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Sale 97: The Westpex Sale

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State Postmarks - New Mexico (Albuquerque to Fort Staunton)

Lots 775-784 Lots 785-794 Lot 795

Lot 785    

Fort Craig, N.M. "Apl 2", complete cds with ms. dating and matching ms. cancels 3¢ dull red (26) on 1861 cover to North Bloomfield, Ohio, with original enclosure datelined "Fort Craig, New Mexico. April 2nd, 1861" from wife of Lt. Martin Van Buren Lewis in 8th U.S. infantry back home, with interesting content regarding stoppage of mails and military matters including "I wrote you last week and sent the letter down by the way of El Paso, no knowing that the mail had been stopped so it will probably be some time before you get he letter if ever. I am going to send this one by way of Santa Fe and I guess you will get it in about four to five weeks. The time has been changed so that it takes only ten days for a letter to come from Independence to Santa Fe and and four from there down here. The mail used to be fifteen days coming from Independence to Santa Fe…Two companies left here for Fort Fillmore last week…"; accompanied by second faulty Fort Craig #26 cover with excellent Jan. 22nd letter including to direct mail "Overland Mail via El Paso. If they come that way I get them more than a week sooner than I do when they come through Santa Fe. It is just about as far one way as the other but south they travel very much faster keeping the horses on a keen run all the time, changing often…" and some Indian content "…The mail from the south got along about four or five hours ahead of time last night. It was attacked by a party of Navajoes about thirty miles below here, but got away from them without much damage. Once man was shot through the leg with an arrow and one mule shot in the head, supposed to be mortally wounded. I think this is the first difficulty on this road since September, then, there was stage entirely clean out down near Mesilla…", Very Fine with an excellent pair of content letters.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Realized: $800

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Lot 786    

Fort Craig, N.M. "Decr 20", complete cds with ms. dating and matching "Paid 3 cts" rating on fresh 1860 orange cover to North Bloomfield, Ohio, with original enclosure datelined "Fort Craig, New Mexico. Dec 19th, 1860" from wife of Lt. Martin Van Buren Lewis in 8th U.S. infantry back home, with interesting content regarding lack of letters and military including "The Commander of the post - Major Gatlin is going on leave in about a week and that will leave Mart in command of his Company…His leaving will give command of the post - to Col. Porter and he has orders from Col. Fauntelroy to fit out an expedition of what - Riflemen and Infantry there are at the post against the Navajos this will leave the Doctor Quartermaster and enough men to guard the post here…"; cover reduced slightly at left, a Very Fine stampless use with good military content.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Fort Craig was established in 1854. It was intended to guard the north-south routes along the Rio Grand River against roving bands of Apache Indians.

Realized: $575

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Lot 787    

Fort Craig, N.M. "21 Feby", complete strike of woodcut type 1 cds with manuscript date and matching pen strokes cancel 3¢ dull red (26) on fresh yellow cover to North Bloomfield, O., with original enclosure datelined "Fort Craig. New Mexico, Feb 20th, 1861" from wife of a lieutenant in 8th U.S. infantry, with interesting content regarding Lincoln election, slow mails and the relations with Indians including "If we stay here Mart will probably have to go and fight Indians for it is impossible to make a treaty with all the Navajoes and the Apaches have declared war", Extremely Fine and exceptional use from Fort Craig, ex-Shipley & "Sevenoaks".
Estimate    $750 - 1,000.

The construction of a new fort to be called Craig began early 1853 when orders were given to abandon Fort Conrad further down the river. This new site stood on a bluff overlooking the river bottom, with ten foot high walls made of adobe bricks. This was a large new building project containing many different large buildings that would hold supplies and all the materials to support 3,000 soldiers.

The writer also tells about suspicions of Confederate spies being in the area as rumors of war were circulating. The Civil War broke out just a few months later in April 1861. The Union force posted here later became involved in a major battle with Confederate army at Glorieta Pass, and Val Verde in February 1862. The Union won a decisive victory turning the war in the West in favor of the Union.

Realized: $1,050

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Lot 788    

Fort Cummings N. Mex., Dec 26, cds on orange cover bearing 3¢ rose (65), lifted and hinged in place, appears tied by grid cancel to Dodgeville Iowa, manuscript "Paid 25" at upper left, original six-page letter datelined "Pinos Altos, N.Mex. Dec. 15" and "Dec. 22 '67" with some interesting content "I very much fear Central City (some 10 miles south of Pinos Altos) will share the same fate that Befel Cave & think that before many months have rolled around Central like Cave City will only be inhabited by coyotes and Jack Apaches", expressing a gloomy view of friends going into the area on mining prospects "I have come to the same conclusion about gold bearing quartz that I came to in regard to Placer Mines in this locality & that is that the longer a man works at it, the poorer he gets. There is but one forlorn hope for this place yet & that is the silver quartz. If that is a success, men here in Pinos Altos will yet hold up their heads. If not, then au revoir to the City of the Pines. There is one smelter just started which promises to be a success. A few month will tell the tale or sound the funeral knell of Pinos Altos-Selah." and he writes of killings over gambling, and his support for hangings of murderers…"The Indians killed two men last Wednesday some 10 miles below Ft. Bayard. Took 4 mules from them… The demon Jack Apache is high muck in this country."; small faults, Fine, ex-Meroni.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The manuscript "Paid 25" possibly was a fee for stage coach to carry the letter from Pinos Altos that was on the old Butterfield Stage route to the post office at Fort Cummings. The fort was designed and built by Gen. G. McClellan in 1862-63, at the mouth of Cook's Canyon, to keep New Mexico from joining the Confederacy and to control depredations of the Apaches led by Cochise, Geronimo, etc. The post office existed there from 1866 to 1887, and this is an exceptionally early letter from there.

