An ideal letter to frame because everything is contained on one side and everything is in the General William Buel (sic) Franklin's own hand! Franklin writes to a Colonel  F. J. (?) Parker explaining that his leave has been extended in Boston and he is only too happy to have the Colonel visit him, bed and board included. He closes with a reference to the "good news" a fellow named Sawtelle has had and insists he deserves it. I can't be sure, but I suspect this might be in reference to Daniel W. Sawtelle of the 8th Maine Volunteer Infantry. After all, General Franklin was writing from Portland, Maine at the time! Sawtelle's letters and reminiscences of serving in the war were published in 2001 in a popular volume by an author named Peter H. Buckingham. It could, of course, be another Sawtelle -- but it's hardly a common name. With a bit of research, one might be able to use that name and triangulate with General Franklin to determine exactly which Colonel Parker was the recipient of the letter.

 

But at the end of the day, the coolest thing is that chance to own a one-page, frameable letter from a Yankee general who was seriously wounded in action at the battle of Mansfield, Louisiana. Given the date of that battle and the date of the letter, I strongly suspect that General Franklin was in Maine, recovering from that wound!

 

Excellent condition with no flaws! The letter has NOT been cut or trimmed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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