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Sale 58: The Winter Sale

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Fort Related Mails

Lots 577-586 Lots 587-589

Lot 577    

(Forts - Dakota Territory) Fort Rice Dak. Apr 20, neat strike of cds with matching target cancels tying 3¢ green (158) and 10¢ brown (161) on clean registered cover to Evington Station Pa., several registry numbers; flap tear, Very Fine and choice registry use, ex-David Jarrett.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $325

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Lot 578    

(Forts - Dakota Territory) Fort Totten Dakota Oct 4 1881, sharply struck bluish black cds duplexed with star cancel that ties 3¢ bluish green (207) on cover to Philadelphia Pa.; reduced slightly at right, tiny edge tear, still immaculate and Very Fine, ex-David Jarrett.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

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Lot 579    

(Forts - French & Indian War) "Camp Fort Ontario Agst. 8, 1760", dateline on folded letter endorsed "From the Army" and with "Free Pr. Mr Thompson" free frank to Mrs. Abigail Pomroy at Hebron Conn., addressed "To the Care of Revd Mr Dow - Hartford"; separations, Fine.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

The letter is from B. Pomroy to his wife with some interesting war content, "…one Powers, an Indian of our Regt. dy'd with it last night & we 3 or 4 more in the Hospital - 5 have dy'd here… One Division of the Army marched yesterday towards ye enemies country, & we expect very soon to follow. Tis supposed the Enemy will make a resolute stand on an Island, in River, near Oswegachia, which they have fortified, we need ye prayers of all gods…".

Realized: $2,900

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Lot 580    

(Forts - Idaho Territory) Fort Halleck and Camp/Fort Collins Correspondence, 1863-65, group of six covers from Samuel M. with enclosed datelined letters comprising three from Fort Halleck, Idaho Terr. (1863-64) posted with Fort Halleck Neb. Terr. cds and three from Camp/Fort Collins (1864-65), two of later posted at Latham and Laporte Col. Terr., some interesting content concerning soldiering in the West during the Civil War, the "Fort Halleck I.T. Jan 29th 1864" letter says "…we had a general inspection of all the troops at this post (there being 200 troops here) by General Downing from denver city colorado territory…report…that we are a going back to the states in the sping…"; the "Camp Collins Col. July 22nd 1864" letter includes content concerning Indians: "When your letter came to hand I was scouting after the red faces (Indians) and was gone from camp 14 days…and there are about thirty-five (35) men out of our company out after the indians the have been five (5) days and it is hard to tell when they will get back.", the datelined "Fort Collins Col. Terr., April 11th 1865" letter reads "…hearing it is the glad tidings that this war woud soon be to an end may god speed the time for that time to come…The news in camp are that richmond is taken also that Lees army is captured with several of other Generals (bully for brigadeer General U.S. Grant)…Tomorrow morning I will start for the mountains to cut timbers to build a stockade correlle around the fort…yet we are not soldiering. we are working for uncle Sam by the month building forts and stockades and to eat some of uncles condemed pork and beans and other rotten food such as the quartermaster may issue…I suppose we will move farther east to blew river this spring to build a new fort (for that is our tract since I come in to the army)…we will then be in about two hundred miles of leavenworth city…"; covers with some stamp faults, etc., Fine and interesting Civil War correspondence from the western frontier, Letters from these two short-lived military installations are rare.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

Fort Halleck was a military outpost that existed in the 1860s along the Overland Trail and stage route in what was then the Territory of Idaho, now the U.S state of Wyoming. The fort was established in 1862 to protect emigrant travelers and stages transporting mail between Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah and named for Major General Henry Wager Halleck, commander of the Department of the Missouri and later General-in-chief of the Union armies.