Realized: $375

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Lot 789

Fort Defiance, N.M. Oct. 27th, 1859, datelined descriptive letter written by Topographical Engineer while on a mission to the Navajo tribe, the suffering of his men was great due to the total shortage of water for six days travel, the long march took the company of soldiers as far west as the great Canyon de Chelly in the heart of Navajo land, Very Fine and interesting letter.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $450

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Lot 790    

"Fort Fillmore, N.M., Nov 8th/56", manuscript New Mexico Territory postmark on 3¢ red (U10) buff entire to Norristown, Pa., Very Fine, ex-Risvold.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ABOUT SIX RECORDED FORT FILLMORE MANUSCRIPT POSTMARKS.

Fort Fillmore was a way station on the Butterfield Overland Mail. It was established on September 23, 1851. Located on the left bank of the Rio Grande River about six miles south of Mesilla. Abandoned by Union troops on July 26, 1861, and then occupied by the Confederate troops from Texas. Abandoned by the Confederates on July 8, 1862. Reoccupied by U.S. troops in August 1862, and finally abandoned by the military on October 10, 1862. The post office was established August 6, 1852, and discontinued on February 14, 1863.

Realized: $725

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Lot 791    

Fort Fillmore, N.M., Aug 16 '57, manuscript New Mexico Territory postmark and matching pen strokes cancel 3¢ dull red (11A) on light buff 1857 cover to Philadelphia Pa.; top left edge mend, Very Fine appearance.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

ONE OF ABOUT SIX RECORDED FORT FILLMORE MANUSCRIPT POSTMARKS.

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Lot 792    

Fort Fillmore, N.M., Aug 29, bold postmark tying 3¢ dull red (26), small repair at top left, on yellow cover to Beloit, Wisconsin, forwarded with 3¢ dull red (26) tied by "Beloit, Wisc. Sep 22" cds to Syracuse N.Y, fresh and Very Fine, ex-Risvold.
Estimate    $1,500 - 2,000.

THE ONLY RECORDED FORT FILLMORE HANDSTAMPED POSTMARK USE.

The Fort was a way station on the Butterfield Overland. Mail route and later abandoned by the military on October 10, 1862.

Realized: $2,900

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Lot 793    

Fort Mohave, blue folded letter datelined "Fort Mohave, Colorado River, California, July 31, 1859" to Folkstone, England, carried by discharged soldier by military express to San Francisco, red "San Francisco, Cal. '29 Paid' Sep 5, 1859" integral-rate cds, red crayon "29" at top right, sent by Sep. 5th PMSS steamship, New York red "19" cent credit handstamp; carried by Cunard Line Persia from New York Sep. 28th to Liverpool arriving Oct. 8th, Folkstone (10.9) arrival backstamp; some edge wear and splitting, F.-V.F. and exception rare use from Fort Mohave, ex-Walske.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

Walter Thomas, member of Company F 6th Infantry, writes to his mother about the very hot weather and life at the newly formed camp. "…I am writing this now on a bunch of willows so you must make all excuses for it and remember I have little convenience. We will soon have an express running so that I shall be enable to write you regularly and let you how know I am getting on. The Indians here have broken the treaty and captured 15 mules which they consider very good meat and eat them. I will now light my pipe and have a little meditation for it is Sunday and I have never forgot your lessons for which I ever thank you…"

Fort Mohave, originally named Camp Colorado was established on April 19, 1859 by Lieutenant Colonel William Hoffman during the Mohave War. It was located on the east bank of the Colorado River, at Beale's Crossing by the recommendation of Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale. It was later renamed Fort Mohave nine days later by Captain Lewis A. Armistead. The fort was established to protect emigrants to California traveling through the northern route in the New Mexico Territory on the Beale Wagon Road, and across the Mojave Desert on the old Mojave Road. It was also used as a base of operations against the warring Mohave Indian tribe.

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Realized: $1,500

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Lot 794    

Fort Staunton (Incoming Mail via Butterfield Overland Mail Route), light buff cover bearing 3¢ dull red (26) tied by bold strike of blue "Berlin Md., Aug 25" with manuscript day, addressed to John W. Staton, Fort Staunton, New Mexico, endorsed "Via Butterfields overland mail Route"; reduced slightly at right, Fine, ex-Pearce, Risvold.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $200

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Lots 775-784 Lots 785-794 Lot 795

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