2008-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008
Autograph Document Signed, 3p. folio, Mobile, Alabama, October 12, 1872, and reads in part: “...My names is Ed P. Webb and ama native of Alabama. From 1864 to the present time I have been employed in the Cotton factory house of S.S. Webb & Co. of Mobile. I supervise their cotton business for them & was entirely familiar with it. I know at the time in January 1865 when S.S. Webb bought this lot of 57 bales of cotton of Theodore H. Watson, it was sampled and classed ‘middling’ cotton & was weighed. The invoice weight was 30.463 pounds. It was at Clifton above the city on the Alabama River...It costs 65 cents per pound. It was fully paid for by S.S. Webb & Co....In the latter part of April 1865 I made efforts in conjunction with S.S. Webb to have this cotton brought from Clifton to Mobile....said Webb & Co. received advice that U.S. Goverment transport boats were at Clifton taking this and other cotton on board for Mobile. A few days thereafter, say about the 6th day of May 1865, those U.S. Government transport boats, the St. Charles, N.W. Thomas, Laurel Hill, & Iberville arrived at Mobile laden with this lot of 57 bales & other cotton...I went with S.S. Webb to those transports and identified the lot of 57 bales of cotton and we claimed the same of the officers of those vessels as the property of S.S. Webb & Co. They advised us that it would be stored here. S.S. Webb & myself...demaned said cotton...We called on said Quarter Master Lappin & S.S. Webb claimed this lot...& stated to said Capt. Lappin that it was an unlawful and unwarrantable seizure...Capt. Leppin replied that he had no doubt the title of said Webb & Co. to this cotton, but that he had no discretion & had been ordered by his superior officer to forward it to Gen. Van Vleit...at New York City....” More on Webb showing his oath of allegiance, etc. VG.
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