Military and Naval History |
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1. WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE (1774-1833). |
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US Navy Officer, one of the first heroes of the American naval tradition. He saw active service in the Quasi-War with France and the wars with the Barbary States. Succeeded Isaac Hull in command of the famed US Frigate Constitution, “Old Ironsides,” during the War of 1812. Splendid four-page manuscript letter dated October 26, 1822, addressed to JAMES BIDDLE (1783-1848), a veteran naval officer and hero of the War of 1812. In 1822, Biddle was captain of the US Frigate “Congress.” The letter contains detailed advice for Biddle on his strained relations with two brother officers, and mentions many of the best-known US Navy officers and vessels. A rare and intriguing glimpse inside the early American Navy. Written in Bainbridge’s hand and signed “Wm. Bainbridge.” A complete transcription of the letter is included. $975.00 |
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2. LOUIS-ALEXANDRE BERTHIER (1753-1815). |
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| Prince of Neuchatel and Wagram, Marshal of France. A brilliant Chief of Staff, he served under Napoleon from 1796 to 1814. He refused to rejoin the Emperor when he returned from exile on Elba, and mysteriously fell to his death from a window at Bamberg. Manuscript letter to the Minister of War forwarding some correspondence from Spain. War-dated 1808. Boldly signed by Berthier. $275.00 SOLD | |||
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3. HENRI J. G. CLARKE, DUC de FELTRE (1765-1818) | ||
| General and Minister of War under Napoleon, Marshal of France under the restored Bourbons. Manuscript letter dated May 16, 1807, addressed to a director of a cadet corps. Signed “Clarke” as Governor-General of Berlin, just three months before taking over as Minister of War. In French, not translated. $200.00 | |||
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4. HENRI J. G. CLARKE, DUC de FELTRE (1765-1818) |
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| General and Minister of War under Napoleon, Marshal of France under the restored Bourbons. Partially printed official document from the Ministry of War conferring command of the Department of Aude on General of Brigade Pouget. Dated May 21, 1813, and signed by Clarke "Duc de Feltre" as Minister of War. A nice Napoleonic military document in fine condition. $355.00 | |||
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5. KARL DONITZ (1891-1980). |
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| World War Two German Admiral, originator of the dreaded U-boat "Wolfpacks," successor to Hitler in the final days of the war. Typed letter in German to Mr. Edmond Marino, dated January 3, 1960, along with the original envelope. The admiral conveys his best wishes for the New Year, and has signed at the bottom "Donitz." $260.00 | |||
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6. KARL DONITZ (1891-1980). |
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| World War Two German Admiral, originator of the dreaded U-boat “Wolfpacks,” successor to Hitler in the final days of the war. Nice printed response sending thanks for birthday wishes, and apologizing for not being able to send a hand-written response. In the case of this particular note, Dönitz adds a nice hand-written greeting and appends his bold signature in blue, “Dönitz.” $325.00 | |||
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7. CHARLES G. "CHINESE" GORDON (1833-1885). |
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| British General, suppressed the Taiping Rebellion in China. Killed by forces of the Mahdi in the fall of Khartoum, thereby becoming a revered Victorian martyr. Signed pencil notation beside a clipped article concerning the slave trade. Responding to a notation in another hand questioning Gordon’s estimate of 50,000 slaves annually going through North Africa, Gordon writes "I consider this quite true. C. Gordon." $435.00 SOLD | |||
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8. ERWIN JOLLASSE (1892-1987). |
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| Winner of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. German Lieutenant-General in the Second World War, commanded the 344th Infantry Division and the 9th Panzer Division. In the last weeks of the war, he commanded a group named “Combat Team Jollasse,” comprised of the remains of the 344th Infantry Division and the 10th Waffen SS Division “Frundsberg.” Signed letter, in German, to a collector mentioning a signed photograph (not included) and wishing him luck with his collection. Dated November 3, 1986, and signed “E. Jolasse.” $165.00 | |||
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9. ERNST KÖNIG. |
