UNIFORM AND EFFECTS OF CONFEDERATE OFFICER WHO ARRANGED SURRENDER TERMS WITH GENERAL WILLIAM T. SHERMAN

 

A well-preserved, field-grade Confederate officer’s coat identified to Major William Frederick Haines of Missouri, together with his crimson sash, brown-leather sword belt fitted with a Richmond-style “CS” (Confederate States) interlocking plate, and leather pistol holster. Notably, the group also includes a pass signed by General William T. Sherman that allowed Haines safe passage while arranging the surrender of General L. S. Baker’s command, a CDV photograph of Haines wearing the very uniform included here, and a substantial family archive (photographs, letters, clippings, obituaries, and related papers). The group is accompanied by a 1998 letter of authenticity and analysis by uniform and textile authority, Les Jensen.

 

Confederate uniforms are rare and field-grade officer’s coats exceedingly so. The example offered here has the added attraction of great condition and positive identification to an officer from Missouri, the quintessential border state with divided loyalties. Significantly, the jacket was almost certainly worn by Major Haines when he was sent as a Confederate emissary to arrange terms of surrender with Union General William T. Sherman for the disbandment and parole of General L. S. Baker’s forces in North Carolina. General Baker, through Major Haines, was able to secure from Sherman the same conditions granted to General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

 

William Frederick Haines (1829-1902) was something of a self-made man and throughout his life combined a sense of adventure with solid business sense. Born in Buffalo, NY, in 1829, he signed on to the brig “Odd Fellow” at age sixteen and spent a year as an ordinary seaman. In 1849, he headed west and settled in St. Louis, where he became a book-keeper at a commission house. Several years later, Haines combined his administrative and nautical talents to become Chief Clerk on the steamer Joshua Lawrence, which ran between St. Louis and New Orleans. Haines also seems to have purchased partial interests in various businesses during this time and by the onset of the Civil War, was a fairly well-known local figure.

Haines enlisted in the Confederate Army in July 1861, quickly receiving a commission as Acting Quartermaster of the 1st Missouri Infantry under John S. Bowen. He served at Shiloh and through the Vicksburg campaign (where he was captured with Bowen’s command and kept as a prisoner-of-war until he was paroled) then transferred to quartermaster and inspection duties. From June 1864, he was Chief Quartermaster, Second District, Dept. of North Carolina and Southern Virginia under Gen. L. S. Baker, during efforts to keep the Weldon–Petersburg–Richmond supply corridor operating and to counter Federal movements near Savannah and New Berne.

 

In March 1865, after facing advances from General Sherman while headquartered in Weldon, North Carolina, General Baker ordered his troops and staff, including Haines, to pull out. By 18 April, Baker decided to surrender to Sherman, enlisting Haines as the officer to deliver the flag of truce to the general’s office. Haines would return to Baker with a letter that allowed the general to disband his troops with the same terms Robert E. Lee received, which involved paroling the men and giving up their government arms. A featured item included in this lot is an envelope signed by Sherman allowing Haines to safely pass through Sherman’s lines.  

 

Interestingly, their negotiation over General Baker’s terms of surrender may not have been the first time Sherman and Haines met. Sherman was posted in St. Louis with the U.S Army’s Commissary Department in 1851-1852 and both men were living in St. Louis prior to the Civil War. It has been speculated that Haines was chosen to present Baker’s surrender in person because of his prior acquaintance with Sherman and the expectation that such a connection might help secure favorable terms of surrender.

 

The lot includes:

 

1. Late-Civil War Confederate officer’s frock coat with major stars affixed to lapel. Dark gray wool broadcloath and collar, glazed cotton lining. Double breasted with seven U.S. staff buttons in each row, three smaller U.S. staff buttons on each cuff, and two remaining U.S. staff buttons marking the ends of the pocket flaps on the rear waist (see Albert GS 13A). Shoulder approx. 18 ½ in., sleeve 23 x 7 in., skirt 22 in. Provenance: Les Jensen (letter of authenticity). 

