*** FAILED PSA

Displayed is an 1862 Andrew Johnson handwritten, signed letter from his time as the Military Governor of Tennessee. Johnson later became the 17th President of the United States. Johnson was born in poverty in Tennessee in 1808, and he was an indentured servant as a boy. He ran away from his indentured servant work in a tailor shop and taught himself to read and entered politics at an early age. He rose through the political ranks to become a U.S. Senator from Tennessee, and he was the only Southern senator who did not vote for secession from the Union. Most Southern politicians viewed him as a traitor. When the North controlled most of Tennessee in the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Johnson as the Military Governor of Tennessee on March 12, 1862. Johnson was elected Vice President to Abraham Lincoln on the National Unification Party ticket in 1964, and when Lincoln was assassinated in 1965, Johnson immediately was elevated to the Presidency. In his term of office, 1865-69, Johnson helped to arrange the purchase of Alaska from Russia, dealt with reconstruction issues, and was the first U.S. President to be impeached, (mostly for political reasons from his enemies) even though he remained in office.

The offered letter is on official State of Tennessee stationery, measuring 7.8x10", with machine printing on top reading, "State of Tennessee, Executive Department Nashville." The letter shows a mostly handwritten date reading, "Aug. 15, 1862." Written by Andrew Johnson in black fountain ink, the person to whom Johnson is writing appears to be "S. Gate." The letter reads, "To S. Gate Esq./St. Louis/Dear Sir, I have just received yours of 12 August inst., and in reply thereto have to state that Maj. Wm. H. Dale is now at his home, Columbia, Maury Co. ,Tenn./ Very Truly Yours, Andrew Johnson." The Johnson letter shows some very slight browning along the edges, and has two horizontal folds, for mailing - one with a partial tear, of approx. an inch along the top fold, but aside from these very minor imperfections, it is in overall EXCELLENT condition. The signed Andrew Johnson letter comes with a PSA LOA for the signature.