August 18 & 19, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/18/2020
Lot consists of 3 items framed together. A) At left. American Telegraph Company telegrapher's transcript in pencil dated April 7, 1865, at Philadelphia, reporting that "the bulletin announces as positive the surrender of Lee." B) At right, American Telegraph Company telegrapher's transcript in pencil dated 2:00 p.m. April 7, 1865, at Easton, cautious that, "The reported surrender of Lee although published in Phila and New York Papers as positive lacks official confirmation." These are matted with an illustration of Confederate soldiers furling their battle flag. This is ready to display and offers a view of history as it happened with the people trying to sort out conflicting and overlapping reports. Lee's army was in retreat when the telegrams were written on April 7 and hopes ran high that the war was finally at an end. This is from the collection of Charles "Hap" Hazard. who worked at the Baltimore Sun and must have appreciated the difficulties inherent in reporting rapidly developing events. Of course, Lee did eventually surrender 2 days later, on April 9 at Appomattox, in the parlor of Wilmer McLean's house. The wood fragment may be from the McLean house or from a nearby tree that was sometimes erroneously recorded at the initial meeting place of Grant and Lee. SR
Item Dimensions: 25 - 1/2" x 13 - 1/2".