DALLAS — An exasperated Abraham Lincoln wrote a series of letter to General George McClellan before firing him as the General of the Army of the Potomac in 1862. On October 25 at Heritage Auctions’ historical manuscripts sale, the last letter from Lincoln to McClellan, dated Oct. 29, 1862, handwritten and signed by Lincoln, sparked multiple bids before closing at $81,250, with buyer’s premium. The letter was the last in a series of communications between Lincoln and McClellan about the Army of the Potomac’s pursuit of the retreating Confederate Army of Northern Virginia after the Battle of Antietam. Two days earlier, October 27, 1862, an exasperated Lincoln had sent another letter to McClellan, asking “Is it your purpose not to go into action?” Because of that, it is believed that his comment in this letter that reads “pleased with the movement of the Army” was written with a sense of relief, sarcasm, or both.

A full review of the auction will appear in a future issue.