PHILADELPHIA — A document signed by President Abraham Lincoln ordering Union blockades of Confederate ports, marking the official start of the Civil War, is for sale.
The Raab Collection in Philadelphia said Tuesday that it is selling the document, which it calls one of the most important in American history. The asking price is $900,000.
Lincoln’s proclamation is dated April 19, 1861 - a week after the first shots of the conflict were fired at South Carolina’s Fort Sumter. After the Civil War ended in 1865, the U.S. Supreme Court, in an opinion, ascribed Lincoln’s April 19 blockade order as the official beginning of the war.
The document, which has been owned by a private collector who wishes to remain anonymous, was exhibited recently at several museums.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 11/21/2012