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Late 19th Century Annual Reports of the Army by Thomas Ruger

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:225.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 500.00 USD
Late 19th Century Annual Reports of the Army by Thomas Ruger

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Auction Date:2009 Jun 24 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Location:6270 Este Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45232, United States
lot of 5. Includes four authored by Ruger as Commander: Annual Report, Headquarters Department of Dakota for 1887; Annual Report, Headquarters Department of California, for 1894; and 2 copies of Annual Report, Department of the East for 1896. Also included is anonymous Account of the Operations and Capture of Valparaiso, From August 20th to August 29th, 1891. All are 12mo in printed paper wraps. The annual reports are series of short reports by various departments such as registers of troops, listings of sharpshooters, inspector general's report, commissary reports, and much more, in line with the military attention to detail.

The account of Valparaiso is reported to be from authentic sources. The August fighting was the culmination of a couple years of friction between the Chilean Congress and President Balmaceda. The navy supported the Congress, the army remained loyal to the President. The United States was not directly involved, though clearly monitoring the situation. And the "Itata Incident" contributed to Benjamin Harrison's defeat for a second term.

The Itata had been commissioned by the Chilean rebels to deliver an arms shipment. The U.S. would not let the ship leave San Diego, but she slipped out of port anyway. The U.S. then sent the San Francisco and Baltimore to intercept her and return her to San Diego. They did not catch up until reaching Chile in October. The Itata was turned around to return to the U.S., but the crew of the Baltimore took shore leave at Valparaiso, where enraged Chileans attacked sailors, killing two and wounding several more. There were several years of international legal wrangling over whether the Itata had been illegally detained (if her shipment was private property) or whether the arms had been illegally acquired. 

Descended directly in the family of General Thomas H. Ruger

Condition: Expected toning and scuffing of wraps. The Annual Reports hardly appear to have been opened (possibly because they are from the author's library - he knew what they said).