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| German Major-General during World War Two, one of the few to win the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves. At the age of 36 he was commanding the 28th Jäger-Division on the Eastern Front. Typed letter on the stationery of the Organization of Knight’s Cross Holders, giving information on himself and the organization. Signed by König, and accompanied with a summary of his service record. $80.00 | |||
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10. HENRY KNOX (1750-1806). | ||
| Bookseller turned Soldier of the Revolution. Skilled and respected artillery general during the War of the Revolution, ultimately becoming the chief artillery officer for the army. Friend and confidante of George Washington. First United States Secretary of War 1785-1794. Manuscript War Department letter dated May 30, 1793, authorizing “all the brass mounted muskets put into order.” Large, bold signature “H. Knox” as Secretary of War. $725.00 | |||
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11. HUDSON LOWE (1770-1844). | ||
| British General, Napoleon’s jailer on the island of St. Helena during the time that the former emperor was exiled there, from 1815 until his death in 1821. Lowe was a target of the exiled Napoleon’s spite, and is sometimes implicated in conspiracy theories surrounding the Emperor’s death. Partially printed pay master’s certificate dated April 24, 1805, and signed twice by Lowe "H. Lowe Lt. Col. Comm." as commanding officer at Malta. $695.00 SOLD | |||
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12. HUDSON LOWE (1770-1844). | ||
| British General, Napoleon’s jailer on the island of St. Helena during the time that the former emperor was exiled there, from 1815 until his death in 1821. Lowe was a target of the exiled Napoleon’s spite, and is sometimes implicated in conspiracy theories surrounding the Emperor’s death. Signature clipped from a document, "Hudson Lowe." $125.00 | |||
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13. NELSON A. MILES (1839-1925). | ||
| Union Major-General, commanded US Army 1895-1901, retired as a Lieutenant-General. Successful Indian fighter, he fought the Nez Perce 1877 and the Apaches under Geronimo 1886. Organized and trained troops for the Spanish-American War 1898. Typed letter dated August 29, 1890, recommending a US Army lieutenant for brevet rank under an Act of Congress to reward “gallant services in Indian campaigns.” Excellent content as Miles recounts the lieutenant’s conspicuous gallantry in action against the Nez Perce and later the Apache war against Geronimo’s band. Signed in pencil “N. A. Miles, MG” as major-general commanding the Division of the Pacific. On very thin paper with some age discoloration, and a few spots of paper loss. Archivally de-acidified and backed. Scarce, with very good content. $1200.00 | |||
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14. NELSON A. MILES (1839-1925). | ||
| Union Major-General, winning the Congressional Medal of Honor for action at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Commanded US Army 1895-1901, retired as a Lieutenant-General. Successful Indian fighter, he fought the Nez Perce 1877 and the Apaches under Geronimo 1886. Organized and trained troops for the Spanish-American War 1898. Very nice manuscript letter on Headquarters Division of the Pacific stationery, dated November 23, 1889. Addressed to General HENRY L. ABBOTT (1831-1927), an engineer officer who had commanded the Union siege artillery at Petersburg. Although only a colonel in the regular army, Miles addressed him by the brevet rank of major-general of volunteers awarded for his Civil War service. The letter concerns a visit by Abbott and his attendance at an event hosted by Miles. Fine condition, boldly signed "Nelson A. Miles." $285.00 | |||
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15. NAPOLEON I (1769-1821). | ||
| One of the greatest military geniuses of the modern era. He was born a younger son of an obscure Corsican lawyer, yet rose, thanks to his abilities and the opportunities of the French Revolution, to become Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. 2½ Page manuscript letter in French to the Duc de Feltre, dated March 31, 1813. Henri Jacques Clarke, Duc de Feltre, was Napoleon’s highly competent Minister of War. The Emperor is requesting Clarke’s help in raising four new regiments, totaling over 21,000 men, from amongst the marine artillery, and gives instructions regarding their distribution to the army. An important and fascinating item, showing as it does the desperate, creative measures the Emperor was taking to ease the manpower crisis in his armies. By this point in time Napoleon was at war with virtually all of Europe, had lost a huge army in Russia the previous year, and the allies were pressing in on France. Signed "Np" as Emperor. $2450.00 SOLD | |||
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16. TIMOTHY PICKERING (1745-1829). | ||
