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THBSamuel Colt, Important Correspondence with Lieutenant Colonel W.S. Harney Regarding Colt's First Sales to the US Army, 1837
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About Auction
LiveFeb 21, 2017 - Feb 22, 2017
Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
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- Lot Description
Lot of 2, including the first draft of a letter written by Samuel Colt to Lieutenant Colonel W.S. Harney, US 2nd Dragoons, and a copy of Harney's response, also in Colt's hand. First is 2.5 pp, dated at Washington, January 20, 1837, addressed to Harney, written entirely in Colt's hand with many strikethroughs and corrections, signed by Colt and retained by him as a copy with the note Corrected and Sent. Colt writes to Harney, who had just returned to Washington from commanding forces in Florida in battles now known as the Second Seminole War, to determine how his repeating rifles were received by the soldiers. Harney's unit had received 50 of the rifles Colt sold to the government -- part of the first sale in the history of Colt Arms. Colt writes that he has heard conflicting rumors about his guns, with some saying they are highly disliked and easily broken and some saying that soldiers...had become so attached to [his] arms [they] have been induced to relist for the hard service of Florida on condition they be permitted to use one of [his] rifles. Colt believes many of the negative rumors are being spread by his competitors and wants to hear directly from a commander in the field.
Harney's response, 1 p, dated at Washington, February 3, 1837, copied in Colt's hand, succinctly affirms Colt's hopes: In answer to the many inquiries respecting the arms of your invention which I have had in my possession about one year, I take pleasure in stating that during that time they have seen much hard service in Florida and in every respect they have surpassed my expectations -- But two out of the fifty are now unserviceable and they only temporarily so. I am fully convinced that within ten years from this time no other arms than those of your invention will be used.
Provenance: Property of Another Owner - Shipping Info
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