GENERAL COURTNEY H. HODGES Photograph signed in 1946 by the Commanding Army General that was first to enter Paris in World War II! Autographed Photograph Signed: " Courtney H. Hodges/Gen. U.S. Army/Dec. 1, 1946.", 8x10. Reverse bears a Signal Corps credit stamp. Hodges (1887-1966) was the Commanding General of the Third U.S. Army from February 16, 1943 to January 25, 1944, when he turned it over to Lieutenant General Patton. First Army soldiers commanded by Hodges were the first Americans to enter Paris on their way across Northern France and through the Ardennes Forest. They were also the first to cross the Siegfried Line into Germany in September 1944 and reach the Rhine in March 1945. Minor surface creasing and slightly creased and worn at corners and edges. Ink stamps and notes (unknown hand) on verso. Fine condition. Accompanied by PSA/DNA LOA.

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.

JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN He signs a handwritten letter in 1871 responding to a bill for nautical equipment, complaining that some of it was faulty. ALS: "J L. Chamberlain", 2 pages, 5x8. Brunswick, Maine, 1871 September 23. To C.S. Donnelly, Esq. In part: "Your bill is received as requested, & is I believe correct. I don't know anything about the Notch Boom but suppose Capt. Stover got it. It never came to my yacht, but if it was got for me, I will be accountable for it…Also I may mention that I found the pump, when I came to set it, in two pieces, never having been properly soldered or brazed. & I had to pay $1.00 to have it done…But the pump was an imperfect one, & I would have returned it if I could have done so. Please inform me if I am at liberty to make deduction accordingly…." Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914) commanded the 20th Maine in its famous defense of Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Chamberlain was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for this action.

FITZ JOHN PORTER Court-martialed after Second Bull Run, the Union officer defends his actions to Robert E. Lee's biographer and tells of his long friendship with the Confederate General. Important ALS: "F.J. Porter", 3¼ p, New York, 1870 January 22. To General Robert E. Lee's former Aide-de-Camp, Colonel Charles Marshall, who at the time was in the midst of writing an autobiography of his experiences with the General: An Aide-De-Camp of Lee, Being The Papers of Colonel Charles Marshall. Marshall corresponded with many of Lee's subordinates in an effort to collect their correspondences with Lee for reference and publication in the book. Porter had known Lee since his boyhood and was "close to him" in the Mexican War and "at West Point, where for a time I [Porter] was his adjt".General Lee died just nine months after this letter. Porter writes, in full: "I have yours- and thank you. The opinions quoted in my 'data' are all from original letters - I had Genl Lee's written permission to use his letters, whenever I deemed it necessary - I withheld on account of delicacy to him, and to prevent his name, during life, being banded about by Radical hounds.

THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY: KING GEORGE VI, QUEEN ELIZABETH, ELIZABETH II, and MARGARET All four members of the family signed this album cover specially made for recordings that commemorated Elizabeth II's 16th birthday Album Cover Signed: "George R.I.", "Elizabeth R.", "Elizabeth", and "Margaret". A rare set of six BBC records, pressed after a Royal Command Performance of the radio show It's That Man Again (1939-1949). The show was the first Royal Command Performance of a radio show ever. The show was done on April 21, 1942, the day of Elizabeth II's 16th birthday. The signed album was given to star of the show Tommy Handley after the performance at Windsor Castle, the two princesses' home for five years during WWII. It's That Man Again satirized the rule of Adolf Hitler and boosted morale of the British home front during the war. A Royal Command Performance is when the reigning monarch specifically requests a show. Before this instance, it was typically theatrical or orchestral in medium. Includes six records that are of the performance on that date. Album cover toned and lightly worn.

WILLIAM F. 'BUFFALO BILL' CODY The man known for his showmanship and scouting skills signed this handwritten letter concerning his financial issues. Various close associates liquidate Cody's assets so that he can pay his creditors. Autograph Letter Signed: "W. C. Cody" one page both sides, 8.5 x 11, Chicago Shan-Kive and Round-Up letterhead. Dated September 18, 1916. Letter to his attorney Henry Hersey regarding his grim financial situation. In Part: “They can explain this situation to you better than I care for they have not kept me well footed. But if you do not hear from them, I'll write you all I know. First Link got judgement for about $11,800. And sold the Irma hotel and four lots and bid it in him self. I have until Jan. 15th 1917. In which to reclaim the property. There separately he sold the fixtures, paintings, etc - I furnished the money and had W.L. Walls bid them in for me. Then Link advertised and sold a hotel of mine called Pahaska Tepee. I furnished the money and had Walls bid that in for me.

