Raynors 2012-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2012
Excellent content letter with Indian fighting content, 4 pp., Washington, D.C., May 2, 1873, from Quarter Master A.H. Scott to his Mother, comes with original transmittal Quartermaster General Office cover,in part: "....there has no change taken place here yet, the Colonel does not know how long he will remain in Washington till the Secretary of War returns that will be about the fifteenth of this month then I will soon let you know what is up whether we are to stay or not"...."there is a great deal of amount of work to be done here in our office and we are kept very steady at it & will be for a long time to come now that the Indians are making so much trouble. Most all of the Army supplies comes under the quartermaster General, and just now all the Horses at the seat of war have got this disease and have got to get mules to fill their places. It makes a great deal more work here and all through the Army. I feel very sorry to hear of the death of our good officers in so small an engagement but the Indians have all the advantages in the world and hid(e) among the rocks and cliffs where there is no possible chance to get at them. One Indian is considered equal to twelve of our men. They are all well armed with the best of Sharps Breech loading rifles, six shooters at that, and some of them have three or four a piece. Our troops will have a great deal of trouble with them this summer, that is what the authorities say here and it is true for them. They have already and this is only the commencement of what is to come. I wish they could overcome them with out any great loss of life, that can not be. Will have to fight them the same as we did the South till we wear them out...." Several Indian campaigns were be waged at this time, including fighting with the Modoc Indians on the west coast, and the Apaches on the plains. The army was not fairing well in either of these conflicts. An excellent content letter, especially with the detail of how well armed the Indian warriors were.
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