Lot 885
Patton, George, Jr. Typed letter signed ("G S Patton Jr.") as General Commanding the Third United States Army, one page, headed "Headquarters / Third United States Army / Office of the Commanding General," April 24, 1945. To Mr. Walter Governor of the Society of Colonial Wars, Boston, regretting that he would not be able to attend the 53rd General Court and Annual Dinner of the Society, to be held at the Harvard Club on May 18th. "…I would enjoy being there, but other dates take over."
Patton had more important matters on his mind. Just nine days earlier, on April 15th, he had visited the Buchenwald concentration camp which had been liberated on April 11th. On the 15th, Patton ordered the residents of the nearby town of Weimar to walk five miles to the camp to view the evidence of Nazi atrocities. That same day, he wrote to General Eisenhower about the camp and said that he had told the press to go look at the camp and write about it. He suggested that Eisenhower send "selected members of the upper strata of the press…so that you can build another page of the necessary evidence of the brutality of the Germans." On April 24, the reporters arrived and were given a tour of the horrors at Buchenwald; and yet, that same day, Patton took the time to sign this polite, mundane letter. Fine.
Estimated Value $700 - 900.
|
| |
| Realized $750 |
