POST-BATTLE OF SHILOH 1862 ALS – GALENA, IL MERCHANT NATHAN CORWITH (FRIEND OF US GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT) TO COL. JOHN E. SMITH, 45TH ILLINOIS

POST-BATTLE OF SHILOH 1862 ALS – GALENA, IL MERCHANT NATHAN CORWITH (FRIEND OF US GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT) TO COL. JOHN E. SMITH, 45TH ILLINOIS

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$250.00

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Item Code: 1320-17

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This one page letter, handwritten in ink lined letterhead – “Banking and Exchange Office of N. Corwith & Co. – is archivally framed with UV plexiglass.  Attractive wood frame measures 16” x 20”; visible portion of letter measures 7 ½” x 9 ¾”. Letter is in excellent condition, fully legible. Dated “Galena, IL, 1862 June 4”.

Nathan Corwith (1819-1889) was an influential and hugely successful merchant in early Galena, IL – the commercial and cultural capital of the Old Northwest – and was a good friend of fellow resident Ulysses S. Grant. Corwith and his capitalist brothers founded Galena’s first bank, which quickly became the focal point of the lead trade (“Galena” is Latin for lead and at one time Galena provided a high percentage of the nation’s lead). The Corwith brothers became one of the largest metal buyers in America.

The letter is addressed to John E. Smith (1816-1897), a Galena jeweler who organized the 45th Illinois Infantry (the “Washburne Lead Mine Regiment”) in July 1861 and was commissioned its colonel – one of Galena’s nine Civil War generals.  Corwith writes to his friend in Corinth (which he misaddresses as Tennessee instead of Mississippi) that he’d sent “Yesterday by Express containing $190 and we have paid the following persons as You directed….”  Getting business out of the way, he then notes, “We see Beauregard has vamoused with his Subjects so I presume You will have no battle at present. Your Family are all well I just saw Your Son nothing new here everything quiet all anxious to hear from Our Armies When Will Beauregard make his next stand….”  Signed boldly “N. Corwith”.

The Battle of Shiloh, with CS Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard commanding the Confederate forces after the death of Gen. Johnston, had taken place on April 7, with Corwith’s friend Grant in command of Union forces, and Beauregard had just evacuated Corinth shortly before (May 29). Casualties were heavy on both sides, but the Union prevailed. Clearly, northerners everywhere, such as Corwith, were filled with anticipation as to where the Union forces would next engage the Confederates under Beauregard’s command. Col. Smith would be promoted to brigadier general not long after this letter was written in November 1862.

A choice, provocative war-date piece with interesting associations.  [ld][ph:L]

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