September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
MUSSEY, Reuben Delavan (1833-1890) was a Union Army General during the American Civil War and a distinguished lawyer. He was the husband of Ellen Spencer Mussey who was also his law partner and became the head of the practice upon his death. Mussey was an anti-slavery general in the Union Army who contributed to the end of slavery in Tennessee by his actions as a general there. Mussey was the commander of the 100th U.S. Colored Infantry. Mussey was a strong advocate of enlisting African-American soldiers and in correspondence with his superiors took issue with William T. Sherman's view on this issue. Autograph Letter Signed, "R.D. Mussey" 4pp. quarto, Washington D.C., April 8, 1887, and reads in part: "...The 'case' arose out of my recruiting Colored Troops. I had government money to spend. A large quantity of my voucher papers & c was stolen enroute between Nashville & here. After a long delay I recovered some of them; but so many were missing and there were so many people out of the way that I found I could not make out full and formal accounts such as the Treasury Act'g Officers would require...I was working under the pressure of poverty for daily bread, and could not hire any one else...After various delays in 1877 the Gov't began a suit against me for an apparent balance of some $24,000. This was from time to time postponed and continued...in 1884 Mrs. Mussey employed Genl. Allan Rutherford...to make up form my memoranda, recollections and the recollections of others, an account . The Treasury people accepted some $7000 of this and disallowed $17,000 or so. The trial lasted three days; it was thorough on the part of the Government, but kindly to me personally....The Jury was out 10 minutes or so and returned a verdict for Defendant. They said they would if they could have given me a verdict for $100,000. The government reserved no exceptions so the case is ended, I hope forever...." More. Very good.
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