WILLIAM WELLS (1837-1892) Union brevetted brigadier and major general and later a full-rank brigadier general of volunteers during the Civil War. Wells served at, among others. the battles of Gettysburg, Winchester, Cedar Creek, Petersburg, and the Appomattox campaign. DS 8 1/2” x 2 3/4” Burlington, Vermont. October 7, 1874. Partially Printed Bank Check payable to H.H. Adams in the amount of $40.80. Signed as Maker by Wells as Collector for Vermont. Pen cancellation slightly affects the first letter of Wells’ signature. Very Fine.

WILLIAM MACKY WHERRY. DS. 1pp. 6 3/4" x 9 1/2". San Francisco. May 20, 1871. A partly printed document signed by William Macky Wherry as Captain and Brevet General. The document gives orders for three soldiers. It is in very fine condition and a stamp touches one letter of the signature.

[CIVIL WAR SURGEON LETTER] WILLIAM HARRISON GITHENS (1827-1904) Surgeon in the Union army during the American Civil War. At the outset of the war, Githens enlisted as an Orderly Sergeant in the 16th Illinois Infantry. During this enlistment, he was stationed in Missouri, Tennessee and Pennsylvania and saw very little action. Following his re-enlistment in 1863, Githens was promoted to Assistant Surgeon and served with the 78th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers. As a member of the 14th Army Corp . during this second enlistment, he was very active, serving as an assistant surgeon in the Tullahoma operation, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea and the Carolinas’ Campaign. Following the war, Githens returned home to Hamilton, Illinois, where he owned a number of pharmacies. ALS. Four pages, 5” x 8” Headquarters 78th Ill. Vols. Near Alexandria, Va. Tuesday, May 23, 1865. William Githens writes his wife, in part: “ … I wrote you we were to have a grand Review - well it is to take place tomorrow and everybody is making preparations to have the thing go off on a grand scale - I went over to Washington yesterday - and was surprised to see what extensive preparations were being made - thousands of feet of staging are being built upon the principle streets for visitors use by paying a small fee can have a good view and be under shelter - I had formed an opinion of how the public building would look but I had not come near the reality of the capital is grand … The Senate Chamber is beautiful and it almost dazzles with gilding .. The President’s House is very fine also - in fact it is a much larger and more beautiful city than I had supposed … the Potomac is a grand River - larger than I had supposed the largest shipping Comes up to Washington. Alexandria is also quite a place but it shows that it has labored under the blighted influence of Slavery … I would like a good fat office in Washington long enough to see and get acquainted with all that’s interesting around here but I shall have to be contented with my humble Illinois home at any rate … I suppose the people at home will be willing to give Sherman’s bummer’s a welcome if they are pretty hard customers - I’ll write you how the big show goes off … ” Usual Folds. Overall Fine.

JAY COOKE (1821-1905). ) Railroad magnate and Financier. Document Signed, “Jay Cooke & Co,” by Jay Cooke. One page, 8” x 3 ½”. March 15, 1861. Check drawn from the “Banking Office of Jay Cooke.” Payable to Tyler Stone & Company “in Bankable Funds” atop “Messrs. Riggs & Co.,” a large Banking firm. This is perhaps the earliest example found of Cooke signing a check on his newly formed banking company that was about to profit wildly from the Civil War. With cross punch cancellation not affecting signature on blue paper in mostly fine condition. A superlatively rare example of the magnate in his early years.

RÉNE AUGUSTE CHOUTEAU (1749-1829) Indian trader and an influential figure in the early history of St. Louis. Along with his father, Chouteau is credited with founding St. Louis in 1764. Letter Signed, “Aug. Chouteau,” in French. One and one-half pages, 9 3/4” x 7 3/4”. Addressed on integral leaf to “Ms. J & D Maccoun, Merchts. Lexington Kentucky” Chouteau writes, in part: “ … I take the liberty of addressing you to ask if you could procure 2 thousand-weights of good powder for me, which I would have to receive at the beginning of next spring and for which I would remit the price as per the instructions you will give me …. Not having had the pleasure of receiving an answer from you to my last letter of last November 9, as I had hoped, I am enclosing a copy of it here, and desire and hope that it reaches you all right, it being absolutely necessary for the conduct of my affairs …. “ One small stain, address leaf soiled. Overall Very Good.

Document Signed. Partly-printed bank check drawn on Riggs & Co. payable to Rebecca J. Ashley in the amount of $400. Accomplished in his hand and signed by Gardner as Secretary of The Masonic Mutual Relief Association of the District of Columbia. Printed on blue paper with a nice orange imprinted revenue at center. Bank cut cancellation just slightly touches Gardner’s signature. A very scarce and desirable autograph from this important Civil War photographer. PASS-CO Certified, Graded EF and Encapsulated.

JOHN NANCE GARNER. S. 5 1/4" x 2 1/2". House of Representatives. 1932. A signature "Jno. N. Garner" on the back of a small "House of Representatives" card. The card states: "Admit Bearer to the Gallery of the House of Representatives Monday, December 5, 1932". It is printed on heavy stock and the signature is dark. Despite light soiling, the condition is fine.

John T. Hayward (1908 – 1999) Vice-admiral, Aviator, Nuclear Physicist and weapons expert. While working on the Manhattan project, he contributed to the development of the Nagasaki bomb. Laminated Signed Staff Identification Card. Hayward’s photo, fingerprint and signature are on the reverse. Project Crossroads was a nuclear weapons test consisting of two separate atmospheric detonations, Able, on July 1, 1946 and Baker on July 25, 1946. These historic tests were conducted to study the effects of nuclear weapons on ships, weapons and equipment and other materials. Held at the Bikini Atoll, a part of the Marshall Islands, the detonations were only the fourth and fifth nuclear explosions conducted by the United States after the Trinity test and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. An exceptional item related to this historic nuclear event and this important Physicist who contributed to the Manhattan Project. Excellent condition.