Letter Signed

Wounded and captured at the Battle of Booneville, Mississippi

Colonel of the 5th Michigan Cavalry in General Custer's Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg

Severely wounded during the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg

United States Senator from Michigan

U.S. Secretary of War under President William McKinley

Governor of Michigan

(1836-1907) Born in Lafayette Township, Medina County, Ohio. He attended Richfield Academy, studied law in Akron, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He enlisted in the Civil War on September 2, 1861, as a private, and was soon commissioned captain of the 2nd Michigan Cavalry. In 3 years, he served in a remarkable 66 different battles and skirmishes. On July 1, 1862, at the Battle of Booneville, Mississippi, Alger attacked the enemy's rear with ninety men, and was wounded and taken prisoner, but he escaped the same day with the Confederates being soundly defeated. On October 16, 1862, he was promoted lieutenant colonel of the 6th Michigan Cavalry, and to colonel of the 5th Michigan Cavalry, on June 11, 1863. Colonel Alger led his regiment into the battle of Gettysburg as part of General George A. Custer's Michigan Brigade, and was cited for bravery in Custer's after battle cavalry report. He was severely wounded on July 8, 1863, at Boonsboro, Maryland, during the Union army's pursuit of General Robert E. Lee's retreating Army of Northern Virginia after their defeat at Gettysburg. He fought in General Phil Sheridan's 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign, and on June 11th, at Trevillian Station, he captured a large force of Confederates with a brilliant cavalry charge. He was promoted to brevet brigadier, and brevet major general for his gallant Civil War record. In 1868, he was elected as the first commander of the Michigan Department of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in 1889 he was appointed the National Commander-in-Chief at the 23rd National GAR Encampment at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was also a member of the Michigan Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Alger was a leader of the "Boys in Blue," an organization of Union veterans formed to support Republican Party policies and candidates. Alger served as Governor of Michigan, 1885-87; as U.S. Secretary of War, 1897-99, in the administration of President William McKinley; and as U.S. Senator from Michigan, 1902-07. He died on January 24, 1907, at the age of 70, in Washington, D.C. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, in Detroit, Michigan.


The recipient of General Alger's letter was Colonel William D. Mann, who was born in Sandusky, Ohio, on September 27, 1839. He was a 21 year old resident of Detroit, Michigan, when he enlisted on August 22, 1861, and was commissioned captain in Co. K, 1st Michigan Cavalry. On August 27, 1862, he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the field and staff of the 5th Michigan Cavalry, which was Colonel Alger's regiment. On December 1, 1862, he was promoted to rank of colonel, and commissioned into the field and staff of the 7th Michigan Cavalry. After the war he lived in New York City, where General Alger sent him this letter.

Typed Letter Signed: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4, signed in ink.

R.A. Alger
Detroit, Mich.

April 11, 1902

Col. W.D. Mann:

I wish to thank you for the cutting from "Town Topics" entitled "The Literary Show" forwarded to me at Atlantic City, which came just before we left and has been enjoyed by my whole family very much.

We arrived home to-day via Chicago.

Sincerely yours,
R.A. Alger

Col. W.D. Mann,
c/o "Town Topics"
New York, N.Y.

Very nice, large autograph of Alger. Minor age toning, and light wear. Very desirable, hard fighting Union Civil War officer related to the famous brigade of General George Armstrong Custer whose command he fought with at the Battle of Gettysburg, and was severely wounded chasing General Lee's army out of Pennsylvania in July 1863.