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52801 - INCREDIBLE
MEXICAN WAR LETTER BY COLONEL JOHN W. GEARY, LATER UNION GENERAL 1848
SAN ANGEL, MEXICO AS FIRST COMMANDER AT MEXICO CITY, 8" X
10" folded letter sheet. Two pages in ink, ALS by Colonel John
White Geary, commanding officer of the 2nd Pennsylvania Volunteer
Regiment and at this time first Commander of Mexico City (after its
capture following the Battles of Chapultepec, where he was twice
wounded, and Belen gate) - both battles occurring on the same date,
dated April 4th, 1848 from San Angel, Mexico (a part of Mexico
City)...written and hand-carried to a lawyer friend back in Pennsylvania
discussing the arrival of the newly ratified Treaty with Mexico and the
prospects of it being accepted by the Mexican Congress...he also
discussed the health and well being of the regiment under his
command..."the health of my regiment has never been better...the
members of Company B are well except Samuel Troxele, A. Topper, and John
McNamara who are slightly indisposed" and the disposition of two
dead soldier's bodies who died in Mexico..."the bodies of Harrison
Henry and William Murphy are in my possession and are to be sent
home...I have used every exertion to have them carefully coffined in
zinc and I hope they will arrive safely at the Summit". Well
written with some light soiling and wear. Geary was appointed first
Postmaster of San Francisco by President Polk, first Mayor of San
Francisco, later Governor of Kansas, later resigned due to his
confrontations with pro-slavery groups, raised 68 companies from his
home state of Pennsylvania and became Brig. General of the 28th PA. Rare
Mexican War ALS as Colonel......................................$650.00
52701 - MEXICAN WAR 1846,
CAMP NEAR VERA CRUZ, MEXICO, September
13th, 1847. Three page large letter to his Mother by Frank Wheeler in
Philadelphia. Folded into a letter and addressed - straight line VERA
CRUZ, black cork with cancellation stamp. 10 cents manuscript postage
applied, noted received October 4th, 1847...he relates, we have arrived
in August and have had a march to the National bridge which is about 35
miles from Vera Cruz...we escorted the train that took provisions to
Colonel Huges' Battalion. When we arrived the soldiers were starved as
their provisions had given out...the Colonel felt that there was soon
to be a severe battle to take a fort that was on a high summit near the
bridge, but when he arrived the guerillas surrendered...we had no tents
on that march and slept on the ground in the rain each night...they are
ready to leave for good on a march for the town of St. Ju about 17
miles away...glad to get away as it is hot here and people have the
Yellow Fever...where we are going is in the mountains where it is
perfectly healthy. He is writing on borrowed paper as everything is in
a bustle as they prepare to leave in the morning, Frank Wheeler. An
excellent letter upon his early arrival in Mexico, well written.............................$395.00
52702 - MEXICAN WAR 1846 -
48, JALAPA, MEXICO, February
21st, 1848. Two page letter to his Mother. He relates, mentions that
John Stiles is being sent home due to poor health and will deliver this
letter to the train in the morning...mentions that his letters must not
be reaching home as he has sent several since January...mentions that
his battalion is stationed there, tomorrow we will have a review of the
troops in the city which number about 1200 men in memory of
Washington's birth and the Battle of Buena Vista which was fought on
this date last year - sending papers printed here outlining the treaty
of Peace...hopes to be elected Captain of the Company, our old Captain
has left for home on furlough, but had collected $500 due the Sutler
and left for home with it - the Sutler is trying to extract it again
from the men. Another Captain did a similar thing to his men, he is
commanding the Company which left Vera Cruz with 80 men and have lost
30, four killed in action, two poisoned by Mexicans which is a common
thing, and the rest died in hospitals. Jalapa was on the main
road inland from Vera Cruz near the battlesite of Cerro Gordo.
Well written by Frank Wheeler......................$295.00
MEXICAN
WAR MUSKET BALLS, excavated
from the site of the Battle of Buena Vista. American balls of various
caliber. Uncommon.........................$12.00/each
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