John M. Schofield ALS As 21-Year-Old Recent West Point Graduate! -

Schofield John

John M. Schofield ALS as 21-year-old Recent West Point Graduate

 

1p ALS inscribed overall and signed by future Civil War commander John M. Schofield (1831-1906) as "John M. Schofield, Bvt. 2^d Lieut., 2^d Artillery, U.S. Army" at bottom right. Written in Freeport, Illinois on July 23, 1853. The blue-lined pale blue paper is in near fine condition, with expected folds. Measures 7.75" x 9.75".

 

Recent West Point graduate John M. Schofield wrote Colonel Samuel Cooper (1798-1876) accepting his appointment of Brevet Second Lieutenant in the Second Regiment of Artillery in the United States Army:

 

"Sir:

 

I have the honor to communicate to the War department my acceptance…

 

I herewith enclose my oath of allegiance.

 

My age is 21 years + 10 months. My residence when appointed was Freeport Stevenson Co. Ill. I was born in State of New York.

 

I am, Sir:

Very Respectfully

Your Most Ob^t Sevt

John M. Schofield

Bvt. 2^d Lieut.

2^d Artillery

U.S. Army."

 

Schofield later recalled in his memoirs, Forty-Six Years in the Army (New York: The Century Co., 1897), that recent West Point graduates had a bad reputation: "An old army colonel many years ago described a West Point graduate, when he first reported for duty after graduating leave, as a very young officer with a full supply of self-esteem, a four-story leather trunk filled with good clothes, and an empty pocket. To that must be added, in my case, a debt equal to the full value of the trunk and clothes and a hundred dollars borrowed money." (16)

 

It had looked grim for Schofield just months earlier, when he was dismissed from West Point for misconduct. Schofield had received his West Point appointment in 1849. During his last year of study, Schofield served as an arithmetic instructor at the Academy. He was giving special attention to remedial students when other pupils misbehaved; he mysteriously described their actions as "deviltry." Schofield was reprimanded for his lack of control of the classroom and summarily expelled. Only after the intervention of Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas was Schofield allowed to return. Schofield eventually graduated 7th in his class in 1853.

 

John M. Schofield became a career soldier and forged a solid military record during the Civil War. Schofield first fought Confederate guerillas in Missouri, and then participated in eastern campaigns. While Major General, Scofield commanded the Army of the Ohio, a support army of Sherman's. Schofield's forces participated at the Battle of Franklin, the Battle of Wilmington, and the Battle of Wyse Fork among others. Later, Schofield served as the 28th U.S. Secretary of War under the Grant and Johnson administrations. Schofield's promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General in 1895 acknowledged his lifetime contribution to the U.S. Army.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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