Lot 3

Civil War 1st Lieutenant Commission Signed by Lincoln & Stanton

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Civil War 1st Lieutenant Commission Signed by Lincoln & Stanton

Estimate: $8,000 - $14,000

Starting Bid: $6,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Historic Civil War U.S. First Lieutenant's Commission Certificate Signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton This historic July 1, 1864, Civil War commission appoints Henry Baker as a first lieutenant in the 5th Cavalry Regiment with rank from April 13, 1863, and is signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton and features "The President of the United States of America" along with "E PLURIBUS UNUM" in a banner and a spread wing bald eagle at the top, an embossed blue seal on the left, and patriotic panoply at the bottom. The frame measures 21 1/4 inches tall and 17 5/8 inches wide. Included with the lot is a copy of a letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA authenticating the signatures of both Lincoln and Stanton. Throughout the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed military commissions for Union officers, and they were generally also signed by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton who was the president's right hand man in running the Union war effort. Soldiers and their families naturally cherished these documents, and they became especially significant following Lincoln's assassination. The 5th U.S. Cavalry was originally formed as the 2nd U.S. Cavalry in 1855 and served in the West where it battled the Comanches. The regiment was initially led by Colonel Albert S. Johnston and Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee and served in the American West. Additional officers included William J. Hardee, Edmund K. Smith, Earl Van Dorn, George B. Cosby, John Bell Hood, James P. Major, and Fitzhugh Lee who like Johnston and Lee joined the Confederate Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. Lieutenant Colonel George Henry Thomas was assigned to command the unit which was bolstered by recruits loyal to the Union cause and engaged their former comrades at the First Battle of Bull Run. Afterwards, they were re-designated the 5th U.S. Cavalry when the U.S. Dragoons and Mounted Riflemen were re-designated as cavalry in 1861. The regiment was involved in many major battles, including: Gaines' Mill, Fairfax Courthouse, Williamsport, Martinsburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Aiken, and during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. For Gettysburg, they were part of the Reserve Brigade of the First Division of the Cavalry Corps under Brigadier General John Buford, who was responsible for making initial contact with the Confederate forces on July 1st, 1863. Late in the war, they served as part of the Union honor guard for Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, a fitting role given Lee had previously been their lieutenant colonel. Lieutenant Henry Baker served on the staff of General Alfred Pleasonton and is seen in a photograph of Pleasonton and his staff in Warrenton, Virginia, in October 1863. His promotion from second lieutenant to first lieutenant was announced by early November 1863, and he was later noted as a brevet major. General Pleasonton had previously been a captain in the 2nd Dragoons and became the commander of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Gettysburg campaign, including in the largest cavalry battle of the war at Brandy Station on June 9, 1863.

Manufacturer: None

Model: None

Class: Other

  • Condition: Very good with distinct text, imagery, and signatures; light creases, cracked seal, some bled-through markings in the upper left corner, and minor staining. The frame is also very good with minor storage wear and slight corner separation.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000