Title:
Edwin M. Stanton Civil War War Department Envelope - Dated January 12, 1863, 11 Days after Emancipation! Handwritten Military Directive Referencing General George Sykes - PSA/DNA Certified Authentic Autograph, Certification No. 85952480

Description:
A historically significant Civil War-era official War Department envelope bearing extensive handwritten instructions attributed to Edwin M. Stanton (1814-1869), President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War. Of particular importance, the document is dated January 12, 1863, as indicated by the period manuscript notation along the bottom edge.

The manuscript concerns an aide associated with Major General George Sykes, a distinguished Regular Army officer then commanding the Second Division of the Union V Corps. The writing contains corrections, insertions, underlinings, and abbreviations characteristic of a working military directive rather than a presentation document.

A conservative transcription of the principal manuscript reads:

"(Detail)
[deleted] Lt. Heyward
Cutting aide of
General Sykes to
New York for
special duty to
be approved by the
War Department.
Direct him to meet [unclear] New
York
Edwin M. Stanton"

Additional period docketing and notations appear across the envelope, including "Col. Townsend," a red manuscript notation appearing to read "S.O. 14. Par 5," and the handwritten date January 12, 1863 at the bottom. Several words are overwritten or difficult to decipher and should therefore be treated cautiously.

The envelope bears the printed designation "War Department / Official Business." It displays expected evidence of wartime governmental use, including folds, toning, edge irregularities, corrections, docketing, and evidence of former sealing or mounting on the reverse.

Historical Context:
The January 12, 1863 date places this artifact at an especially consequential moment in the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln had issued the final Emancipation Proclamation only eleven days earlier, on January 1, 1863. Secretary Stanton supported emancipation as a military measure that could weaken the Confederacy while bringing additional men into Union military service.

The date also falls during a turbulent period for the Army of the Potomac. The disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg had taken place only a month earlier, in December 1862. On January 12, 1863, George Sykes was commanding the Second Division of the V Corps, then part of Major General Joseph Hooker's Center Grand Division.

Sykes was a professional Regular Army officer and West Point graduate whose soldiers became widely known as "Sykes' Regulars." He had commanded Regular troops at First Bull Run and subsequently led his men through the Peninsula Campaign, Gaines' Mill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. His association with the Regular Army distinguished his command within an Army of the Potomac composed largely of volunteer formations.

The date of this artifact is particularly interesting because Sykes had not yet achieved the command for which he is most remembered. Later in 1863, he would assume command of the V Corps shortly before Gettysburg. On July 2, elements of his corps were rushed to the threatened Union left, where troops under his command became heavily involved around the Wheatfield and Little Round Top.

Thus, this January 12, 1863 document dates from roughly six months before Gettysburg, when Sykes was still a divisional commander recovering with the Army of the Potomac from the Fredericksburg campaign.

The date is also notable in Stanton's own wartime activities. Contemporary records establish that President Lincoln and Secretary Stanton conferred on army affairs on the morning of January 12, 1863, the same date appearing on this artifact. A surviving Lincoln letter to Stanton dated that day concerns proposed military promotions. This does not establish that the present directive resulted from that meeting, but it provides valuable context for how actively Stanton and Lincoln were addressing military personnel and command matters on this exact date.

Stanton himself was one of the central administrators of the Union war effort. Appointed Secretary of War in January 1862, he oversaw the enormous organizational and logistical apparatus required to equip, supply, and administer Union forces. The Library of Congress notes his important role in reorganizing War Department administration and provisioning the expanding Union military establishment.

Authentication & Encapsulation:
The original War Department envelope is professionally encapsulated and authenticated by PSA/DNA. The PSA label identifies the artifact as "ENVELOPE / EDWIN M. STANTON / PSA/DNA CERTIFIED" and designates the autograph "AUTHENTIC AUTO." The certification number is 85952480.

The oversized clear holder provides excellent visibility of the original War Department printing, Stanton manuscript, military instructions, period corrections, docketing, and the important January 12, 1863 date while protecting the document for long-term preservation.

• Additional Documentation & Provenance: At buyer's request, Historical Autographs Gallery will include an additional "Historical Autographs Gallery Certificate" signed by our company founder Luke Pascal at no cost.

Closing Appeal:
The newly identified January 12, 1863 date significantly strengthens the historical context of this artifact. Rather than an undated Stanton autograph, this is a wartime War Department document that can be placed at a specific moment in the Civil War: only eleven days after the Emancipation Proclamation took effect, approximately one month after Fredericksburg, and while George Sykes was commanding the Regulars of the V Corps months before his elevation to corps command at Gettysburg. Particularly compelling is the fact that Lincoln and Stanton are independently documented as discussing army affairs on this same date. With Stanton's authenticated handwriting, an official War Department envelope, substantive military content involving General George Sykes, an exact wartime date, and PSA/DNA authentication, this is an unusually evocative artifact for an advanced collection of Lincoln administration, Gettysburg, Union Army, or Civil War material.

Shipping Notice:
For insurance purposes, items sold over $600 may require signature confirmation upon delivery. Higher-value items, likely over $1,500, are shipped via FedEx 2-Day with Direct Signature Confirmation. FedEx provides the most flexibility when requiring a signature, allowing you to make special delivery requests directly through their tracking system. This ensures both security and convenience for the buyer.