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Lot Number: 179
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1863 Civil War ALS Regarding a Prisoner Release Endorsed by John A. Campbell the former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Later Appointed as Assistant Confederate Secretary of War by CSA President Jefferson Davis Signed “Asst Secy of War”

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JOHN ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL (1811-1889). American Jurist in Georgia and Alabama, where he served in the State Legislature; Appointed by President Franklin Pierce to the United States Supreme Court in 1853; Resigned at the beginning of the American Civil War, and became an Official of the Confederate States of America; in October 1862, Appointed Confederate Assistant Secretary of War by Confederate President Jefferson Davis; Served six months in a military prison at war's end; Secured a Pardon and resumed his law practice in New Orleans, where he opposed Reconstruction.

January 19, 1863-Dated Civil War Period, Confederate, Autograph Letter Signed, “R. J. Daniel” at Richmond, VA., addressed to “Hon. James A Seddon” related to a “Friend” for Prisoner of War Exchange, Endorsed on the reverse, “J. A. Campbell / Asst Secy of War”, Fine.

James Alexander Seddon was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a Representative in the United States Congress; when the Civil War broke out; Seddon was Appointed Confederate States of America “Secretary of War” by Jefferson Davis. This Civil War Date Letter has good content related between both Seddon and Asst. Secretary of War, John A. Campbell. It has 2 pages and measures about 7.5” x 9.5”. This ALS is completely written in R.J. Daniel’s hand on evenly toned quality period paper.

Endorsements, notations and Docket on the back side including an Endorsement written by John A. Campbell and Signed “R. J. Daniel” in brown ink at the top of the 2nd page, his signature measuring 2” long with his flourish below. Some staining and show-through from an early collectors’ glued pasted historical information, as shown.

A fascinating original letter requesting legal assistance from Seddon, passed on to John A. Campbell, the former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, who was later appointed Assistant Secretary of War by CSA President Jefferson Davis. The writer, R. J. Daniel of Richmond, Ga. asks for Campbell to facilitate the Prisoner's release, as Campbell served as something of a “mediator” at times between the North and South. This Letter reads, in part:

"... relates to the capture by the Enemy of a friend of mine and I suppose yours, Mr. A. H. H. Bernard of Mansfield near Fredericksburg...". On the verso, there is a written note at lower middle section Signed, “J. A. Campbell / Asst Secy of War” who signs his name and office to this request, which was then apparently passed on to others. Campbell’s signature has an ink smudge on the first half of his name, yet remains readable. The prisoner involved was Arthur H. H. Bernard, a wealthy plantation owner from Fredericksburg who was detained by order of U.S. Army General Franklin for espionage.
JOHN ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL (June 24, 1811 - March 12, 1889).

In March and April 1861, prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War, Justice Campbell served as a mediator between three commissioners representing the Confederacy (Martin Crawford, Andre B. Roman, and John Forsyth Jr.), and the Lincoln administration. The commissioners indicated they were interested in preventing war if possible. Since President Lincoln denied that secession was valid, he refused any official contact with the Confederate commissioners, but Justice Campbell was permitted in their place.

On March 15, 1861, following the impassioned Senate speech of Stephen A. Douglas calling for the withdrawal of US forces from Confederate territory in order to ease tensions and prevent war, Lincoln's Secretary of State William H. Seward met with and assured Justice Campbell that Fort Sumter would be evacuated within ten days.

Again on March 20, 1861, Campbell was assured by Seward of the Lincoln Administration's intent to withdraw from the key military outpost. Due to a distrust of Seward, Campbell brought fellow Supreme Court Justice Samuel Nelson to this second meeting to act as a witness to Seward's promise.

As feared by Campbell, on April 8 Lincoln reversed course by publicly stating he intended to resupply Fort Sumter either “peacefully, or otherwise by force." This resupply mission resulted in the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter, Lincoln's proclamation of a state of rebellion and the start of the war.

As a result, Campbell resigned from the Supreme Court on April 30, 1861, and returned south. He was the only southern Justice to do so.

Threatened with lynching and effectively banished from Alabama for his moderate views, opposition to secession, and attempt at mediation, Campbell settled in New Orleans. A year and a half later, in October 1862, he was appointed Confederate Assistant Secretary of War by Confederate president Jefferson Davis. He held that position through the end of the Civil War.

Since Campbell served the Confederacy after his role as mediator, Lincoln's private secretary and subsequent biographer John G. Nicolay, ascribed ill motives to Campbell in that he “came to Seward in the guise of a loyal official, though his correspondence with Jefferson Davis soon revealed a treasonable intent." However, even when serving the Confederacy, Campbell still advocated for peace.

Justice Campbell was one of the three Confederate Peace Commissioners (along with Alexander H. Stephens and Robert M. T. Hunter), who met with Abraham Lincoln and William H. Seward in 1865 at the Hampton Roads Conference in an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate an end to the Civil War.

On April 14, 1865, five days after the war ended, Lincoln was assassinated. Having previously met with Lincoln as a member of the Confederacy, Campbell was loosely suspected in the assassination. He was arrested on May 30, 1865, and was held in federal detention at Fort Pulaski, Georgia, for the next five months.

Campbell was never formally charged. Former colleagues and Supreme Court Justices Benjamin R. Curtis and Samuel Nelson intervened on Campbell's behalf, and he was released in October 1865.

Campbell died on March 12, 1889, in Baltimore, Maryland, where he is interred at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore.

During World War II the Liberty ship SS John A. Campbell was built in Brunswick, Georgia, and named in his honor. The John Archibald Campbell United States Courthouse was built in Mobile, Alabama in 1934. He is also the namesake for the Federal Building next door, built during the Richard Nixon Administration.
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Lot Number: 179
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