Boys, I'm fooling with a new camera today and ran across this (these) War Department letterhead correspondence from a Captain H. W. Hogate, War Department, Office of the signal corps in Washington D.C.. It was written by Capt. Howgate, Novement 1871 and received by Sgt. Hugh Coyle, in Shreveport, La. on Dec. 5, 1871. Things haven't changed much in the snail mail department.

Apprently Sgt. Coyle was to set up and monitor a watermark reporting station, in Shreveport, La., on the Red River. From some of these letters Capt. Howgate did not particuraly approve of Coyles methods.

Just playin around and found it worthy of post. Will try outside tomorrow for better lighting. Raining here today.

Attached Images

	D50 1871 War Department Correspondence 001.jpg (40.2 KB, 147 views)
	D50 1871 War Department Correspondence 002.jpg (55.7 KB, 110 views)
	D50 1871 War Department Correspondence 003.jpg (51.2 KB, 86 views)
	D50 1871 War Department Correspondence 004.jpg (45.1 KB, 76 views)

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Bill
Dis B. Leaf

Raining? What is rain? Seriously, I am amazed at the remarkable, legible penmanship of the writer, or perhaps I should not be. Penmanship used to be taught in school. And this is only a simple letter, not a peace treaty or other formal document of importance. Thanks for posting this.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. Perhaps you should ask what was Jesse James doing on this date? Or U.S. Grant...

What was I doing on 5 December, 1871? Let's see...

Oh, yes, I remember. I was babysitting my grandchildren.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Very cool. I like reading old documents like that.

Penmanship was very impressive and BIG.

I was laying, face down, in a very fashionable gutter. It seemed humid at the time, but only from the waist down. I remember the policeman, softly singing Christmas carols, laced with profanities. I tried to offer him some sort of gratuity, but he would have nothing to do with it. He spoke of my heritage, and offered me advice about where to go, but in the end, he summoned a wagon for me, and put me up in a warm room with other hapless gentlemen, down on their luck. I love coppers. Indeed I do.

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Why, I aughta.....

That was a memo about TPS reports, 1871 style.

Lets see here. On Dec 5, 1871 I was still thinking about the babe I saw at the nudie bar the night before.

Bowling.........with enemy heads.............

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I Love This Site

I THINK I WAS SWIMMING IN MY GREAT GREAT GRANDDADDYS swimming pool

I stand on my fifth amendment right and respectfully refuse to answer the question.

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Quando omni flunkus moritati.

What was I doing on Dec 5,1871?

I was driving down the Merrit Parkway in my 32 Chevy it was raining cats and dogs or was it dogs and cats I'm not sure it was pouring rain.

My the apologies to the OP. I seem to have inadvertently started an "I'm so old that..." contest. Mea culpa.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I think I was a twinkle in my great grandfathers eye. He and fathered 23 children one of whom was my paternal grandfather and one of 5 sets of twins.

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Real men love cats!

Not 100% sure what I did on Dec. 5, 1871 but the handwriting is truly impressive. Wonder how long it took back then to finish just one page. And, if they had a misspell, did they just cross it out and initial it or did they completely start over? Anyway, nice find!

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Jorge

When reading old letters or documents or journals I am always impressed with the penmanship,grammar and eloquent language.And this was in the days of 1 room school houses,and limited time of education.Compare this today with 18 years in schools equipped with a computer for each child by third grade,projection and sound systems,and thousands spent to teach and FEED children and counsellors to make them feel good about themselves,Gold Stars for each and no embarrassing grades.And what do we end up with ?..kids with big egos that can't write a legible paper or count change out at checkout counters without the aid of a calculator.The liberal eggs laid in the 1960's are the chickens coming home to roost.

Well as far as the op's question as to what I was doing in 1871----nuthin I reckon.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

Well, Lets see. My grandfather Frank Mechlin Rumbaugh still has 3 1/2 years to wait to born on a farm near Greensburg, Pa.Outside of that I think the NRA came into existance that year.