LOT OF 4: 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN MILITARY FIGURES

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/7/2018

1) COMBS, Leslie (1793-1881), ALS, 3 pp., quarto, fine, dated Lexington, Kentucky, 1 October 1873 to H. Stone [Thorne?], Esqr., providing the recipient with a short memoir of his life, per request . Combs talks about his early life and family, the provides a "Brief of my Military history", which began as a Kentucky volunteer during the 1812 campaign, during which he fortunately missed "the terrible defeat & Massacre at river Raisin." He served as a "Capt[ain] of Spies [scouts] in General Green Clay's Brigade and at Dudley's Defeat, was "badly wounded, taken prisoner & forced to run the Indian gauntlet--escaped untouched." Combs further relates that in "1836 I raised a reg[imen]t of 1000 to relieve Genl Gaines on the Sabine frontier--all mounted, armed and ready to march when....Genl. Jackson ordered my Regt to be Mustered out of Service....During our late terrible Civil War, I was, & still am, a Union Man, & lost all the labour of my life by emancipation and robery [sic]--without compensation." A small engraving of Combs accompanies the letter. 2) MOORE, Thomas Patrick (1797-1853), ALS, 2 pp. quarto, to unnamed recipient, apparently the governor or adjutant general of Kentucky, dated Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 8 April 1822. Moore informs recipient that "A very large & respectable Artillery company, has been raised in this place...[and] selected me to command them & thereby made it my duty to trouble your Excellency in relation to the procurement of a piece of Ordinance & the requisite number of Muskets", noting that Col. McAfee informs me that it is only necessary for you to make the request through Col. Johnson or the Secretary of War....." Moore was born in Virginia, but attended Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky. He served in a troop of volunteer horse from Kentucky during the 1813 campaign against Detroit. Moore served as member of the Kentucky legislature for two terms, followed by three20 terms in the US House of Representatives. In 1829, he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to Gran Colombia by President Andrew Jackson, returning to Kentucky in 1834. He later fought in the Mexican War as lieutenant colonel of the 3rd US Dragoons. 3) GAINES, Edmund Pendleton (1777-1849) to one Doctor Lawson, ALS, 1 page, quarto, dated "S[team]. B[oat]. Constitution/ 6 P.M., 16 July 1836." General Gaines asked Lawson "to take charge of my Virginia Sword of honor which You will find on board the steamboat Mediterrenean [sic]....The hilt is broken, and I was desirous to consult one of the most skilful Gold smiths, to learn whether it can be repaired", noting that "if it can be mended without injury to the original work, let it be done." Gaines entered the US Army in 1797 during the Quasi-War with an ensign's appointment and was rapidly promoted to lieutenant and in 1807, captain. During the War of 1812, he commanded the 25th Infantry Regiment as its colonel during the Battle of Crysler's Farm, at which they distinguished themselves in covering the retreat of the American Army. He was promoted brigadier general of regulars in 1814 commanded the post at Fort Erie after its capture and during its siege, including the repulse of a British assault on 15 August 1814, during which he was seriously wounded. For his leadership and valor at Fort Erie, Gaines was awarded a Congressional gold medal and a brevet promotion to major general, while his home state of Virginia presented him with the gold sword discussed above. At the time of the letter above, Gaines was apparently traveling up the Mississippi River to take command of the Western Military District and in that role, brought an end to the Black Hawk War. From the Walter O'Connor collection.