2020-01 Putnal
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/18/2020
A great Southern patriotic, ink inscribed, 4pp. 8vo., letter written as a certain N. Foster Browne, "Eatonton, Geo., Sept. 25 & 26, 1861", addressed to state Congressman E. A. Nisbet outlining a dramatic plan to defend Georgia's cost, and requesting help in securing an officer's commission in the army, in part: "...I desire to lay before you a plan for the State defense...my plan is to organize a corps of Engineers, Sappers and Miners, on the plan ordered by our provisional Congress for the regular army. To have the Sappers & Miners drilling at some point accessible to the coast. While the Engineers...are surveying the coast under the direction of the adjutant General, and locating sites for fortifications. By this plan we should be able...to erect defenses at about half the moneyed coast and...at one third the risk of life...if we wait for invasion. As regards an infringement of the Confederate Constitution, [by] his Excellency, Gov. Brown [he] does not hesitate to place three thousand men under arms, but gives us no encouragement...to expect special service as Engineers. This may...arise from his implicit confidence in Gen'l. Lawton who...regards the Coast...in a fair state of defense. That this is not the case is apparent to every one...familiar with the details of such operations, and is openly avowed by Gen'l. Wayne who is...one of the first Engineers in the Confederacy. I have applied to Gov. Brown for a Colonel's commission offering...to raise the necessary company...and relieving the state of any Expense outside of my actual salary...his reply is, 'When the services of an Engineer are needed your application shall be...considered' at every personal interview. He has been very courteous & led me to think he was about to order our speedy organization. I have...call[ed] the attention of some of our members of Congress to this subject of a systematic preparation on the Coast...the work could be the sooner begun. If So. Ca. can have her Corps de Armie working harmoniously with the Confederate authorities. Why should not we? A few days longer & Butler's cannon will belch forth defiance over the waters of St. Simmons…& our gallant fellows must either tamely watch the Northern [?] building the walls we should have built long ago...weekly trips from Savannah to the St. Johns...furnished me with a great familiarity in localities…my fondness for the science of Engineering has led me to devote more attention to it than to any other Department...you are the only member of Congress...I know...now in the state...I have received a letter from Gen'l. Wayne saying, he has arranged with Gen'l. Lawton to recruit a company of Sea Coast Artillerists & Ordnance men...the law does not allow Gen'l Lawton to muster Sappers & Miners...can we not gain the ear of the President or the Secretary of War in this matter?...Gov. Brown withdraws his name as a candidate for re-election. He will probably do very little further business. I am... anxious to engage in the service…". Written as an adversity letter since Browne used the verso of an illustrated circular for his school. Entitled: "Eatonton Female Academy Circular for 1860-61".
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.