Lot
53 
Col. Stephen W. Kearny Military Courier Letter from Fort Leavenworth, Mo., signed letter addressed to Capt E.A Hitchcock in Saint Louis, Mo. and endorsed by way of "Major Massias", with letter datelined "Fort Leavenworth, Nov 13th, 1837" and reads in part…"The Steam Boat Pirate has arrived this afternoon & brought me your letter of the 3rd Inst. -- I thank you for the trouble I have occasioned you. I enclose a check of Maj. Morris for $600 & wish that you deposit it in the Mo State Bank in my credit."; file folds, Very Fine, an early signed Col. Stephen W. Kearny letter.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Lot
54
Cantonment Gibson, Ar., Jul 7, bold cds and matching "Free" rating handstamp with "On Public Service" endorsement on 1842 folded cover to Brig. Genl. R. Jones, Adj. General at Washington D.C., inside docketed "Fort Gibson" from Lt. Col. Mason, 1st Dragoons with "Reports on detachments under Col. Kearney left on the 4th for Fort Leavenworth"; some light soiling, a Very Fine use, ex-Beals.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Lot
55
Fort Leavenworth, Mo., Aug 7, discernible cds with manuscript date on folded letter to Columbia, Mo., manuscript "5" rating, with letter datelined "Fort Leavenworth, August 6, 1846" with interesting contents regarding elections…"I have only a few minutes to devote to you at present but even then clear my conscience…There is now 9 Co. at the fort and 5 more to come, Those that are here held an election yesterday for their officers. Price had no opposition. Gen Allen of Lewis County was elected over Mitchell from St. Louis for Lieut. Col. of the regiment & Capt Edmonson of the same for Major. Gen. Halleck was elected without opposition Lieut, Col. of the extra battalion, The officers of the Ref are subject to the vote of the 5 Co. which are yet behind thought I have no doubt but they will confirm our choices. Bart you must write to me frequently there will be no difficultly about communicating as there will be a regular express every other week. From this place to us direct your letters to me care of Co. A Capt Giddlings, Prices (Sterling) regiment Mo. Vol."; cover with some light edge staining at lower left, Very Fine.Estimate $400 - 600.
Lot
56
Fort Leavenworth, Mo., Sep 16, cds with manuscript day and matching "5" cent rating on 1846 folded letter from Private O.P. Bampass, Company "I" 4th Regiment of Illinois Volunteers at Fort Leavenworth shortly after Gen. Kearney occupied Sante Fe and speaks of getting "…72 cts for every twenty miles coming up to be paid the first payment at Bents Fort…"; some fold separations and minor staining, Fine and interesting early Mexican War trail letter.Estimate $500 - 750.
This letter refers to Bents Fort during Pre-Colorado Territory, which was a celebrated fur trading post built in 1848 by four Bents Brothers. Kit Carson was employed there as a hunter from 1831 to 1842 when he left to join the Fremont Expedition. The post was a real Fort with walls 15 feet high and 4 feet thick.
Lot
57
Fort Leavenworth, Mo., Nov 4, cds with manuscript date and manuscript "10" rate on folded letter to Newport, R.I., with letter datelined "Santa Fe, Oct 6, 1846" (New Mexico Territory) written at the end of the Military Occupation Period, carried by courier and mailed at Fort Leavenworth, letter with interesting content…"We have disarmed the Mexicans in every direction, have fortified ourselves and hold the country securely enough…I have rode in forced marches by day and stood for hours at night at the lonely post of the Sentinel subject to the tomahawk or arrow of the Indian or the midnight attack of the Mexican", with description of country & climate, derogatory remarks about Mexicans, their women, etc., Very Fine, a rare early New Mexico territorial item.Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Lot
58
Santa Fe, New Mexico, January 11th, 1847, dateline on folded letter from Army surgeon to his wife at Fort Leavenworth Mo., carried by military express, entered mails with "Independence, Mo. Mar 3" cds and manuscript "5" rate marking, some interesting content describing sickness, death & battles including "…We have had a battle at a place called El Passo about 200 miles from us in which our troops came off victorious and I am in hopes that the war will soon be over…"; light toning, Fine and interesting Mexican War use.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Lot
59
Fort Leavenworth, Mo. Jul 17, cds with manuscript day on folded letter to Belleville, Ill., manuscript "10" rating, with letter datelined "Fort Leavenworth, July 18th, 1847" with letter in part…"Fort Leavenworth as I have before told you is a splendid place, but staying so long has made me heavy time of it and I am extremely anxious too go on. A detachment of our Regiment, composed of our companies under Capt. Bond's, Capt. Hampton's, Capt. Nile's and Capt. Thurman's will start to day for our place of destination. The weather is extremely hot, but not withstanding. They are all very anxious to go on. It is very likely that some of the detachments of out Regiment will have a brush with the Comanche Indian before they get though, but I assure you from what I know of the Regiment that they great credit that Illinois has attained will not differ by anything that our Regiment will do. They are all men and will acquit themselves like men.", Very Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Lot