| Patriot activist, served as member of the Board of War and Quartermaster-General of the Army during the War of the Revolution. Appointed Secretary of War 1795, he served until dismissed by political enemy John Adams in 1800. An ardent Federalist, he opposed the war of 1812. Original manuscript document dated June 19, 1784, at West Point, where John Burges has been paid 92 days extra pay for his services as an artificer, as the last of the Massachusetts Regiments to remain at West Point. Burges was part of the tiny caretaker force that remained when the Continental Army was disbanded following the Revolutionary War. The American army would eventually just number a few hundred men once most of the remainder, like Burges, mustered out. A great Revolutionary artifact, signed by Pickering as Quartermaster General. $490.00 | |||
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17. JOHN RODGERS (1771-1838). | ||
| Distinguished US Naval officer, fought in the Quasi-War with France, commanded the “Congress” during the War with the Barbary Pirates, commanded the “President” during the War of 1812. He led a force of sailors and Marines in the defense of Fort McHenry in 1814, and served as president of the naval commissioners 1815-1837. Manuscript letter signed by Rodgers, dated April 13, 1831, concerning repairs on the ship house over the “Pennsylvania.” The letter includes an integral address leaf directing it to the commander of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and is signed by Rodgers with his free frank from the Naval Commission Office, making two signatures on the one document. $375.00 | |||
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18. EARLY US NAVY | ||
| Interesting and unique “Statement of the Quality of Canvas allowed for each vessels sails belonging to the Navy of the United States.” A meticulous and thorough listing of every sail type, cross-referenced by ship type. Dozens of entries for every conceivable sail and awning, with a quality number assigned on a scale of 1 through 8 (with 8 apparently indicating the lowest quality). Dated August 23, 1823, and signed by Charles Cassell, who produced some of the finer early technical drawings of the ships of the nascent US Navy. $400.00 SOLD | |||
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19. (WAR OF 1812). | ||
| Original letter addressed to Colonel Robert Pogue, commanding the 4th Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers. The author, William Shotwell, encloses newspapers with an “account of the Battle of Queenstown, the President’s message, and many other things…” He mentions seeing Mrs. Pogue, from whom he bought some oxen, and assures the colonel that his family is well. Dated November 18, 1812. Some tape repairs to missing sections of paper. No postal markings on the integral address leaf, so this was carried and delivered privately. A great piece of early Americana from a war that left relatively few paper documents. $195.00 | |||
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20. (WAR OF 1812). | ||
| Spectacular six-page handwritten letter from ROBERT TROUP (1757-1832), Soldier of the Revolution, Aide to General Gates, roommate and close personal friend of Alexander Hamilton. He spent time as a Prisoner of War aboard the Infamous Prison Ship “Jersey.” Fantastic content in this letter written to GENERAL STEPHEN van RENSSELLEAR, as Major General of the New York Militia he presided over the botched invasion of Canada. Packed with military news and opinions, as well as political commentary (Troup was a partisan Federalist, and at one point opines that “the southern and Eastern folks are hot as pepper for Clinton.”) He makes mention of the poor condition of much of the new forts and guns, and Rensselear’s Niagara situation. An excellent War of 1812 souvenir, with strong content from an influential and opinionated Federalist. Dated October 17, 1812 at New York, and signed “Robt. Troup.” What Troup probably did not yet know, was that Rensellear’s ill-fated invasion of Canada had begun three days earlier. $450.00 SOLD | |||
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21. SIR ARTHUR WELLESLEY (1769-1852). | ||
| British General and Statesman, Chief Secretary for Ireland 1807-1809. Made Duke of Wellington in 1814 for his victories against Napoleon’s armies. Letter written and signed by Wellesley as Irish Secretary, dated December 18, 1807 at Dublin Castle, concerning an “affair at Boyle in the County of Roscommon” in which a British officer and some soldiers were wounded. Interesting item from Wellington’s early career, signed “Arthur Wellesley.” $875.00 SOLD | |||
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22. WORLD WAR - TWO PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD. | ||
| Ship Launching Announcement. Beautiful and very rare original announcement of an unusual triple wartime launch from the Philadelphia Navy Yard – two cruiser, the USS Chicago and USS Los Angeles, as well as the USS Antietam on August 20, 1944! Nice engraved announcement and admission pass enclosed in original cover with engraved vignette, original Navy Yard postmark and wartime stamp. A great World War Two naval souvenir. $100.00 | |||