Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis

Abraham Lincoln – USA, 1861-1865, Published by Car Bell, Hartford, Connecticut. Gift of William Caleb Loring, 33°, Gift of William Caleb Loring, 33°, A85/012/0058.

Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) served as President of the Confederate States for the entirety of the war. Even after the war, with the dissolution of the Confederate government, Davis continued to be celebrated. In a souvenir envelope published after the war, he was declared the “Champion of the South.” Abraham Lincoln’s portrait began appearing on envelopes during the 1860 Presidential election. Some of these envelopes were repurposed during the war and overprinted with new imagery, such as a bold stars and stripes. Topical events such as a comet that was visible to the naked eye for over three months in 1861 were incorporated into political messages that emphasized both Lincoln and the Union flag.