William Rutherford Sold at Auction Prices

WILLIAM MCKINLEY AND RUTHERFORD B. HAYES

An excessively rare partly printed war date manuscript bearing endorsements of two future Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM MCKINLEY (1843-1901) and RUTHERFORD B. HAYES (1822-1893), signed while both were serving in the Union army. The document, 1p. 4to., Virginia, March 23, 1865, is the official discharge paper for Joseph B. Gilpin, a captain of West Virginia infantry, as he is being promoted to second lieutenant. Hayes signs an endorsement on the verso 'R.B. Hayes' as a brigadier general, followed by McKinley signing an endorsement as 'Wm. McKinley Jr.' as captain and assistant adjutant general. The two served together in the 23rd Ohio Infantry, during the Shenandoah Valley campaign, and both eventually achieved the rank of brevet major general. Their service led to them developing a friendship that would continue through their rising political careers until Hayes' death in 1893. The document also bears a signed endorsement of ISSAC H. DUVAL (1824-1902), Union brigadier general who fought in almost forty separate engagements of the war, most notably at the Battle of Opequon where he was badly wounded. Slight toning and foxing with minor creasing, else very fine.