Bixby Letter - Remember the Abraham Lincoln Bixby Letter that the commanding officer in Saving Private Ryan read when convincing the room that they should send men to find James Ryan in France?
Well, Lincoln’s Bixby letter was real, not made up for the movie, and the Dallas Historical Society thinks they have found an original copy of the Lydia Bixby letter dated 1864.
Lincoln’s famous Bixby letter, or a copy of it, was found by Alan Olson, Director of Collections for the Dallas Historical Society, while looking for other documents. The letter is marked “Copy” at the top.
Of course back in 1864, there were no copy machines, carbon paper, and Xerox had never been conceived, so official documents were copied by hand. This copy of the famous Bixby Letter has been sent to Christie’s in New York for authentication.
Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five (5) sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,
A. Lincoln
Lincoln’s letter to Lydia Bixby is considered an important piece of history, even if it offered condolences for the loss of five sons in the Civil War though apparently only two were killed. It inspires many even though it was most likely penned and signed by one of Lincoln’s secretaries, John Hay.
Made more famous by it’s reading in the movie ‘Saving Private Ryan’, historians and movie buffs alike will have to wait to see the verdict by experts at Christie’s auction house.
That’s the latest chatter about Abraham Lincoln’s Bixby Letter.
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln Bixby letter, Bixby letter, Christie's auction house, historical authentication, Lydia Bixby, Saving Private Ryan
November 17th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
How can they be sure that the copy is the same as original?
November 17th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
[...] The signature is already known not to be that of President Lincoln, but that is expected. It is thought that the signature may be Lincolns secretary named John [...]