Lot 112

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 112
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4 image_5
Zachary Taylor Successfully Calls for Musicians for the 6th U.S. Infantry, Scattered in Three Forts in Arkansas and Oklahoma
Zachary Taylor Successfully Calls for Musicians for the 6th U.S. Infantry, Scattered in Three Forts in Arkansas and Oklahoma
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4 image_5
Description:

Zachary Taylor Successfully Calls for Musicians for the 6th U.S. Infantry, Scattered in Three Forts in Arkansas and Oklahoma

Weeks before he was ordered to Louisiana in the prelude to the Mexican War, Brevet Brigadier General Zachary Taylor endorsed this letter asking for additional musicians for the U.S. 6th Infantry and forwarded it to the Adjutant General of the U.S. Army Roger Jones (1789-1852).

Colonel Zachary Taylor had commanded a force that included the 6th U.S. Infantry at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee on December 25, 1837, during the Second Seminole War. After the battle, Taylor wrote, "I am not sufficient master of words to express my admiration of the gallantry and steadiness of the officers and soldiers of the Sixth Regiment of Infantry. It was their fortune to bear the brunt of the battle. The report of the killed and wounded, which accompanies this, is more conclusive evidence of their merits than anything I can say." His performance in the battle earned Taylor a promotion to the brevet rank of brigadier general. In May 1841, Taylor was promoted from a position in Louisiana and placed in command of the 2nd Military Department with headquarters at Fort Smith in western Arkansas. In July 1843, Colonel William Davenport transferred regiments with Taylor, through which Davenport returned to command the 1st Infantry, and Taylor became colonel of the 6th Infantry.

In this letter, Lieutenant James Belger, the adjutant at Fort Gibson, 55 miles northwest of Fort Smith in the Cherokee Nation, asked Lieutenant Colonel Gustavus Loomis (1789-1872), in command at Fort Gibson, to appeal to Taylor at Fort Smith for musicians for the regiment. Loomis agreed and forwarded this letter to Taylor who forwarded it to Washington. The War Department issued an order to Colonel James Bankhead (1783-1856), in command at Fort Columbus on Governors Island in New York City, to supply 26 musicians for four infantry regiments, including 6 drummers and 6 fifers for the 6th Infantry.

ZACHARY TAYLOR, Manuscript Endorsement Signed, to Roger Jones, February 24, 1844, Fort Smith, Arkansas, on James Belger, Autograph Letter Signed, to Gustavus Loomis, Fort Gibson, Cherokee Nation [Oklahoma], February 14, 1844. 3 pp., 8" x 10". Expected folds; light soiling on folds; very good.

Complete Transcript
Adjutant's Office, 6th Regt. Infantry,
Fort Gibson, C. N. February 14, 1844.
Colonel,
I have the honor to make to you the following statement respecting the field music of the Regiment:
There are but two drummers and two fifers with the four companies of the Regiment serving at Fort Towson, of whom one drummer and one fifer are young boys, not able to perform their duty, and will not be for some time. There is also one drummer and fifer with the two companies at Fort Smith, and by the 10th of March next, there will be but two fifers and one drummer with the four companies at this Post.
I make this communication to you, with the hope that you will forward it to General Taylor, commanding the Department, and that he, as Colonel of the Regiment, will take measures to have a sufficient number of those musicians, said to be in the Harbour of New York, unattached to Regiments, sent to the Regiment.
The Adjutant General, in a letter addressed to you, as commander of the regiment, dated 28th November, 1842, says, that the drummers required in Companies at that time, would be ordered—but he said it would probably be some time before an opportunity offered for him to send them on. None have been sent as yet, and I would respectfully suggest, for the interest of the regiment, that an application be made by you, through General Taylor, to the Adjutant General to fill the vacancies that are now and may occur in the regiment during the month of March next.
I am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obt Servt
Jas Belger / Adjt 6th Infy
Lieut. Col. G. Loomis
Comdg 6th Regt Infantry, / Fort Gibson, / C. N.

[Endorsement:]
Hd Qrs 6 Inf Fort Gibson / Feby 20, 1844
Respectfully referred to the Comdg Genl Dep. with a request that the Regt may be supplied with Field Music as soon as practicable.
G. Loomis / Lt Col. 6th Inf /comg Regt.

[Endorsement:]
Hd Qrs. 2nd Mil Dep / Fort Smith Feby 24/44
Respy transmitted to the Adjutant General with the hope that early measures may be taken to supply the deficiencies in the Field music of the 6th Infantry.
Z. Taylor, Bt Br Genl, / U.S.A. Comdg

[File Note:]
Ordered by letter to Col. Bankhead of March 19 1844

Historical Background
In the reorganization of the United States Regular Army in 1821, Congress authorized bandsmen attached to regiments to draw the pay and allowances of privates, though officers were required to provide the instruments. The Army Regulations of 1825 provided for a regimental band from a 5 percent tax on sutler sales, and musicians were given a specific place in the regimental order of battle in 1830. Additional regulations in 1832 limited the size of regimental bands to ten musicians with the rank of private and a chief musician. Nine years later, the limit was raised to 12 members for the regimental bands.

Army musicians provided a method for commanders to transmit signals to their troops for specific actions, and they also kept time on marches. During battles, musicians frequently served as stretcher-bearers, field messengers, and water carriers.

In early 1844, the United States Army had 302 musicians. According to a newspaper report, the War Department ordered Colonel James Bankhead, commanding in New York harbor, to detach 13 drummers and 13 fifers and sent them to the New Orleans barracks, from which they would be sent to the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 6th Infantry regiments. The 6th Infantry was to receive 6 drummers and 6 fifers from this group.

Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) was born in Virginia and in 1810 married Margaret Smith, with whom he had six children. In 1808, Taylor joined the army with a commission as a first lieutenant. During the War of 1812, he successfully defended a fort in Indiana Territory from an attack by Native Americans. By 1819, he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel, and he served in the Black Hawk War in Illinois and the Second Seminole War in Florida. His Christmas Day victory at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee in 1837 gained him a promotion to brigadier general. After posts in Florida and Arkansas, Taylor was posted to Louisiana in anticipation of the annexation of Texas. Although Winfield Scott and Edmund P. Gaines were more senior generals, they were closely identified with the Whig Party, and Democratic President James K. Polk selected the apolitical Taylor for the task. Taylor moved his forces to near Corpus Christi, Texas, before advancing to the Rio Grande in March 1846. During the Mexican War, Taylor led his army to victories at the Battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterrey. After many of his troops were transferred to the command of General Winfield Scott, he successfully resisted an attack by the Mexicans at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847. As a career army officer, Taylor had not been involved in politics, but the Whigs nominated him as their presidential candidate in 1848. He defeated Democrat Lewis Cass and Free-Soil candidate Martin Van Buren to win the presidency and took office in March 1849. His brief presidency was marked by preparations for the admission of California as a state, the organization of Utah as a territory, and the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850 with Great Britain to construct a canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Nicaragua. Taylor died suddenly in Washington on July 9, 1850, and Vice President Millard Fillmore became president.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000