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Conference smurf::civil_war

Title:	The American Civil War
Notice:	Please read all replies 1.* before writing here.
Moderator:	SMURF::BINDER

Created:	Mon Jul 15 1991
Last Modified:	Tue Apr 08 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	141
Total number of notes:	2129

33.0. "Who's Mrs. Bixby?" by XAPPL::LEACH (Eeeney Beeney, Chiley Beeney...) Tue Aug 27 1991 09:34

			Executive Mansion
			Washington, Nov 21. 1864
	To Mrs Bixby, Boston, Mass.
		Dear Madam,
			I have been shown in the files
	of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant
	General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of
	five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle
	I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of
	mine which should attempt to beguile you from the
	grief of a loss so overwhelming  But I cannot refrain
	from tendering you the consolation that may be found
	in the thanks of the republic they died to save  I
	pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish
	of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished
	memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride
	that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice
	upon the altar of freedom
		Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
						A. Lincoln


  I found the above letter in an old estate we're settling. At first, I
thought it genuine, but am now skeptical of its authenticity. I was pointed
to this file for possible help. Does anyone have any information which might
shed some light on this? Thanks.

  Patrick

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
33.1	My bet No	DECLNE::WATKINS	Elvis is living in Peoria	`Tue Aug 27 1991 09:52`	6
	This was a widely known case from the ACW, my guess is that it's not real. This type of memorabilia was reproduced during the 1880-1900 time frame. Even if its not genuine it's probable going on a hundred years old and is still an important piece.
33.2	Probably not, but...	SMURF::CALIPH::binder	Sine titulo	`Tue Aug 27 1991 10:17`	6
	Have it appraised by a knowledgeable person. The type of paper can be a clue, as can the ink. it is possible for an expert to tell by using a microscope whether the ink was put there with a pen or a printing press. -d
33.3		TLE::SOULE	The elephant is wearing quiet clothes.	`Tue Aug 27 1991 11:57`	24
	I saw your note in a different notesfile yesterday and looked this up in Sandburg's _Abraham Lincoln_ trilogy. "To Lincoln's desk in September [1864] had come a request from Governor Andrew on behalf of a widow living at 15 Dover Street, Boston. She had sent her five sons into the Union armies and all had been killed in action, according to Andrew's information from his state adjutant general, William Schouler." I will summarize the rest, as the passage is rather long. Lincoln asked the War Dept. to check it out, and they confirmed the info for the President by mid-October. He wrote back to the widow and the letter was delivered to her in Boston on Thanksgiving along with money raised by her neighbors. Schouler had copied the letter and made it available to the Boston papers. It turns out only two of the sons actually died in the war, one at Fredricksburg and one at Petersburg. One had been listed as killed at Gettysburg, but was actually a prisoner and was later paroled and exchanged. Another was also captured, and was released from prison when he joined the Confederate army. The youngest (his mother says he was only 16) deserted the army and became a sailor at sea. Ben
33.4		COOKIE::LENNARD	Rush Limbaugh, I Luv Ya Guy	`Tue Aug 27 1991 15:11`	8
	I think it just may be real in that Sandburg states that the letter which was handed to Mrs. Bixby was lost after that. I was also thinking that it might be the copy that the Adjutant General made before he delivered the letter to her. This could be an incredible find! Let's hope for the best.
33.5	A. Lincoln Book Shop	STUDIO::REILLEY	The Pennsy Pervert	`Thu Sep 26 1991 13:38`	11
	You might try contacting the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago. They specialize in Lincolniana and could most likely document the authenticity of his signature, etc. Abraham Lincoln Book Shop 357 West Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL 60610 Ph (312)944-3085 fax (312)944-5549 Good luck & keep us posted on how it turns out!