Autograph letter signed by Henry Lane Kendrick (1811-1891). Ft. Defiance, New Mexico Territory, 31 January 1857. 4 pages, 8vo, 5 3/4 x 9 in.

A fantastic letter written from the commander of Ft. Defiance in New Mexico Territory, Henry Lane Kendrick (1811-1891). Kendrick graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1835 and immediately became an assistant professor of chemistry, mineralogy, and geology at West Point until 1838, and principal assistant professor until 1847. He was appointed 1st lieutenant of the 2nd Artillery in 1837 and promoted to captain of the 2nd Artillery on 18 June 1846. He served in the Mexican-American War with the 2nd, seeing action in the Siege of Vera Cruz, the Battle of Cerro Gordo, and the Defense of Puebla, where he received a brevet promotion to major for his gallant and meritorious conduct. Following the war, he moved to frontier duty in command of an artillery battalion skirmishing with the Navajo (1849-1851), escorting a topographical survey party (1851-1852), and was placed in command of Fort Defiance from 1852-1857, from where this letter is written.

Here he writes to a fellow West Point alumnus, John Caldwell Tidball (1825-1906), with a discussion of daily life at the fort, proud of the frontier appointments: "Our ice houses - we have two filled. Our theatre is in blast & such a theatre! Our nine pin alley is progressing - the finest in the land; and our guard house is secure. These three elements of modern military suasion - but the greatest of these is the guard house."

He has anxiety, however, over the frontier postal deliveries, and how it may affect his appointments, making a request for subtle investigation from his friend : "Our mail is just in from the livery. Nothing beyond N. Mexico. Whether the Indians, or the storms on the plains, or faithless contractors in Missouri have the mail. It is all the horrible same to us. Congress will have adjourned before we read of its first day session. Truly we are a painfully great people. If the mail has been cut off by Indians, I fear the mail from Santa Fe may have been lost & it, January 1st, Santa Fe had my application in it to Army Headquarters to be ordered in with at least the organization of my company. Can you feel gently, very gently, in order to discover whether it has reached anywhere? Under the supposition that I may go it it will be best not to send me things, of much money value."

The letter then turns to military concerns. The Fort, established on 18 September 1851, was located on valuable grazing land in Navajo territory. The federal government prohibited the Navajo from using the land which resulted in intense fighting. Here Kendrick mentions the death of Henry Lafayette Dodge, an Indian Agent who was reportedly burned to death by Apache, and their plans for retribution: "There is to be a campaign against the Mogollones to avenge [Henry Lafayette] Dodge's death. It commences rolling in April or May. Just now the Navahos are quiet -quien sabe. How long they'll remain so. They have made the huge mistake of ordering away Shepherd's company 2 or 3 months before it was needed for the war. The removal of it last year caused us all our trouble then. My company will have only 30 odd men in it by May. McCall's estimate of force proper for the Navajo country was 4 companies dragoons, 1 artillery, and 1 infantry, in addition, at Cibolleta, carved out of the old Navajo country, was to have one dragoon and one infantry & abiguin, in its northeastern corner was to have 1 infantry company, now less than two companies are expected to keep the peace!!!"

An excellent letter from the New Mexico Territory.

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