A modest North Carolina farm known as the "Bennett Place" became the site of the Civil War's largest surrender on April 26, 1865 when William T. Sherman accepted Joseph E. Johnston's sword. In 1876 entrepreneur Richard D. Blackwell of Durham, NC secured a copyright to produce and sell lithographs of the shrine. Items relating to this project are offered as follows: Albumen photograph,"The Bennett Place," inscribed "Photographed by E. F. Small" on the mount's lower margin with blind stamp on the print, the view has the elderly James Bennett standing by his farm gate (8 x 10 in. overall) (fading and stains; back album paper adheres to the back); Lithograph, "View of the Bennett House / Four Miles West of Durham, N.C.," the engraving being after Small's photograph (8 x 10 in.) (light browning; chips); Partially printed document granting Blackwell a copyright for the image, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., June 2, 1876, one page with its original postal cover; Receipt from printer Thomas Hunter of Philadelphia for producing 1,500 "Bennett House" lithographs; A manuscript advertising rate sheet, one page, 8vo, from the American Newspaper Advertising Agency, n.p., itemizing costs for placing ads in Northern and Border state papers that would be read by Union veterans.

In of themselves, the Bennett Place albumen and lithograph are very rare. Placed in context with the copyright, pritner's order and advertising plan, they form the nucleus of a unique historical archive relating to the Civil War.

$200 - 400