Close. But no deal.

The Lancaster County Historical Society bid on a significant James Buchanan letter at a Sotheby's manuscript auction in New York City on Thursday.

But an anonymous telephone bidder joined the competition and, after a swift back-and-forth process, won with an offer of $55,000.

In the June 14, 1862, letter, Buchanan defended his presidential administration a year and a half after he left the White House and came home to Lancaster. He also said history would praise his presidency.

Tom Ryan, the historical society's executive director, said the letter is valuable because it contains "the raw stuff of history."

Ryan, who traveled to New York to participate in the auction, said he was disappointed the society lost the letter, which carried an estimated auction value of $25,000 to $35,000.

"The bidding was so fierce that it was clear to us that (the anonymous caller) was willing to sit tight and run it up as high as possible," Ryan said.

Three members of the Lancaster community pledged $50,000 to purchase the letter. Ryan commended them and the James Buchanan Society for the Preservation of Wheatland for cooperating with the society to try to buy the item.

"There is support in the community for this kind of purchase," Ryan said. "One of our goals would be to have an endowment to be used exclusively to add to our collections."

The Buchanan letter was among more than 100 manuscripts written by presidents and other major American historical figures auctioned Thursday.

The collection included several letters written by Abraham Lincoln, including a moving reply to a group of youngsters who asked the president to free America's "little slave children."

That letter brought $3.4 million — a record amount for a Lincoln manuscript.

All the letters had been collected by New York physician Robert Small.

Buchanan's letter, written at his home at Wheatland on Marietta Avenue, said the former president "would not change any part" of his public service after Lincoln's election.

Buchanan defended his cabinet, which is generally regarded as one of the most corrupt in American history.

And he said he had "not the least apprehension of the award of posterity."

Most historians rank Buchanan among the worst presidents.

"This is Buchanan's early summation of his own reputation," commented Ryan. "It's also an early and inaccurate prediction of how he would be viewed by history."

Buchanan replied to one John Griffin who had informed him of what Buchanan termed "the abuse poured on my head in New York."

The former president said this criticism "did not disturb my tranquillity" at Wheatland.

He also said he regretted the Civil War then roiling the nation, but "no act or omission of mine has produced the terrible calamity."

CONTACT US: jbrubaker@LNPnews.com or 291-8781