Whenever a historical document or other piece of written history becomes available for sale, history buffs, collectors, museums, and educational institutions are keen to acquire an authentic document or publication that showcases a first-hand look at major historical events.
One such piece recently sold via Freeman’s Hindman, a trusted WorthPoint Industry Partner. A very early copy of the Emancipation Proclamation went under the hammer recently, fetching $18,0000. The document was a pamphlet, about the size of a credit card, that a Boston railroad magnate and prominent philanthropist printed in the fall of 1862. The pamphlets were distributed to Union soldiers and black soldiers in Southern states to encourage enlistment in the cause.
The Emancipation Proclamation’s Significance
On September 22, 1862, President Lincoln announced that he would sign and enact the Emancipation Proclamation after the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam. The document declared,
That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
The document was meant to undermine the government of the Confederacy and formally inform rebel states that enslaved people within their borders were, by his order, free people. While the Civil War would rage on for two more years, the President’s action was a significant step toward freedom for thousands.
Getting the Word Out
News did not travel very fast during the Civil War, but religious leaders, politicians, and civic groups often made major efforts to spread the word for a document like this. Boston industrial magnate John Murray Forbes undertook one such attempt. With the help and support of Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew and Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner, Forbes had the text of the proclamation printed in a pocket-sized pamphlet designed for soldiers. This pamphlet was both a recruiting aid and an informational missive, and one of the goals was to encourage black soldiers to sign up to fight for the Union.
The copy recently sold had the name “1st Lieutenant George W. Taylor along the top of the front cover, listing the “4th MS Arty,” which indicates the 4th Massachusetts Light Artillery, a unit active in the Battle of Baton Rouge, the Siege of Port Hudson, and the Second Bayou Tech Campaign. Taylor was mustered into his regiment as a 1st Lieutenant and ended his service as a Captain in 1865. Forbes distributed the missive to many units at the time, and this example, in excellent condition, is a significant find.
Political Opponents
One of the pamphlet’s more interesting features is the back cover, which contains a statement from Alexander Hamilton Stephens, the Vice President of the Confederacy under Jefferson Davis. Stephens and Lincoln were opposites in the war and on different sides of the issues. However, they worked together several times when both served in Congress and had a deep respect for each other despite their differences.
On the back of the book, there is a quote from VP Stephens that reads, “This stone (slavery,) which was rejected by the first builders, is become the chief stone of the corner in our new edifice.” The quote comes from a speech Stephens gave in March of 1861. The inclusion of it in the pamphlet was likely a way for John Murray Forbes and other abolitionists to highlight the intention of the Southern states to keep slavery as a way of life in the Confederacy and not give in to the wishes of the Union.
Battlefield Inspiration
In the Civil War, there were no USO shows or troop entertainment. Of course, there were no movies or plays, so soldiers would read the Bible or other printed materials to pass the time. Organizations like church groups and political parties would print inspirational leaflets or other materials that soldiers would carry. Soldiers already had a brisk trading tradition for tobacco, coffee, and other small staples, so any reading material was a welcome addition.
Depending on who created the missives, the goal was usually to advance the cause, be it North, South, or general morals and religion. These bits of information were precious to the troops. Those that have survived in good shape are a way of preserving the practices and habits of soldiers in a desperate situation, fighting among their own countrymen and not knowing how it would all end.
In every conflict, there will be propaganda, and while the pamphlet sold recently was just the text of an upcoming Presidential Proclamation, the practice of using leaflets and printed ephemera on the battlefield was a common way for countries to inspire and encourage their soldiers in “the cause” as well as try to dissuade opponents.
The pamphlet from the Freeman’s Hindman Auction 2070, “American Historical Ephemera & Photography, including African Americana,” is a significant piece of American history showcasing a central turning point in the Civil War. Without the Emancipation Proclamation, the war could have dragged on much longer. While slavery was abhorrent, the records we still have about the war and the daily experiences of the soldiers on both sides are invaluable in shaping today’s world.
Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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