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Nathan Kimball

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Nathan Kimball

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Auction Date:2018 Jul 11 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Military officer (1822–1898) who distinguished himself at the Battle of Buena Vista and served as a Union general in the Civil War. ALS, three pages on two adjoining sheets, 7.5 x 12.5, August 17, 1848. Letter to General Zachary Taylor concerning the Battle of Buena Vista. In part: “You will pardon the liberty I take in addressing you this, asking of you an answer in regard to a subject which you have already been troubled considerably about and which you have already answered satisfactorily to most whigs—to wit. The incorrectness of your report in relation to the conduct of the 2d Ind. Regiment in the great battle of Buena Vista…

You are aware that the leaders of the Cass party in Indiana are endeavouring to injure your prospects in the state by Charging you with having slandered the 2d Regt of Indiana and Vol. (Col Bowles) in your report…

Now General I am an humble one—a supporter of the ‘Taylor & Fillmore’ ticket. I am an Indianan & I was in the Battle of Buena Vista & a member of the 2d Ind Regt. I had the honor to command a company—being its Capt and I know the conduct of the regiment during that day…I am anxious to know whether or not you have officially received the supplemental report of General Lane…in the Cause of Lane & Bowles & also whether or not one or both of those documents don’t furnish sufficient evidence of the gallant bearing & good conduct of the 2d Ind Regt. to cause you to make a supplemental or a corrective report to the Detailed report made by you in regard to that regt. in the battle of Buena Vista.

The Leaders of the Cass party are denouncing you on that account. They denounce & stigmatize all of us who support you—as cowards & slanderers—As I was in that battle and knew the conduct of that regt—& the causes that produced the misfortunes of our regt—and the cause of your making your detailed as you did—I have been called upon to take the stump by your friends & by my own desire to see your cause successful & the truth to triumph by lending my feeble aid—this I have done, but I have been assailed on all hands, by the papers and stump orators of the opposition. I have told the people that you were not to blame—that your report was made up from the reports of your subordinates…They say in answer that—now having all the proper & sufficient datta to go upon you refuse to correct…they say—you refuse to do Justice to Indianians who fought bravely at Buena Vista—because you don’t correct your detailed report of that glorious battle & they say you have the proper & sufficient official datta to enable you to correct that report.

General—you can immagine our feelings here when we hear all this—having been under you—having served under you in that battle & venerating you as I do—it goes hard to hear this, and I wish you to condescend to answer this that I may meet your enemies—& the enemies of my state—these barely fawning sycophants—I know that you are willing to do Justice to my brave associates in arms of the 2d Regt. Ind. Volunteers & that you will do it in an individual capacity in answering this—& officially if you have the proper official datta to go upon—I enclose a paper notice…one of my efforts in your behalf, and I do hope that…you will grant me an answer, for by it we will be able to defend you and ourselves.” Docketed in Taylor’s hand, “To be attended to Baton Rouge, from Indiana Troops.” In very good condition, with creasing, splits along folds, and seal-related paper loss.

Taylor had emerged from the Mexican-American War as a national hero and reluctantly accepted the Whig Party’s invitation to lead their ticket in the 1848 presidential election. His campaign in Indiana became contentious over past statements condemning the Second Indiana’s retreat during the Battle of Buena Vista, giving the entire state a national reputation for military cowardice that continued until the Civil War. Democratic candidate Lewis Cass played upon the public’s anger over Taylor’s insult as a campaign tactic for success, defeating him in Indiana by a margin of just three percent. Nevertheless, Taylor won the election as broad appeal drew votes from across the political spectrum. Featuring desirable military and political content, this lengthy letter offers great insight into the hotly contested 1848 electoral campaign.