Description:

UPDATED LISTING: Lot of Antique Civil War Era Ephemera & 1960s Stock Certificates. Over 160 stock certificates from the 1960's, hand written Civil War letters, Confederate wallpaper/Newspaper clippings. Includes a letter from Ulysses S. Grant to John McClernand regarding Kountz being court marshaled and character reference letters to help aide him in his court marshaling from prominent business men. William J. Kountz was a pre-civil war businessman and waterman. Given the rank of Captain, Kountz gained notoriety during the war by becoming a thorn in the side of none other than Ulysses S. Grant.

Ulysses S. Grant was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War in 1865 and thereafter briefly served as Secretary of War.

John Alexander McClernand was an American lawyer and politician, and a Union general in the American Civil War. He was a prominent Democratic politician in Illinois and a member of the United States House of Representatives before the war.

Also included are handwritten letters from David Ayres, a civil war captain and medal of honor recipient, written during the siege at Petersburg and mentions losses during the battle of the Wilderness which came about as a result of Robert E. Lees strategy to intercept U.S Grant as he attempted to bring in men and supplies, another Ayres letter mentioning the New Jersey 5th Regiment new recruits and the supplies issued during the Battle of Petersburg. Grant disliked Captain William Kountz. Kountz reported first to McClernand and not Grant, which drew resentment.

Wm. J. Kountz who was a pain in the neck to Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. A pre-civil war businessman and waterman between Pittsburg and Cincinnati, Kountz had many business associates, friends, and customers up and down the Ohio River Valley, among them, George B. McClellan of the Illinois Central and the Ohio and Mississippi railroads. It was through this friendship and association that McClellan, a Major General in command of the Department of the Ohio at the outbreak of the Civil War, selected Kountz to assist him in the problems of river transportation. Given the rank of Captain, Kountz gained notoriety during the war by becoming a thorn in the side of none other than Ulysses S. Grant. In 1861, Captain Kountz was sent with a steamboat fleet and an inflated sense of self-importance down the Ohio Rover with St. Louis as his ultimate destination. En route, Kountz criticized everything he saw in terms of government supply contracts and made numerous recommendations for change. Quartermaster McClernand was initially impressed and sent the recommendations to Grant, who was not. Grant issued a cease and desist order to Captain Kountz, stating he had acted in great ignorance, an insult at best. What followed were several complaints by Kountz and others against Grant, most notably that Grant was a drunkard. In January, 1862, Grant ordered the arrest of Kountz for disregarding his orders and for generally being impossible to work with. More likely, Grant was simply getting back at Kountz for his prior accusations. He was eventually released from confinement after approximately 10 days, never receiving a formal notice of the reason for his arrest. Kountz appealed to General McClernand, after which Grant responded that charges had not been preferred, but would be provided if they were preferred in the future.

David Ayres (April 4, 1841 – December 11, 1916) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. His last name was spelled as Ayers on his enlistment and maintains the spelling on his medal.

Please note that signatures have not been authenticated on any documents. Please bid accordingly. Keywords: Ephemera; Ref: BD1495

  • Medium: Ephemera, Ulysses S. Grant, Captain William Kountz, John Alexander McClernand
  • Condition: All pieces are in good condition, with normal signs of wear. Please review photos for details.

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