Raphael Semmes
CSA Rear Admiral and Commander of the infamous Confederate raider 'Alabama'. Toward the conclusion of the War, he was attached to the CSA Army and given the rank of Brigadier General. He was among those who surrendered under CSA Gen. Johnston to Union Gen. Sherman at Greensboro, North Carolina. Under orders issued by Gen. Sherman, Semmes was given a 'guaranty of non-molestation' certificate which had been signed by Gen. Hartstuff and released. Seven and one-half months later he was arrested by U.S. Marines acting under orders from Gideon Welles, the U.S. Sec. of Navy. He remained imprisoned for nearly three months awaiting charges, while President Johnson and others attempted to bring charges of treason against him. He was finally released by Presidential order.
Raphael Semmes, (CSA Rear Admiral, Commander of the Confederate raider 'Alabama'), six page ALS (technically an autograph draft signed, the retained copy with numerous corrections and changes), the draft of a letter to 'His Excellency, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States', headed 'Washington City (D.C.) Jan. 15, 1866' when he was imprisoned, last page bears two Semmes signatures who obviously labored over the proper complimentary closing ('I have the honor to be', 'your obt. servant', 'Rear Admiral of the late Navy of the Confederate States', 'Citizen' - all ms. deleted, finally deciding on 'I am very respectfully &c.'). The letter is a reasoned appeal, based solely on the legal merits of the case, seeking his release from federal prison after his arrest under orders issued by the Secretary of Navy. This very lengthy draft concludes in part '...In the future, Mr. President, when America shall have a history, my record and that of the gallant Southern People will be engrafted upon and become a part of your history...In this paper I have stood strictly on legal defences, but should these barriers be taken down...I have at least brought no discredit upon American name and character...', Congress did not pass legislation permitting a trial on the alleged charges and the Chief-Justice of The Supreme Court refused to hear the case. As a result, Johnson ordered Semmes released after about three months in prison, on three pages (written front and back) of 8 x 13½" blue-lined stationery, some splitting along numerous horizontal file folds (not affecting signatures), otherwise very fine, a very rare autograph which is very seldom offered, an historically important letter, ex Sonneborn
Details
Raphael Semmes, (CSA Rear Admiral, Commander of the Confederate raider 'Alabama'), six page ALS (technically an autograph draft signed, the retained copy with numerous corrections and changes), the draft of a letter to 'His Excellency, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States', headed 'Washington City (D.C.) Jan. 15, 1866' when he was imprisoned, last page bears two Semmes signatures who obviously labored over the proper complimentary closing ('I have the honor to be', 'your obt. servant', 'Rear Admiral of the late Navy of the Confederate States', 'Citizen' - all ms. deleted, finally deciding on 'I am very respectfully &c.'). The letter is a reasoned appeal, based solely on the legal merits of the case, seeking his release from federal prison after his arrest under orders issued by the Secretary of Navy. This very lengthy draft concludes in part '...In the future, Mr. President, when America shall have a history, my record and that of the gallant Southern People will be engrafted upon and become a part of your history...In this paper I have stood strictly on legal defences, but should these barriers be taken down...I have at least brought no discredit upon American name and character...', Congress did not pass legislation permitting a trial on the alleged charges and the Chief-Justice of The Supreme Court refused to hear the case. As a result, Johnson ordered Semmes released after about three months in prison, on three pages (written front and back) of 8 x 13½" blue-lined stationery, some splitting along numerous horizontal file folds (not affecting signatures), otherwise very fine, a very rare autograph which is very seldom offered, an historically important letter, ex Sonneborn
Further details
Note: The final version of this letter to President Johnson is reproduced verbatim in The Confederate Raider 'Alabama' comprising selected chapters from Memoirs of Service Afloat During The War Between The States by Raphael Semmes photo