ALFRED T. TORBERT Exceedingly rare carte-de-visite photo of Torbert in uniform by Mathew Brady! Autograph Signed Photograph: "Yours truly/A. T. A. Torbert, Brig. Genl: Vols." 2½x4 carte-de-viste with backstamp of Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries, New York & Washington. Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert (1833-1880), an 1855 graduate of West Point, was appointed a First Lieutenant in the Confederate States Army on March 16, 1861, just before the start of the American Civil War, but the Delaware native declined the appointment and remained a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. By August 1862, he was a Brigade Commander of the VI Corps of the Army of the Potomac, and Torbert was promoted to Brigadier General on November 29, 1862. On April 10, 1864, he was given command of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. During Major General Philip Sheridan's Valley Campaigns (1864), Torbert commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Shenandoah. He later commanded the Army of the Shenandoah from April 22, 1865-June 27, 1865.

WILLIAM F. CODY ("BUFFALO BILL") 4x5 photo of Cody, signed and signed on the 7x9 photo mount in 1903 as both W.F. Cody and Buffalo Bill Photograph Mount inscribed and signed: "W.F. Cody/'Buffalo Bill'/To Ormsby Trench/1903". B/w, 7x9 overall, image 3¾x5½ (two surfaces). Photo by Marceau Studios, 258 Fifth Avenue, New York. William Frederick Cody earned the name "Buffalo Bill" for killing thousands of buffalo as a hired hunter in 1867 and 1868. Cody's theatrical career was launched in 1872 with re-enactments of Indian battles. By 1883, he formed his first Wild West spectacle, becoming a master showman. Vintage mount is lightly foxed, soiled and slightly stained with some wear at edges. Photo is lightly soiled and slightly foxed. Signature and inscription in fine condition.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTERHandwritten letter, signed in the text as "General Custer" (even though he had reverted to his pre-war rank), written in the Dakota Territory two years before his death at the Little Big Horn. Letter includes Custer's stab at poetry. Third Person Autograph Letter, 1 page, 7¾x6¼. Fort Lincoln, D.T. [Dakota Territory], 1874 June 5th. Unknown addressee. In full: "Gen Custers compliments his regrets likewise, in response to your kind invitation. His absence should never create surprise except from his own habitation. This being written his duty might end. With no fear of being called Alfred Tennyson. He simply desires, however to send you, the accompanying leg of venison." George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876) graduated last in his class at West Point in 1858, but promptly redeemed himself through his brave and aggressive cavalry leadership during the Civil War. Earning the confidence of cavalry commanders Pleasanton and Sheridan, he rose swiftly to the rank of brevet major general by war's end.

JEB STEWART Note handwritten as a lieutenant in the US Army, on duty at Fort Riley, Kansas Territory, signed in the text and accompanied by the original $3 bank note Stewart enclosed with it. Third Person Autograph Note, 1 page, 8x5. In full: "Be sure to direct $6 Lieut. J. E. B. Stuart Fort Riley K. T. P. S. I enclose also $3 more for which please send the Congressional Globe & appendix t P. L. Taylor, Fort Riley K. T. [Kansas Territory]." Accompanied by the $3 demand note, issued by the Phoenix Bank of Hartford, which Stewart forwarded with this letter.James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart (1833-1864), called Jeb by his friends and by history, graduated from West Point in 1854, serving on the Western frontier. He participated in the capture of John Brown at Harper's Ferry. When he signed this note, Stewart was serving as Quartermaster of the 1st Cavalry, stationed at Fort Riley in the Kansas Territory. "Bleeding Kansas" was aflame with pro- and anti-slavery forces, seeking to determine by which system the Territory would enter the Union.

J. E. B. "JEB" STUARTDemanding carbines for his men, Stuart writes an insistent letter to Porter Alexander as he readies his cavalry for the first of their many daring raids behind Union lines. Autograph Letter signed: "J. E. B. Stuart", 1 page, 3¾x6. Headquarters, Cavalry Brigade [Army of Northern Virginia], 1862 May 17. To "Dear Major" [E. Porter Alexander. Chief of Ordnance]. In full: "Have you done anything for that Blakely yet? Please attend to it at once as we are almost in daily use of it. I need carbines of long range, do make an effort to procure me a few hundred or even one or two. The 6th N[orth] C[arolina] vol[unteers] has 10, and other Inf[antr]y reg[imen]ts 20 [more], & various other non-combatants are thoroughly armed & equipped. Eradicate & eliminate for the cavalry." James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart (1833-1864), called Jeb by his friends and by history, graduated from West Point in 1854, serving on the Western frontier. He participated in the capture of John Brown at Harper's Ferry.

