Description:

MARCUS RENO (1834 - 1889) Union brigadier general and Indian fighter with Custer at Little Big Horn, accused of cowardice and failure to support Custer during the massacre. RENO SENDS ORDERS TO CUSTER DURING THE CIVIL WAR Fine association original A.L.S. (in carbon) "M. A. Reno Capt. & Chf. Staff" to his commander, Gen. GEORGE A. CUSTER, 1p. 12mo., "Hd. Qrs. Cvy Mich...On pike near Halltown, Va.", Aug. 26, 1864. Reno writes to: Brig Gen Custer Cmdg 1st Brig 1st Div,", in part: "General, If you are at Antietam Ford and General [James] H. Wilson at Shepardstown [WV], move your Brigade to Shepardstown, & relieve Gen. Wilson who will go to support General [William W.] Averell - By Command of Brig. Gen. [Alfred T.] Torbert". Trimmed to accommodate a fit within a small envelope and with clean, original folds. Triple-matted with a fine 6" x 8" (approx.) photo of Reno in uniform by western photographer David F. Barry, all set into a brown wood frame. This letter was apparently written through the use of a manifold (see: https://www.officemuseum.com/copy_machines.htm). A sheet of carbon paper would be layered between a sheet of writing paper (the piece offered here) and a semi-transparent sheet. The writer would "pen" his message with a stylus on the transparent sheet, creating a copy on the bottom, plain paper writing sheet and at the same time creating a "mirror" copy of his text on the verso of the transparent sheet. Because the sheet was transparent, the copy could be read from the front. The "ink" on the piece we offer is on the surface of the paper, thus our piece is the actual text that was handed to Custer on the field, with the "transparent" copy retained by Reno for the record. A very rare piece, and an amazing association!

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February 18, 2019 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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