Abraham Lincoln Emancipation, Probably Contemporary, All Hand Done and Finest Appearance Extant, from a Soldier, Wounded at Antietam

[Abraham Lincoln] Calligraphic manuscript broadside, in black ink on a large card measuring 28" x 20.5", likely circa 1863 or just after, headed "Proclamation of Freedom", and offering the text of the January 1, 1863, Emancipation Proclamation. The text is wrapped around two watercolor portraits inset within a gold border, the upper portrait depicting Lady Liberty and a head and shoulders portrait of Lincoln in the lower. Housed in its original wooden frame with wood slat backing. Evenly toned, the document is very well preserved and legible and has some expert conservation, including a split at the top which is now largely invisible. There is minor loss to some of the gold borders around portraits.

A beautifully rendered contemporary manuscript broadside of Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation which became law on January 1, 1863, freeing 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the secessionist Confederate states. This manuscript is notable for the fine calligraphic heading in several styles titling the document Proclamation of Freedom rather than the more customary Emancipation Proclamation. The portraits of Lady Liberty and Lincoln are quite fine and large. The Emancipation Proclamation is the most important document to emerge from the Civil War and Lincoln's text is quite simple, yet eloquent, as he pronounces: "And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons...And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God."

The broadside has descended in the family of notable Union Army veteran Alexander Reed whose Civil War service began as a private in the 19th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Reed was soon promoted to Sergeant when the 19th was renamed the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry and folded into the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corp of the Army of Virginia and eventually into the Army of the Potomac. Beginning in July 1862, Reed saw extensive action over 90 days in the battles of Cedar Mountain; Rappahannock Station; Thoroughfare Gap; Groveton & Gainesville; Bull Run; Chantilly; and South Mountain before being wounded by a bullet to the chest on September 17, 1862 in the Battle of Antietam. Somehow, Reed was able to attend the roll call at Antietam the following morning, but his health declined and his final action was seen at Fredericksburg that December. After an extensive stay in a military hospital, Reed mustered out of Army service in September 1864, returned to his home at Philadelphia, married, and built a large business as a bookbinder. Active in the veteran's organization The Grand Army of the Republic, Meade Post No. 1 (for those who served under General George Meade), Reed held several posts including his election as Commander in 1894. As such, he was asked to perform the ritual of the G.A.R. over Ulysses S. Grant's remains at his funeral and 20 veterans from the post were asked to accompany Grant's funeral train to New York in 1885. 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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