Letters From New Mexico

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2005

Lot of 2 letters written by Sergeant William Dute, a Union cavalryman serving in New Mexico. Dute was wth Co. “M”, 1st New Mexico Cavalry, commanded by Colonel Christopher “Kit” Carson. The regiment was actively engaged with hostile Indians throughout the Civil War. Autograph Letter Signed “Wm. Dute”, 4 pages, octavo, November 29, 1862, Fernando de Taos, New Mexico. Addressed to a “friend” on stationery featuring a Fire Zouave, over which is inscribed “1st N.M. Vols Co. ‘M’. The letter reads in part: “...I have just settled down from a tramp of 10 miles from Fort garland to this place where I am stationed in charge of a recruiting station...Here instead of houses built of brick or other fine material, one sees nothing but ‘dobie’ walls....There are three classes of people here, the rich who live in comfort and ease. the poor man has but little he calls his own yet he is independent of the rich man for his living. The third grade is aclass of people not any better in my estimation than the slave in the southern States they are entirely dependent upon the rich man for their subsistence...The Pion as he is called is a downtrodden man...”....Plus; Autograph Letter Signed “Wm. Dute”, 3 pages, octavo, ca. 1863, New Mexico. An undated letter on patriotic stationey featuring George Washington and written to an unknown recipien. In reads in part: “...Gambling & fighting whiskey saloons are wide open and better patronized on Sunday than on any other day...all indications for a large amount of gold being taken out of the leads in this District, are very favorable...”. Both letters show minor staining. Overall Fine condition.

Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).