Excellent condition framed commission for Edward D. Townsend appointing him a Colonel and Assistant Adjutant General in August of 1861.

Commission is on vellum with readable ink inscriptions. The document is signed by both Secretary of War Simon Cameron and President Abraham Lincoln. Both signatures are strong with President Lincoln’s being the stronger of the two. The document has the usual fold lines with a very faint line passing through the “c” in “Lincoln.” This line is very slight and hardly noticeable. Vellum is very clean except for a small area along the right side where it has dirtied some from an old frame.

The present wood frame is modern and meas. approx. 19.75 x 23.75 inches. The back of the frame is covered with leather and has a card stating that 100% rag board backing and mat has been used as well as UF3 Plexiglass.

This is a wonderful conditioned Lincoln signed commission ready to hang on the wall.

Edward D. Townsend served as Adjutant General of the War Department to all commanders of the various Union armies and all War Department orders sent out were issued under his name. Townsend worked in the War Department building next to the White House. His duties brought him into daily contact with President Lincoln presenting him with dispatches and orders to sign. He became a Lincoln favorite and in his memoirs Townsend tells of President Lincoln taking breaks from the war when Townsend visited and shared with him jokes and anecdotes for which Lincoln was famous. Townsend was promoted several times ending the war as a Major General.

After President Lincoln’s assassination Townsend was selected to be one of the honor guards to accompany the President’s body on its trip back to Illinois. Townsend is seen standing at the foot of the Presidents open casket in the only known photograph of the dead President.

With the item are copy photos of the image showing Townsend standing by the Presidents casket, a bust view of Townsend in uniform and a copy of a March 1863 order issued by Townsend and a Xerox copy of Townsend’s memoirs.

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