GENERAL GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER 3-page text, unsigned but entirely in his hand, explaining the rules of croquet. While it is extremely unusual to find Custer writing on a sport not directly related to his military duties, Custer, his wife Libbie, and his soldiers did entertain themselves with croquet and similar sports in idle times at their military posts. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, 3 pages, 7½x9½. No place, no date. In full: I. In commencing to play, each player, in their proper turn, places their ball at a distance from the starting post equal to twice the length of their mallet. II. The order of the wickets is as follows. Leaving the starting post players will take the 1st wicket, then the middle wicket from left to right, then the three wickets on the right of the table in their proper order. Then the middle wicket from right to left, then the wicket nearest to the turning post. Then the turning post, then the wicket nearest the turning post. Then the middle wicket from right to left. Then the three wickets in left side of table in their proper order. Then the middle wicket from left to right, then the wicket nearest starting post. III.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT As Governor of New York, he used this red, silver-tipped pen to sign a railroad bill creating the Board of Transit Control in 1931 Document Signed: "Franklin D Roosevelt", 1 page, 9x14½. Albany, New York. April 27, 1931.Certificate authenticating that FDR used the attached pen to sign Senate Bill 12, the railroad unification bill. In full: "THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the pen hereunto affixed was used by me in signing Senate Bill Introductory Number 12, Printed Number 2455, entitled: 'AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to the plan of readjustment provided for in article seven thereof, to authorize the creation of the board of transit control and subsidiary corporations, to prescribe its and their duties and powers, to exempt its and their properties, income and securities from taxation and to make such securities legal investments, and to authorize the acquisition and operation of railroads and other transportation facilities, and otherwise.' and which became a law by my signature April 23, 1931, being Chapter 689 of the Laws of 1931.

JEFFERSON DAVIS, JOHN H. WINDER and THOMAS J. GREEN Davis signs an autograph endorsement forwarding to Confederate Secretary of War Benjamin a handwritten letter from Green, a former general in the army of independent Texas, warning that Confederate soldiers were carrying CSA weapons home with them. General Winder adds a handwritten note to the same document, ordering that guards be posted at depot and they confiscate these weapons. Civil War-date Autograph Endorsement signed: "Sec of War attention./J D", as President of the Confederate States of America in pencil in upper blank margin of letter to him. THOMAS J. GREEN. ALS: "Thos J Green", 1p, 7¼x9¼. Esmeralda near Warrenton North Carolina, 1862 March 17.To"HIS EXCL./JEFFERSON DAVIS/PRES. C.S.A.". In full, original spelling: "I feel it my duty to call your attention to what I believe is highly detrimental to the public service. From what I have

FRANK JAMES From Gallatin, Missouri, while awaiting trial for murder and armed robbery, James handwrote this remarkable and very affectionate 20-page letter to his wife, even quoting Shakespeare. This rich content letter includes references to some of James' friends and former partners Ebenezer Magoffin, and Bill and Frank Gregg. Curiously, James signs with the alias he used as an outlaw, "Ben". Autograph Letter signed: "Your true husband/Ben", 20 pages, 5x8. Castle St James [Gallatin, Missouri], July, circa 1883. A loving letter from Frank James to his wife, on his affection for her and recent happenings. In full: "My dear wife: Do you know your letter of last Sunday was the most interesting communication I have had from you since you left me. I think you are awakening to the fact that I love you much more than a "little bit" as you express it. Let me whisper to you right now that I feel a hundred times better since you have written as you have. How kind and good you can be when you want to. I have felt very much like spanking you several times of late, when you would say for instance "I sometimes believe you do love me a little bit".

ANDREW JACKSON His Presidential signature (bold and 6 inches long) on an 1836 patent for an improved machine to make ship's thimbles, also signed by Secretary of State Forsyth and Attorney General Butler, 11½x15½, framed with a portrait and biographic plaque to 29x25. Accompanied by a 3-page handwritten description of the device by the inventor, Prentice White. Patent signed: "Andrew Jackson" as President, "John Forsyth" as Secretary of State, "B. F. Butler" as Attorney General, 1 page, 11½x15½. Washington, D.C., 1836 July 1. Patent issued to Prentice White for [in part] "a new and useful improvement in the Machine for making Ship's Thimbles which improvements he states has not been known or used before his application; [White] hath made oath that he does verily believe that he is the true inventor or discoverer of the said improvement; hath paid into the treasury of the United States the sum of thirty dollars." Archivally double matted and framed with a seated portrait and a biographical plaque, to an overall size of 29.5 x 25.25.