 

2. Separated sword belt. Brown leather, 1 ¼ in. wide. With attached interlocking C.S. belt plate in the Richmond style. 

 

3. Pistol holster. Black leather, approx. 12 in. long, most likely meant to hold a revolver with a barrel of 7 inches or less. With narrow belt loop sewn on reverse, 1 in. wide. 

 

4. Confederate officer’s sash. Crimson silk, approx. 3 in. wide. One tassel of crimson and gold strands attached to sash, other separated. 

 

5. Wartime & Military Documents:

 

Pass allowing Major Haines to return home “by Flag of Truce”. Signed by William Tecumseh Sherman. [Mississippi], [1865]. 1 page, 9 x 4 in. With “HEADQUARTERS, / Military Division of the Mississippi. / OFFICIAL BUSINESS.” imprint to recto top right. This is the envelope that proves Haines’s role in discussing surrender terms on behalf of General Baker’s Confederate soldiers with General Sherman. 

 

Receipt of oath of allegiance for Wm. F. Haines. Provost Marshal’s Office, District of Virginia, 6 May 1865. 1 page, 8 x 3 ¼ in. 

 

Receipt of oath of allegiance for Wm. F. Haines. [Provost Marshal’s Office, District of Virginia], 19 May 1865. 1 page, 8 x 6 in. 

 

“Patriotic Record” of William F. Haines partly printed document completed in manuscript. N.p., n.d. 2 pages, 7 ½ x 9 ½ in. With patriotic illustrations of American and Confederate flags, Union and Confederate soldiers shaking hands in a medallion, and a soldier on horseback to recto. 

 

6. Family & Postwar Documents:

 

Front page from Samuel Haines’s Bible. N.p., n.d. 1 page, 8 x 10 in. Reads in full: “Samuel Haines his Bible Bought At William Mosher Store In Scipio Cyuga [sic] County State of New York / Price $ 4”00 / October the 9th / In the year of our Lord 1826”. 

 

Autograph letter signed by G.H. Kennerly. Jefferson Barracks, 21 November 1865. 1 page, 8vo. 

Autograph letter signed by W.F. Haines. St. Louis, Missouri, 14 July 1869. 3 pages, 8vo. 

 

Autograph letter signed by “Bro Peter”. San Antonio, Texas, 3 February 1870. 2 pages, 8vo. 

 

Autograph letter signed by Henry Kennerly. Fort Maginnis, Montana Territory, 17 February 1873. 4 pages, 8vo. 

 

Receipt from Scudder & Ames for $5,000 to Haines on ¼ interest in the Lindell Hotel for $25,000. St. Louis, Missouri, 16 February 1882. 1 page, 8vo, on illustrated Lindell Hotel stationary. 

 

Receipt from The Lindell Hotel Association for $583.34. St. Louis, Missouri, 18 May 1882. 1 page, 5 ½ x 5 ½ in., on illustrated Lindell Hotel stationary. 

 

Autograph letter signed by Lizzie Shull. Brooksville, Mississippi, 30 September 1883. 4 pages, 8vo. 

 

Autograph letter signed by Berenice Chouteau. Kansas City, Missouri, 27 December 1886. 2 pages, 8vo. With original cover. 

 

Autograph letter signed by Berenice Chouteau. Kansas City, Missouri, 11 February 1887. 2 pages, 5 x 6 in. 

‘

Two (2) canceled checks from Wm. F. Haines to C. W. Mueller. St. Louis, Missouri, 17 September 1899. 4 pages, 7 ¾ x 3 ½ in. With canceled red two-cent stamps. 

 

Autograph letter signed by indecipherable. [Jefferson City, Missouri], circa. 1900-1909. 2 pages, 8vo, on illustrated Madison Hotel letterhead. 

 

Envelope addressed to Mrs. Haines. Alexandria, Virginia, 13 May 1902. 5 ½ x 3 ¼ in. With red two-cent stamp and cancels from Theological Seminary, Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia. With clippings of cherub illustrations, one white and one Black. 

