THE PROPERTY OF A DESCENDANT OF HUMPHREY MARSHALL
BUCKNER, Simon Bolivar (1823-1914), General, Confederate States of America. Autograph letter signed ("S.B.Buckner") to Humphrey Marshall, Abingdon, VA, 25 March 1864. 1½ pages, folio, integral blank, upper and lower edges worn with minor loss, upper 1/8 of page 1 soiled, integral leaf with ink staining and remnants of binding within a letter book.
Details
BUCKNER, Simon Bolivar (1823-1914), General, Confederate States of America. Autograph letter signed ("S.B.Buckner") to Humphrey Marshall, Abingdon, VA, 25 March 1864. 1½ pages, folio, integral blank, upper and lower edges worn with minor loss, upper 1/8 of page 1 soiled, integral leaf with ink staining and remnants of binding within a letter book.
BUCKNER ADVISES THE NEWLY ELECTED CONFEDERATE CONGRESSMAN TO SUPPORT DAVIS BUT TO "MODIFY...HIS MORE EXTREME VIEWS". In 1863, after two years of service as a general in the Confederate service, Marshall successfully won a seat in the Confederate legislature. Here, Buckner writes a few words of advice to his fellow Kentuckian. Noting that he has cheerfully recommended the promotion of Marshall's son, Buckner praises the congressman's success in the Fall election: "I congratulate the country more than yourself on the unanimity with which you were returned to Congress. Your friends look to see you, beyond a doubt, the leader of the new House." Buckner counsels Marshall to influence the policies of Jefferson Davis while offering support: "I cannot avoid expressing the hope that you will so shape your course as...to become the exponent of the views of the Executive and, as far as can be, to modify in some degree his more extreme views. I know that you will not throw yourself into factious opposition, for statesmen never do: and I feel confident that the position you will take in Congress will be such as to compel the Executive to listen to your counsels. I think the President is disposed to make you his friend. It is his interest to do so, and will be so manifestly to his benefit that he cannot neglect the opportunity." Buckner concludes: "I speak the wish of all your friends when I say that I hope for the greatest public good to result from such friendly official relations with him."
By 1864, Jefferson Davis was facing increasing political opposition from southerners whose morale substantially decreased as casualties mounted and resources became scarce. Simon Buckner was an accomplished Confederate General who achieved fame at Fort Donelson in 1862 when he chose to remain in the doomed garrison with his men while other Confederate officers fled.
BUCKNER ADVISES THE NEWLY ELECTED CONFEDERATE CONGRESSMAN TO SUPPORT DAVIS BUT TO "MODIFY...HIS MORE EXTREME VIEWS". In 1863, after two years of service as a general in the Confederate service, Marshall successfully won a seat in the Confederate legislature. Here, Buckner writes a few words of advice to his fellow Kentuckian. Noting that he has cheerfully recommended the promotion of Marshall's son, Buckner praises the congressman's success in the Fall election: "I congratulate the country more than yourself on the unanimity with which you were returned to Congress. Your friends look to see you, beyond a doubt, the leader of the new House." Buckner counsels Marshall to influence the policies of Jefferson Davis while offering support: "I cannot avoid expressing the hope that you will so shape your course as...to become the exponent of the views of the Executive and, as far as can be, to modify in some degree his more extreme views. I know that you will not throw yourself into factious opposition, for statesmen never do: and I feel confident that the position you will take in Congress will be such as to compel the Executive to listen to your counsels. I think the President is disposed to make you his friend. It is his interest to do so, and will be so manifestly to his benefit that he cannot neglect the opportunity." Buckner concludes: "I speak the wish of all your friends when I say that I hope for the greatest public good to result from such friendly official relations with him."
By 1864, Jefferson Davis was facing increasing political opposition from southerners whose morale substantially decreased as casualties mounted and resources became scarce. Simon Buckner was an accomplished Confederate General who achieved fame at Fort Donelson in 1862 when he chose to remain in the doomed garrison with his men while other Confederate officers fled.