60
Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 11th, 1847, dateline on cover to Belleville, O., carried privately with "Politeness of Capt Turner" endorsement who was returning to Fort Leavenworth, letter with interesting content…"I send you by Capt. Turner and Lieut. Roper of our Regiment a Puebla bow and with sixteen arrows. The Puebla Indians are the descendants of Montezuma's old subjects, and are a much finer and braver race of people than the Spaniards, at the battle of Taos (January 1847 Revolt) which was fought last winter they stood till they were bayoneted while the Mexicans ran at the sight of a gun. They use the bow and lance pretty generally. The white's now not willing to sell them guns through this bow and arrows have been used a little they are yet good…I also send you, the Doubloons, and of which you will keep for yourself, another you will give to mother.", and signed Wm. H. Snyder, Very Fine, ex-Risvold.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Lt. William H. Snyder is a collector sending home native items from the Pueblo Indians.
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61
Fort Mann, Upper Arkansas, December 6th 1847, dateline on folded letter addressed to President James K. Polk in Washington City, D.C., with manuscript "Pr Santa Fe Express" endorsement at lower left, "Fort Leavenworth, Mo., Dec 24" cds with manuscript day and "10" rating crossed out, letter regarding the tendering a resignation…"To His Excellency, James K. Polk, President of the United States, Sir, I was mustered into Service of the United States at Fort Leavenworth, as Captain of the Company E "Indian Battalion" Missouri Volunteers, which Battalion is under the Command of Lieut. Col. William Gilpin. Reasons of a substantial and influential character, constrain me to tender my resignation as Captain of said Company.", and signed Capt. Napoleon Koscialowski, with Adjutant Gen. recommendation & Secretary of War final approval docketing; some soiling along file folds, F.-V.F.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Lot
62
Sullivan (California), Aug. 26th, 1849, dateline on folded letter from Ebenezer Bower Bateman to his father in Jacksonville, Ill., entered the mails with "San Francisco, Cal, Oct 1" cds and reddish brown manuscript "40" rate, with lengthy 3½ page letter detailing his route and journey from Santa Fe, Indians and the gold regions…I arrived here on the 20th inst, after a very tedious journey of 135 days from Santa Fe. Our rout was down the Rio Grande 150 miles to Socoro (Soccoro), thence across the mountains to the head-waters of the Rio Gila, thence down that River to a point six miles below its mouth where we crossed the Rio Colorado of the West; thence across the Great Desert & through the mountains again to the Pueblo Los Angalos, or "City of the Angels". Thence on & near the coast northward about 250 miles, thence Eastward across the Mountains again to the head of the Tulalles Lake in the Tulary Valley, thence across & up the Rio del Rey, or Kings River to the point where it emenates from the Base of the Sierra Nevada, thence a north-westerly course up the valley & across the Mercey, Tuwalamie, Merri-posas, Stanish-Low & a branch of the San Joaquin Rivers to Stockton;- thence to this place 75 miles; which is a small stream emptying into the Tuwalarnie twelve miles distant. From the point where I last struck into the Mountains you will perceive a great disgression from the ordinary rout, this was owing to our having fallen in with a Detachment of Dragoons dispatched to the head of Kings River to chastise some Indians who had recently killed a party of Americans & we thought it a good opportunity to penetrate where others had failed & have the first chance at the Gold which is said to exist there in great quantity, but greatly to our disappointment on arriving in about two days travel of the designated point, we learned the Indians had fled far into the Snowy mountains. Our rations falling short & animals broke down, the commanding Officer determined to proceed as fast as possible to the neighborhood of Stockton…The Gold region as far as discovered, you will perceive has two great natural divisions by the watercourses they contain, the one with the Sacramento & the other the San Joaquin as their tributaries; I am in the last mentioned region, which is generally is about 100 miles from & Southward of the central portion of the other., Very Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.