 

Clipped obituary and death notice of William F. Haines to cardstock. St. Louis, Missouri, September 1902. 2 pages, 3 x 5 in. With clipped letter adhered to verso. 

Autograph letter signed by S.H. Haines. New York, 8 October 1902. 4 pages, 8vo. 

 

Clipped “Battle of Franklin Fought Thirty-Eight Years Ago To-Day” story to cardstock. [St. Louis, Missouri, 30 November 1902]. 1 page, 5 ½ x 5 ½ in. 

 

“Wife’s Family” partly printed genealogy document completed in manuscript. N.p., circa. 1905. 1 page, 8 x 9 ½ in. 

 

Autograph letter signed by Jennie Keys. Fort Snelling, Minnesota, 22 July [circa. 1910]. 8 pages, 5 ¼ x 6 ½ in. Docketing to verso. With gilt “R” to upper left recto. 

 

Envelope to Mrs. Wm. F. Haines. N.p., 1911. 5 ¼ x 3 ½ in. With red two-cent stamp and Kansas City cancel. Docketing to recto. 

 

Letter and wedding invitation to “Aunt Minnie”. [Washington, D.C.], 8 January 1919. 2 pages, 5 ½ x 4 in. letter and 4 ½ x 4 in. invitation. 

 

Clippings of obituaries and marriage announcement to cardstock. Includes two (2) obituaries of Abbie Kennerly Haines and one (1) marriage announcement of Minnie Haines. [St. Louis, Missouri, circa. 1920s] 2 pages, approx. 5 ¾ x 9 in. 

Autograph letter signed by A.B. Bower. N.p., n.d. 2 pages, 8 x 12 ½ in. Contains Menard (Haines’s mother-in-law’s maternal family) genealogy. 

 

Letter to Alziere Kennerly Blow (Haines’s daughter). Contains her notice in Woman’s Who’s Who of America. New York, n.d. 1 page, 5 ¾ x 8 ½ in. 

 

Envelope addressed to Major Wm. F. Haines. Galena, Illinois, n.d. 5 ½ x 3 ¼ in. With Galena and St. Louis cancels. With red wax seal. Imprint to recto upper left reads: “Return to A.M. HAINES, / GALENA, Illinois, / If not delivered within 10 days.” 

 

Clipped obituary of Mijnon Melnott to cardstock. [St. Louis, Missouri], n.d. 1 page, 2 ¾ x 7 in. 

Photocopy of Society of the Cincinnati Diploma for David Griffith of Virginia. Cincinnati, 1 March 1787. 1 page, 14 x 11 in. 

 

7. Art and Photos

 

Full-length studio portrait albumen CDV of Major William F. Haines in Confederate uniform. N.p.: n.p., 31 December 1863. Period pencil inscription to recto identifies subject and date. This is most likely the uniform in this grouping that Haines wore to discuss surrender terms with General Sherman. 

 

Two (2) drawings of the Kennerly coat of arms. One in ink, 3 ½ x 5 ¼ in., and one in ink and color, 4 x 5 ¼ in. N.p., n.d. 

Vignetted studio bust portrait albumen cabinet card. Missouri: n.d. Photographer’s imprint to mount verso. Inscription to mount recto identifies subject as “Allie H. Blow”. Inscription to mount verso identifies ownership to Mrs. Wm. F. Haines. 

 

Oil on board portrait of a woman. N.p.: n.p., 1896. 8 x 10 in. Inscription to recto lower right reads “AK. Haines / 1896”. 

 

Assorted CDVs of William F. Haines and his family. 

 

Three (3) bookplates belonging to Andrew Mack Haines of varying sizes. One with pen note to recto and verso. 

 

Full-length studio group albumen portrait. [Missouri]: n.p., n.d. 8 x 6 in. Accompanying photocopy identifies the group as “the Kennerly women of St. Louis”. 

 

 

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