Item #32639 "WAUPUN, WIS., NOV. 30TH, 1861. [ in manuscript: DEAR BR. DOOLITTLE]. PROF. CONATTY, OF KENOSHA, AND MYSELF ARE TRYING TO RAISE A COMPANY, TO BE CALLED THE 'TEACHERS' COMPANY,' FOR THE FIRST WISCONSIN CAVALRY. WE HAVE JUST COMMENCED, AND IT IS GOING TO BE EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO RAISE MEN NOW; BUT CAN YOU NOT ASSIST THIS GREAT AND GLORIOUS CAUSE BY SENDING ME ONE OR MORE MEN? WE WANT THE TEACHER ELEMENT PREDOMINANT, BUT THE POINT IS, TO RAISE A COMPANY OF GENTLEMEN TO GO IN IT, BE HE TEACHER OR NOT... YOURS FRATERNALLY, D.H. BLAKE" Daniel H. Blake.

"WAUPUN, WIS., NOV. 30TH, 1861. [ in manuscript: DEAR BR. DOOLITTLE]. PROF. CONATTY, OF KENOSHA, AND MYSELF ARE TRYING TO RAISE A COMPANY, TO BE CALLED THE 'TEACHERS' COMPANY,' FOR THE FIRST WISCONSIN CAVALRY. WE HAVE JUST COMMENCED, AND IT IS GOING TO BE EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO RAISE MEN NOW; BUT CAN YOU NOT ASSIST THIS GREAT AND GLORIOUS CAUSE BY SENDING ME ONE OR MORE MEN? WE WANT THE TEACHER ELEMENT PREDOMINANT, BUT THE POINT IS, TO RAISE A COMPANY OF GENTLEMEN TO GO IN IT, BE HE TEACHER OR NOT... YOURS FRATERNALLY, D.H. BLAKE"

Printed broadside, 5" x 8", with salutation in ink manuscript. Some margin browning and light margin chipping, else Very Good.

Blake was Pastor of the First Congregational Church in Waupun. Beneath his printed signature is written in ink, "Pastor Cong. Ch". Professor Conatty was T.J. Conatty, a public school teacher in Kenosha and a prominent figure in the Wisconsin Teachers' Association. He was later implicated in a bribery scheme with James Rood Doolittle, Senator from Wisconsin [1857-1869]. On Conatty's behalf Doolittle was to use his influence with President Lincoln to obtain cotton permits during General Banks's occupation of New Orleans; in return, Doolittle would receive 25% of the profits. We haven't ascertained whether Senator Doolittle is the "Br. Doolittle" to whom this printed letter is addressed.
This unusual, ephemeral Civil War broadside is unrecorded. Waupun is in southeastern Wisconsin, about sixty miles northwest of Milwaukee.
Not located on OCLC as of October 2023, or anywhere else. Item #32639

Price: $850.00

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