Lincoln Abraham (1809-1865)

Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865), Signed document, March 22nd, 1862, one page, as President, commission issued to Marcus A. Reno as Captain in the first Cavalry regiment, bearing name of Edwin M. Stanton as secretary of war, (minor creasing, minor fading, very good overall).Note: A rare and historic commission issued to one of the survivors of The Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876 in which Custer and his entire company were killed. Reno's Civil War record was excellent and he assigned as a subordinate officer to Custer's Battalion. Custer inexplicably divided his battalion into three groups, Reno being one of group commanders. He was first to arrive a Little Bighorn and made an urgent call for Custer for support of his position stating "I have everything ahead of me and the enemy is strong." His part of the battle was long, difficult and challenging with a number of daring acts by his men and finally consisted of an extended hold out on what is now known as Reno's Hill. As the admirers of George A. Custer couldn't fathom that this massacre could befall their hero, rumors spread Reno and his men deliberately held back their support of Custer and were drunk throughout the battle. History has exonerated Reno and his men and they have taken their rightful place among the heroes of the Battle of Little Bighorn.