(1885-1945) ‘Old Blood and Guts’ was one of the finest tank commanders in history, rolling his forces through Tunisia, Sicily, France and Germany until halted at the Rhine. Fine content A.L.S. 'George S. Patton, Jr. ' on West Point '1909' letterhead denoting Patton's year of graduation, 4pp. 8vo., West Point, [n.d.], to his sister, Annie Wilson 'Nita' Patton. Very provocative and ribald content for a West Point cadet, reading in part: '...As a nigger would say we had a fine funeral yesterday. Some old fool of a general died and decided to be buried up here so we all went out and formed, and then the corpse failed to come for about an hour, during which time it rained hard. When he did get here there was about a foot of mud on the road through which we swam. I was in the last rank and about fifteen subbies passed me sticking in the mud. (The subbies were in the mud too). We got to the cemetery at last and shot over the grave but the last volley was poor...a week ago at Sunday Parade it was very cold and a lot of girls who had been to the hop were at parade wearing cadet coats. When it was about half over the Com[mandant of Cadets] noticed the coats and sent a soldier, who collected them and carried them to barracks while the cadets cussed to themselves. As soon as the companies were dismissed some fool cadets got a lot more coats and took them out and one of these also expressed his opinion of the Com. in a very loud and foolish way with a result that he was busted and is now in the can. I was fortunate in not knowing anyone so did not feel ashamed. That night a delegation of cadets called on the Com. and asked why he had done it. He said that he believed it his duty but as they were mad he said he would write a letter to every girl himself and explain it...I tried my new suit yesterday and it looks very well but the trousers are very small at the bottom. Is that the style?...' Fine condition. Patton's use of unacceptable racial terms should be of little surprise to those familiar with his personality. During World War I, Nita would be engaged to Gen. John Pershing, but the engagement ended because of their separation during Pershing's time in France.