AUTOGRAPH SENTIMENT OF WILLIAM SPRAGUE IV, CIVIL WAR GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, WITH ENGRAVED PORTRAIT

AUTOGRAPH SENTIMENT OF WILLIAM SPRAGUE IV, CIVIL WAR GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, WITH ENGRAVED PORTRAIT

Hover to zoom

Image 1 Image 2

$125.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-1756

A Civil War–era album leaf pairing a steel-engraved oval portrait of William Sprague IV in military uniform with his clipped autograph sentiment mounted below the engraving. In bold period ink, Sprague has written the patriotic sentiment, "It is glorious to die for one's country," boldly signed "Wm Sprague of RI." A contemporary collector's hand has identified the subject in ink at the foot of the leaf: "Gov. Sprague. of R.I."

William Sprague IV (1830–1915) was the textile-fortune heir elected the 27th Governor of Rhode Island in 1860 at age twenty-nine — the youngest governor in the country and popularly known as the "Boy Governor." A sitting governor at the outbreak of the war, he personally accompanied Rhode Island troops to the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, where his horse was shot from under him. He afterward served as U.S. Senator from Rhode Island (1863–1875) and married Kate Chase, daughter of Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase. The martial sentiment — an echo of Horace's "dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" — is especially fitting from a governor who rode into the war's first major battle.

The sentiment is a clipped autograph (not a letter or document) mounted into a window cut in the album leaf; light offsetting/ghosting from the ink is visible on the surrounding page.

CONDITION: even toning, scattered foxing and a stain beneath the portrait, with edge chips and short closed tears along the left (binding) margin. The autograph slip measures approximately 4 in. wide.    [ss][ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire About AUTOGRAPH SENTIMENT OF WILLIAM SPRAGUE IV, CIVIL WAR GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, WITH ENGRAVED PORTRAIT

should be empty