Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
However I cannot find a General Beatty Siglar any place on the internet. I was unable to find a complete list of all US generals from this time period. I am sure he wasn't a 3, 4 or 5 star general but could he have been a lower rank? Can anybody venture a guess at what the second line spells? Any help would be appreciated.
Login to Like
this post
The letter appears to be addressed to "Elie Beatty, Hagerstown Bank, Maryland." Beatty was the cashier and (later) president of the Hagerstown Bank from 1807 until just weeks before his death in 1859. His correspondence is very prolific, as he sent and received numerous letters each day with bankers in the area for more than fifty years. Because Beatty died in 1859, he could not have fought in the Civil War.
Here is a link to some of his papers housed at the University of Maryland archives, along with a biography of Beatty:
http://digital.lib.umd.edu/archivesum/actions.DisplayEADDoc.do;jsessionid=03F3BD2E3F1BF549CC13B0292493A62D?source=MdU.ead.histms.0171.xml&style=ead
A similar letter was posted on our discussion board last year. Here is the link to the posts:
http://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=5281#30441
Best,
Frank
Login to Like
this post
09:42:18pm
If I remember things accurately between 1842 and 1859 there were several minor wars with Mexico involving Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, plus a couple with some Central or South American countries.
The various Indian wars ran on and on for fifty years including some that involved that time frame.
Login to Like
this post
yes, looks like Hagerstown Bank on second line and Hagerstown M..d. The Hagerstown in the third line is via the ditto notation.
There were lots of Generals in the Civil War; lots of brigades, divisions, corps, and armies that each at least started with a general in command. Unlike today, where generals typically command from the rear, in the Civil War, effective generals led from the front or middle.
I think Frank's suppositions make sense here, although I would love to make out the word following "Beatty"
David
Login to Like
this post
I should have included that a high mortality rate among generals was BECAUSE they tended to lead as well as command
Login to Like
this post
08:05:39pm
Brigadier Generals led Brigades, about the largest number of men one person can control from the front line. If one lived long enough and survived some flesh wounds a promotion was in order.
Login to Like
this post
I think Franks assessment is correct and is supported by the writting on the inside of the cover "Bank of Metropolis". The word after Beatty is still a mystery perhaps it is supposed to be Esquire or Squire? 
As much as I would like to double my money I think I will settle for the satisfaction of Eva being wrong for the first time. I am going back next weekend to see what else she has pulled out of her barns and basements. I did score a nice book on the Columbian Exposition.
Login to Like
this post
Nice piece
Bank of Metropolis
Nov 16 1842
Elie Beatty Esq
Cashier
Dear Sir or Madam: above I hand for collection M. A. Tidball in Price & Johnson
50-
Very resp. yours,
W.D. Merrick Cashier
Login to Like
this post
Uhmmmm there's modern technology for you. I wrote Dear Sir. My MS Word doc decided it should read Dear Sir or Madam. Whew. It reminds me of the new delightful search engines that change what you type in the field for your search terms and not looking up like me who types with a few fingers when you do look up you find a completely different search than the one you intended.
Login to Like
this post
On the cover it reads
Elie Beatty, Esq. Cash.
Hagerstown Bank
Hagerstown (implied by ditto)
Mary'd
Login to Like
this post
Thank you John you have been a big help again!
Login to Like
this post
You're very welcome Mike. Paleography is one of my specialties. On the transcriptions on the inside sheet letter it should read Bank of the Metropolis, and the abbreviation for cashier on the cover is simply Cas.
John
Login to Like
this post
I purchased this cover today in Allen Michigan which touts itself as the antiques capital of the world. Eva who is 91 owns the rare book and manuscript store and she is a very shrewd negotiator. We finally settled on a price for this cover which was more then I wanted to pay for it. In return she agreed that if it isn't addressed to a genuine US general I could return it for 2X store credit. I have known Eva for over 40 years and in 40 years she has never been wrong.
However I cannot find a General Beatty Siglar any place on the internet. I was unable to find a complete list of all US generals from this time period. I am sure he wasn't a 3, 4 or 5 star general but could he have been a lower rank? Can anybody venture a guess at what the second line spells? Any help would be appreciated.
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
The letter appears to be addressed to "Elie Beatty, Hagerstown Bank, Maryland." Beatty was the cashier and (later) president of the Hagerstown Bank from 1807 until just weeks before his death in 1859. His correspondence is very prolific, as he sent and received numerous letters each day with bankers in the area for more than fifty years. Because Beatty died in 1859, he could not have fought in the Civil War.
Here is a link to some of his papers housed at the University of Maryland archives, along with a biography of Beatty:
http://digital.lib.umd.edu/archivesum/actions.DisplayEADDoc.do;jsessionid=03F3BD2E3F1BF549CC13B0292493A62D?source=MdU.ead.histms.0171.xml&style=ead
A similar letter was posted on our discussion board last year. Here is the link to the posts:
http://stamporama.com/discboard/disc_main.php?action=20&id=5281#30441
Best,
Frank
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
21 Oct 2012
09:42:18pm
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
If I remember things accurately between 1842 and 1859 there were several minor wars with Mexico involving Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, plus a couple with some Central or South American countries.
The various Indian wars ran on and on for fifty years including some that involved that time frame.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
yes, looks like Hagerstown Bank on second line and Hagerstown M..d. The Hagerstown in the third line is via the ditto notation.
There were lots of Generals in the Civil War; lots of brigades, divisions, corps, and armies that each at least started with a general in command. Unlike today, where generals typically command from the rear, in the Civil War, effective generals led from the front or middle.
I think Frank's suppositions make sense here, although I would love to make out the word following "Beatty"
David
Login to Like
this post
Auctions
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
I should have included that a high mortality rate among generals was BECAUSE they tended to lead as well as command
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
22 Oct 2012
08:05:39pm
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
Brigadier Generals led Brigades, about the largest number of men one person can control from the front line. If one lived long enough and survived some flesh wounds a promotion was in order.
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
I think Franks assessment is correct and is supported by the writting on the inside of the cover "Bank of Metropolis". The word after Beatty is still a mystery perhaps it is supposed to be Esquire or Squire?
As much as I would like to double my money I think I will settle for the satisfaction of Eva being wrong for the first time. I am going back next weekend to see what else she has pulled out of her barns and basements. I did score a nice book on the Columbian Exposition.
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
Nice piece
Bank of Metropolis
Nov 16 1842
Elie Beatty Esq
Cashier
Dear Sir or Madam: above I hand for collection M. A. Tidball in Price & Johnson
50-
Very resp. yours,
W.D. Merrick Cashier
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
Uhmmmm there's modern technology for you. I wrote Dear Sir. My MS Word doc decided it should read Dear Sir or Madam. Whew. It reminds me of the new delightful search engines that change what you type in the field for your search terms and not looking up like me who types with a few fingers when you do look up you find a completely different search than the one you intended.
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
On the cover it reads
Elie Beatty, Esq. Cash.
Hagerstown Bank
Hagerstown (implied by ditto)
Mary'd
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
Thank you John you have been a big help again!
Login to Like
this post
re: 1842 Stampless Cover Mystery
You're very welcome Mike. Paleography is one of my specialties. On the transcriptions on the inside sheet letter it should read Bank of the Metropolis, and the abbreviation for cashier on the cover is simply Cas.
John
Login to Like
this post