PRELIMINARY ISSUE OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION (EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.)

War Department. Adjutant General's Office. General Orders No. 139. 3 pages. 8vo, disbound; few small punch holes where previously bound. Washington, 1862 the fourth edition of the Proclamation issued first to the military, almost 4 months before the Proclamation was made public. The original manuscript draft was written by the President on 21 September 1862. It was signed by Lincoln and Seward on the 22nd and a first printed version sent to important government figures. The second and third printings were issued within a day and only differ in their printing format. The present issue is the first edition generally disseminated, though not yet to the public. The final Proclamation appeared on 01 January 1863, with several textual changes. Eberstadt 4.