WILLIAM F. "BUFFALO BILL" CODY 6¾x9 black and white photograph mount with an exceptional quality image of the western icon, signed "W.F Cody, 'Buffalo Bill'" Inscribed Photograph Mount signed: "W.F Cody,/"Buffalo Bill"/To- W.S. Metz", B/w 6½x8 image, 6¾x9 overall. Photographer imprint at lower mount reading: "Prince/Parisian Panel/31 Union Square. New York/Penna Ave. & 11th St. Washington D.C."William Frederick Cody (1846-1917) earned the name "Buffalo Bill" for killing thousands of buffalo as a hired hunter in 1867 and 1868. Cody had begun his Wild West career herding cattle at age nine. Five years later, he became the Pony Express' youngest rider. Throughout the Civil War, Cody worked as a government scout, extracting from life and the West all it had to offer. His western notoriety grew with his adventures, including those during the Sioux War, in which he purportedly fought a duel with Chief Yellow Hand. Cody's theatrical career was launched that same year with his re-enactments of such Indian battles.

THE FORMER UNION OFFICER IS SUPPORTED BY CONFEDERATE OFFICERS AS HE FIGHTS TO CLEAR HIS NAME   FITZ JOHN PORTER. ALS: "F.J. Porter", 4p, 5x7¾. New York, 1882 January 24. To Colonel Charles Marshall, Baltimore, Maryland. Begins: "My dear Colonel". In full: "I Thank you warmly for your full reply to my letter - I knew or believed that no written messages had passed between Longstreet & Gen Lee to the effect I wrote you - but Longstreet had testified to that effect before the Board. had written it years before. and Col. W.M Owens of New Orleans. had without confering (sic) with Longstreet. stated he heard Gen Lee about 1. PM. tell Longstreet to advance. & Longstreets reply that he wanted to hear from Stuart of the force coming up on this right - and So I took it for granted it was so. I am glad to have the details you give. That Genl Lee had a contempt for Genl Pope and justly I never doubted. He knew Pope. I don't think that any grounds could have induced him to make the moves he did.

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, JR.The jurist handwrote, signed, and dated this letter in 1898, shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, to longtime correspondent Lady Castletown Autograph letter signed "OWH" as Justice of the Massachusetts State Supreme Court. 4 pages, 15½x9¾, framed in Gallery of History style to 39½x21½. Boston, Massachusetts, June 1, 1898. In the letter, he writes about his fear - common at the time - that the Spanish fleet would shell Boston and his doubts about how Secretary of the Navy John Long would perform in the upcoming war. He also writes about Karl Marx: "With some misgivings, I am inclined to believe K. Marx a great man". On letterhead of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to Lady Castletown. Begins: "Dear Hibernia". In full: "I received yesterday a dear irritable letter from you on your return from your Expedition which only worried me because you say you are not well. Be quick to tell me that you are all right again.

WILLIAM F. CODY The famous Wild West showman pens a hopeful letter to his friend, stating "New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season." The letter was written during the downfall of Cody's show empire due to outside expenses draining the immense profits from his show Autograph letter signed: "Col.", 1 page, 8½x11 framed to an overall size of 25½x18½. Buffalo Bill's Wild West combined with Pawnee Bill's Great Far East. May 29, 1911. Portsmouth, [New Hampshire]. In full: "Dear Mayor Glad Light, Your letter which found me is fine health. We had two bad towns last week. Fitchburg & Newburyport. No one ever done business in either. The week hurt us at least $2000 in Lowell-sent your bank 5100 today to take up one of my notes. Been getting good deposits from the mines. Been getting in shape [illegible] or any one. I believe I'll walk a sale of the [illegible]. Note if good are doing. [illegible]. While I telegraph you for now we are all OK here-now. And barring accident we will be OK. New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season.

JAMES A. GARFIELD Garfield, as President, signed the day before his 1881 assassination Right portion of a blank check signed: "J.A. Garfield", 4½x2¾. Washington, D.C., 188_.Riggs & Co. check most probably signed as President. Left edge ragged. Horizontal fold crease above signature. Otherwise, fine condition. Accompanied by: a handwritten note of provenance by S. W. Cowles, which reads, "This check was signed by Genl. Garfield at the White House in Washington, D.C. July 1st/81, the day before his assassination. It was present [sic] to me by Mrs. Lucretia R. Garfield at Mentor, Ohio, Oct. 1881." Lightly toned and soiled. Otherwise, fine condition. The fact that this check is neither filled out nor dated, coupled with the fact that we have had completed checks of the same type filled out by another and signed by Garfield, indicates that President Garfield signed blank checks that were later to be filled out. This check was probably torn in half after he died to protect it from being used by an unauthorized party or, more likely, to be given by Mrs. Garfield to admirers of her late husband requesting his autograph.