Signed and Addressed Envelope / Unsigned Portrait

The career U.S. Army officer rose to the rank of Major General, commanding the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War and participated in many key battles, notably defeating the Army of Northern Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg. On an envelope front, Meade boldly addresses it at center "Honl. H. Wilson / U.S. Senate" in brown ink, adding "Ford [Forward] Gen. Pennypacker / US Army" and at lower left signing "from Genl. Meade." 5½" X 4 3/4" with flap present and open (tipped to larger sheet). Near fine. Lightly age toned. Imprinted "Headquarters Military Division of the Atlantic, / Official Business" at upper left -- which dates this undated piece, for Meade took command of this division headquartered in Philadelphia in July 1865 and remained there until early in 1868. Henry Wilson (1812-75) served as U.S. Senator from Massachusetts from 1855 to 1873 before becoming U.S. Grant's second vice president (1873-75). Galusha Pennypacker (possibly 1841-1916) gained fame as perhaps the youngest officer in the Union army to attain the rank of brevet brigadier general; he held several commands, participated in numerous major battles and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his role at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher in 1865. The envelope bears a lightly pencilled "7-1" at upper left, so assuming this means July 1st of 1866 it's feasible that Meade wrote to Senator Wilson (Chairman of the Military Committee) on behalf of Pennypacker and recommending his promotion, for in July of that year he was indeed commissioned a Colonel in the 34th U.S. Infantry. Just a theory, but intriguing and it makes sense. Accompanied by an outstanding 8¼" X 11" steel-engraved head-and-shoulders portrait of Meade in uniform, set within on oval border and this in turn set within a larger decorative border featuring a tiny vignette near the bottom of a battle scene (labeled "Gettysburg"). Miniscule copyright data at lower margin dates this 1864 as engraved by Virtue, Yorston & Company of New York. Near fine. Faint age toning only. …