Beschreibung:

Engraving 3.625 x 4.375 in. on an 8 x 10 in. mount, framed to 10.5 x 12.5 in. Inscribed and signed Yours, Resp'y, Chas Devens Jr., Bvt. Maj. Gen. Charles Devens (1820-1891) graduated from Harvard in 1838 and received his law degree from that school two years later. He served as state senator and then U.S. Marshal for his district in Massachusetts from 1849-1853. As Marshal, he was required to return a fugitive slave, Sims, to his master. After doing so, he paid for Sims and freed him. After the war, as Attorney General in 1877, he offered him an appointment in the justice department. Devens entered the war shortly after it was declared, was made Major in April, and appointed colonel of the 15th MA Vols. in July. By April of 1862 he was Brig. Gen. of Vols. commanding a brigade during the Peninsular campaign. He fought at Fair Oaks, where he was wounded, and Antietam and Fredericksburg. In 1863 he was wounded again at Chancellorsville. He returned to the field in 1864, and his troops ultimately were the first to occupy Richmond after its fall. It was for the capture of Richmond that he received his brevet. He commanded the District of Charleston for a year after the war, and was finally mustered out in 1866. He returned to the practice of law, and became a superior court judge in MA. He was appointed Attorney General of the United States by Hayes. After that administration left office, he became a judge in the MA supreme court, where he remained until his death in 1891.