This letter, signed by Abraham Lincoln, is of the utmost rarity. It resulted from the meeting of Lincoln and Alexander Stephens at the secret Hampton Roads Conference held on a boat in Virginia the night of 3 February 1865, to discuss terms of a possible peace settlement. Lincoln and Stephens were old friends, having served together as Whigs in the U.S. Congress. Although peace terms were not agreed to, a lesser matter was addressed. Stephens had a nephew who was a prisoner at Johnson's Island, and the family had lost all communication with him. He entreated Lincoln to supply information about his nephew. Upon returning to Washington, Lincoln telegraphed the commanding officer at Johnson's Island ordering that a Lieutenant John A. Stephens, prisoner of war, be paroled and "report to me here in person, and send him to me...". Lincoln met with the young Stephens and gave him this letter, telling him it was for his uncle. He took a carte-de visit of himself, signed it A. Lincoln, and suggested he take it as well, noting that there were probably very few of them down South.
(source: University of Georgia Libraries, Hargrett Library, http://www.libs.uga.edu/hargrett/selections/confed/letter.html)
