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The Battle of New Market... The forged Lincoln Proclamation...
The Battle of New Market... The forged Lincoln Proclamation...
Item # 645421
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May 19, 1864
NEW YORK TIMES, May 19, 1864
* Abraham Lincoln's forged proclamation (fake)
* Battle of New Market - Virginia Valley Campaign
Among the front page column headlines on the Civil War are: "THE GREAT CAMPAIGN" "The Struggle in Virginia Renewed" "The Battle Again Opened Yesterday Morning" which is the battle of New Market. Also: "Gen. Grant Moves Against the Enemy Without Delay" "Handsome Victory in Western Virginia" "The Rebels Defeated by General Crook" "The War In West Virginia" and much more, and more war news inside.
Also of interest is the page 8 report headed: "The Forged Proclamation" "Public Excitement & Indignation" "Suppression of the World and Journal of Commerce" "Military Seizure of Their Offices" "$350,000 Reward For the Forger". This was the effort of Joseph Howard, a newspaper journalist and a bit of a prankster throughout his career. Howard and an acquaintance had hoped to make a profit on declining gold prices if news from the front was bad. They acquired the stationery and other items necessary to make it look as if a story had come in on the wires to the headquarters of the Associated Press of New York, the clearing house for official wire stories coming from Washington. They forged the Proclamation from the president, which called for the drafting of an additional 400,000 soldiers, obvious evidence the war wasn't going well. It was delivered to the offices of various New Your newspapers. Only two actually published the story but it caused such that Howard was arrested two days after the story appeared and placed in Prison. He was released on Lincoln’s personal order on August 24, 1864. Included here is the full text of the forged Proclamation, signed in type: Abraham Lincoln.
Ten pages, a bit irregular at the spine, nice condition.
Category: Yankee
No Longer Available
