2008-09
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/31/2008
Autograph Letter Signed, “JW Ball” 3p. quarto, Berrito, June 26, 1846, with integral leaf addressed to Jospeh Ball in New York and bearing a Pt. Isabella manuscript postmark, it reads in part: “...this place is a small Spanish town with low mud houses the inhabitanets are lazy and indolent set live and dress a good deal like the Indians...there is encamped here some 8 thousand troops there is a great many sick with teh Bloody Flux being not aclimated to this warm climate and the change of water. We drink of the water of the Rio Grande....the hot sun does not affect me in the least...they tell me that I must have the skull of an African...General Taylor is waiting for more troops...it was Berreto that the Mexicans were makeing as their stonrg hold...12 hundred volunteers were anchored out from Tennessee they continue to come. The General now expects to be under the walls of Montera...I expect taht you will hear of some pretty hard fighting when Montera is taken. That is if we succeed in the attempt. The enemy are mustering from every quarter of their territory and fortifying the city as strong as possible but I think they cannot stand Uncle Sams Artillery when they being to play upon them their Ordinance is pretty good and the worst of it is they use nothing but copper balls which the slightest wound it is almost impossible to cure...direct your letters to the Seat of War. Captain P. Salisbury, Comp B Native American Rangers of the St. Louis Legion...” Fine.
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.