(ARIZONA) Aumack James Pair of vivid letters from a soldier

Sale 2391 - Lot 60

Price Realized: $ 469

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600

(ARIZONA.) Aumack, James. Pair of vivid letters from a soldier at what became Fort Apache. Autograph Letters Signed to sister in Iowa. 6 pages on 8 x 5 inches, on 2 folding leaves; separations at folds, doodles and a small Iowa map on the blank pages. (MRS) Camp Apache, AZ, 17 and 30 October 1877

Set Alert for Similar Items

Additional Details

James Aumack (1842-1911) was a Civil War veteran and day laborer in Ottumwa, IA before re-enlisting for duty on the western frontier, where he apparently served in the hospital. "We are having a litle excitement here with the Mexicans on the Litle Colorad. It is the time of thare big feast. They keep it up till aftere New Years. Thare is a lot of white desporados went thare, and they got into a row. The Mexicans got after one of them. He run in to a house and fortified himself with grain sacks and killd too of them, and filled another ones head full of shot. I pickd out 17 for him. They then tore of the rofe of the house and shot him. . . . The deputy United States martial has called out the troops." He expresses his admiration for a local Mexican trader: "He speekes inglish as goo as i can." Provenance: Swann sale, 19 December 1968, lot 25, to the consignor. In 1968, we called these letters "delightful and interesting," but "delightful" might not be the right word.