Military

Samuel Adams Drake Union General and historian. ALS, 2 pages Kennebunkport, Maine 11/13/05. Drake tries to answer a source question about the location of a proposed Susquehanna Fort from one of his earlier histories. He explains he was still in his summer home “convalescing from a protracted illness.” He died three weeks later. Excellent condition with the envelope. [#4795]

Union General and Governor of Wisconsin, 2 ½ page ALS April, 1895 thanking prominent Michigan businessman Peter White for a gift to his daughter. Fairchild was an officer of the Iron Brigade. He saw action at the Battle of Antietam and lost an arm at Gettysburg from a wound at Seminary Ridge on the first day of the battle. Lincoln promoted him to Brig. General following Gettysburg. [#4644]

John Foster - diplomat, Sec. of State under Benjamin Harrison. One page ALS, on personal stationery, March 7, [1883]. Foster invites California Senator and former Union General John F. Miller to dinner to meet a prominent member of the Mexican Congress. Miller sat on the Foreign Affairs Committee. The 4.5 x 5.5 letter is mounted at the corners to a larger sheet.

Foster held a string of diplomatic appointments Minister to Mexico under Grant, Minister to Russia under Hayes and Garfield until 1881 and then Minister to Spain under Arthur, just three months after this letter. Under Harrison he returned to the State Department and succeeded James Blaine as Sec. of State for the end of Harrison's term. [#5624]

- Confederate General, one page ALS, New York, October 15, 1870. Gibson writes to a Mr. Day about some changed plans to get into the city (presumably New York) and relays some family news. He signs it "R.L. Gibson". [#3378]

Paul Hamilton - Secretary of the Navy (Madison), Governor of South Carolina. Signed letter to Simon Gratz & Co remitting a payment of $2,000. The letter is written in another hand by an aide and then signed by the 3rd Secretary of the Navy who served during the opening months of the War of 1812. The letter is in generally fine condition other than a small tear on the blank left margin which has been reinforced with a strip of tape on the back, visible as show-through on the image. Simon and Hyman Gratz were prominent business leaders in Philadelphia. Taking over the family business in trade and real estate ventures they later added insurance to their portfolio. Nice association for collectors interested in Philadelphia or Pennsylvania history. [#5627]

Ebenezer Huntington – Rev. War military officer and political leader from CT. Huntington served as an officer in Siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island and Battle of Rhode Island. He was present with Washington at the surrender in Yorktown. He later served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. A signed document authorizing Hezekiah Cary’s pay for serving in Col. Samuel Webb’s regiment in 1781 to be delivered to Benjamin Cary. Huntington serves as a witness adding in his own hand “The above was signed in my presence Eben. Huntington Lt. Col Command”. There is some roughness at the edges. [#5219]

Union Admiral, LS, May 5, 1858, to Captain John Pope as Commandant of the Portsmouth Naval Yard asking for his opinion on Porter’s design of a quoin for gun carriages. Porter would have the invention patented a few months later. The 3 page letter explains why Porter thinks his invention is so superior to the quoin and beds currently being used with naval guns. Porter rose to the rank of Admiral during the Civil War with significant service around New Orleans and on the Mississippi. This is an interesting glimpse at how naval weapons were modernized and improved around the time of the Civil War. [#4963]

Woodrow Wilson – beautiful, fresh looking World War I commission of Paul L. Reed as a Civil Engineer in the Navy with the rank of Commander. It is dated Sept. 9. 1917. Wilson’s signature is strong and dark, as his that of Josephus Daniels as Secretary of the Navy. The document stands out as fresh and clean with some signs of flattened lines from having once been rolled, but not folded. The blue seal is intact and the engravings are crisp and bright. The large format commission has been matted and framed with a nice gold and black frame. The frame shows some age but is still strong and ready to be hung as a striking display piece. Replacement framing of the same quality would probably run $400-$500. Overall an exceptionally nice example of a World War I Wilson commission.