Endorsements of Franklin Pierce as President and Jefferson Davis as Secretary of War, on a panel on the reverse of the second page of a two-page letter from Surgeon General Lawson to Adj. General Samuel Cooper, requesting the dismissal of Assistant Surgeon James R. Conrad for “insubordination” in refusing to report to the Surgeon General’s office in Washington. Davis has written: “Submitted to the President with a recommendation that he Asst. Surgeon Conrad be dropped from the rolls of the Army—Jeffer Davis, Sec of War, June 20, 1853.” Pierce has written: “June 27, 1853, Let Asst. Surgeon J. R. Conrad be dropped from the rolls of the Army with the grounds set forth in the accompanying papers—F. P.” Conrad, who was described as eccentric, was in fact dropped from the rolls the next day. Conrad later served with Abner Doubleday in Fort Johnston. In very good condition, with toning and pinprick-sized holes along folds, several other endorsements and notations to reverse (one lightly affecting Pierce’s initials), and some show-through from text on reverse. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
