Ken,
In doing Genealogy work in North Carolina, I have run across the Noe name, and matter of fact – there are some Noe’s from the same community in Beaufort County, N.C. as my ancestor. Any Carolina roots?
I thought I saw your story in one of the Civil War Magazines recently about the Appomattox Letter. Did one of the clerks make a copy, and you have a copy?
By the way, I was at Appomattox on a Beautiful Day in April – just days before April 9th and took some great photos. I will get them uploade to a Sharing Server, if anyone would like to take a look see of Appomattox at that time frame in April.
Congratulations on your treasure.
Bobby: No, my family is from what is now West Virginia, since the 1750s. I’m not aware of any published magazine story about the letter Auburn received. As to the letter itself, Brooks Simpson’s argument convinced me–he’s worked with original Grant manuscripts extensively, whereas I never have. Our archivists, to their credit, are in the process of getting this all straightened up, with Brooks’ help, after receiving that questionable, earlier authentication. It’s still quite an item, and so is not going to end up in my office.–Ken