General Francis P. Blair: (1821-75) The son of an adviser to presidents and the brother of Montgomery Blair, President Abraham Lincoln's first postmaster general. From secession to reconstruction, Francis P. Blair, Jr. made a series of major contributions to the Union cause. No man did more to block Missouri's joining the Confederacy in 1861; as a U.S. Congressman he battled for Lincoln's early war programs; he was a distinguished divisional and corps commander in the Vicksburg and Atlanta campaigns; and as a post war senator battled the Radical Republicans in an attempt to bring reconstruction to a shattered nation. Blair also saw service during the Civil War in the Yazoo expedition, at Chattanooga, Sherman's March to the Sea and the Carolina's campaign. Both Grant and Sherman who were highly critical of most "political generals" rated Blair as one of the most competent military leaders of the war.

Civil War Governor of New York, Horatio Seymour: (1810-86) He entered politics as a Democrat and served in the legislature. He was elected governor of New York in 1852 and then retired from politics until the secession movement started. He believed that war could be avoided through compromise, but when the fighting began he counseled loyalty to the Federal government. In 1863 he again became governor of New York, and it was during his term that the New York City Draft Riots occurred. He was nominated for president in 1868 and retired from public life after being defeated by General Ulysses S. Grant.

Wet plate, albumen carte de visite photograph, mounted to 2 3/8 x 4 card. Blair is seated at left and Seymour is standing at right. Imprint with their names on the from mount, Horatio Seymour and F.P. Blair. No backmark. Very tiny chip out of the albumen photographic paper at lower right corner. This does not affect any of the content. Minor age toning. Scarce.