Fort Collins was founded as a military outpost of the United States Army in 1864. It succeeded a previous encampment, known as Camp Collins, on the Cache La Poudre River, near what is known today as Laporte. Camp Collins was erected during the Indian wars of the mid-1860s to protect the Overland mail route that had been recently relocated through the region. Travelers crossing the county on the Overland Trail would camp there, but a flood destroyed the camp in June 1864. Afterward, the commander of the fort wrote to the commandant of Fort Laramie in southeast Wyoming, Colonel William O. Collins, suggesting that a site several miles farther down the river would make a good location for the fort. The post was manned originally by two companies of the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and never had walls. Settlers began arriving in the vicinity of the fort nearly immediately. The fort was decommissioned in 1867.

Realized: $1,300

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Lot 581    

(Forts - Michigan Territory) Fort Des Moines, 12 June, manuscript postmark on 1836 folded letter endorsed "Free" and addressed to Col. Geo. W. Jones, House Representatives, Washington D.C.; light overall aging, Very Fine, ex-Jarrett.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

A RARE FORT DES MOINES USE FROM MICHIGAN TERRITORY.

Fort Des Moines was erected by Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Kearny, who had with him three companies of United States dragoons, as the cavalry of those days was called. Lieutenant Colonel Kearny and his command arrived at the site in the latter part of September, 1834. By spring the fort was ready for occupancy. The soldiers did not remain long at Fort Des Moines, for in October, 1836, they were ordered to withdraw. By the next summer the fort had been abandoned. The colonel's house became a hotel and was named the River House.

Jones represented the Michigan Territory's At-large congressional district as a delegate in the 24th Congress from March 4, 1835 until January 26, 1837 when Michigan was admitted to the Union. This letter was written by the Postmaster Charles A. Carter.

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Lot 582    

(Forts - Michigan Territory) "Fort Snelling, Sept. 15", manuscript postmark on folded letter datelined "Mackinac, Augt 17th 1835" with interesting content "I have just received per the Steam Boat Monroe…I will probably go to Chippewa river, There is some talk of asking the ottawas to sell their lands…"; file fold wear, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

A RARE FORT SNELLING USE FROM MICHIGAN TERRITORY.

Fort Snelling, originally known as Fort Saint Anthony, was a military fortification located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and Mississippi River in Hennepin County, Minnesota. At this time, this part of Minnesota was part of Michigan Territory.

Realized: $1,250

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Lot 583    

(Forts - Missouri) "Fort Osage Mo, Augt: 12", manuscript postmark and matching "10" rating on folded letter datelined "Blue Mills Augt 12, 1845" to Warrenton Va.; small edge tear and slight wear, Very Fine.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $160

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Lot 584    

(Forts - Unorganized Territory) Jeff Barrks, Mo, Apl 30 1834, fancy rope cds in yellow-brown with manuscript date and matching "10" rating on folded letter datelined Poland Oh. to Kanaskia Ill., endorsed "Favd Mr. Stoddard", reverse with note "Mr. Stoddard failed to take the contemplated journey & I have forwarded this by Lyman Foot M.D. of the U.S. Army, who is stationed at Jefferson Barracks."; some erosion on bottom edge, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

The letter bitterly complains of Andrew Jackson's closing the United States Bank: "We have long heard of distress abroad but we now feel it in reality. All of our banks have stopped discounting…What will be the end of Jackson's mad experiment I know not. Men of sense and information condemn, but the rabble still worship Juggernaut.".

Realized: $115

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Lot 585    

(Forts - Utah Territory) Fort Bridger, U.T., Jan 12, cds with manuscript date on yellow cover to bearing 1861, 3¢ rose, well centered, light pre-use crease, cancelled by matching target cancel; light cover stain at top, F.-V.F., ex-Rosenthal.
Scott No. 65    Estimate $100 - 150.

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Lot 586    

(Forts - Wyoming Territory) Fort Bridger Wyo., May 3 1890, bold strike of cds duplexed with quartered cork ties 2¢ green (213) on cover to Columbus Oh., Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $150

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Lots 577-586 Lots 587-589

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