Autograph Letter Signed

(1813-84) Graduated #1 in the West Point class of 1837. During the Mexican War he was wounded at Buena Vista. In 1861, he was appointed chief engineer of the Department of the Ohio, and took part in General McClellan's western Virginia campaign leading the advance guard of Gen. Morris' column in pursuing Confederate General Robert S. Garnett from Laurel Hill to Corrick's Ford, where Garnett was killed. This action earned Benham promotion to brigadier general of volunteers. In June 1862 he led an attack on Seccesionville, S.C., and from the spring of 1863 until the end of the war he commanded the engineer brigade of the Army of the Potomac, rendering excellent service resulting in his promotion to brevet major general in both the regular and volunteer services.

Autograph Letter Signed: 2 pages, 5 1/4 x 8, in ink.

New York
June 22, 1860

To Hon. A. Gould
Owosso, Mich.

Dear Sir-

I enclose you herewith my draft on the U.S. Asst. Treasurer of this city for $25- the fee you desire made payable to your order by Mr. J.W. Jackson- for which please sign the enclosed receipt for my administration accounts and return it to me. I send you copy of another memorandum that I made last year from Blanchard's papers which may be of use. The block 73 is quite valuable and if Lyons had the right to it on June 1840 it belongs to us- as would appear by his deed- and as we think is the case. I also enclose you some extracts from the records that I obtained after great difficulty from the former register which may be of some use as showing that the lot in B. 64 and those in B. 73 probably belong to us- as I had asked the Register to give me an account of all transfers made by L. Lyons after June 20, 1840. I suppose Judge Butler informed you that Walker & Russel of Detroit have some papers which may be of use in these cases and which I presume you have. I believe they have copies of all the action under the probate judge &c.

Very respectfully yours,
H.W. Benham, Admtr.

Light wear and age toning. Very fine.