(Texas) — Texas Naval, Military, and other Financial Documents | Includes signatures of two of the "the Immortal 32" members of the Gonzales Ranging Company

Property from the Texana Collection of Howard Wilcox

(Texas) — Texas Naval, Military, and other Financial Documents

A quartet of four documents pertaining to Texas

Comprising: Jesse McCoy, Almeron Dickinson, and Matthew Caldwell. Partly printed document signed, 2 pages, Gonzales, Texas, 20 September 1834, marginal chips, browned. An indenture document — (Texas Treasury). Partly printed document signed by the Treasurer William B. Dewees and Comptroller Samuel B. Shaw, Austin, 23 April 1841; accomplished in manuscript, docketed on verso. "The last Naval Appropriation being inadequate to satisfy the claims of the Officers, Sailors and Marines of the Texian Navy, the holder of this Certificate, or his Assignee, will be entitled to [$25]. …" — (Texas Treasury). Partly printed document signed by the Treasurer William B. Dewees and Comptroller Samuel B. Shaw, Austin, 23 April 1841; accomplished in manuscript, docketed on verso. "The last Naval Appropriation being inadequate to satisfy the claims of the Officers, Sailors and Marines of the Texian Navy, the holder of this Certificate, or his Assignee, will be entitled to [$25]. … " — [Ben McCulloch.] Manuscript document signed by Captain John C. Hays and M. C. Hamilton, an oblong, Washington, D.C., 13 January 1845; irregular margins. Ben McCulloch received back pay: "I do hereby certify there is two months pay due to Ben McCulloch as Lieut of my Company from 28th Oct[ober] until 28th Dec[ember] 1845. …"

Together four items.

The signatories to, and subjects of, these documents include a number of celebrated Texas patriots. Jesse McCoy and Almeron Dickinson are both members of "the Immortal 32," a relief force of thirty-two Texian Militia from the Gonzales Ranging Company, which was the only unit to answer William Travis's open letter "To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World" and reinforce the Texians under siege at the Alamo. McCoy and Dickinson were killed in action, with all other Alamo defenders, although Dickinson's wife, Susanna, and their infant daughter, Angelina, did survive of the battle.

Matthew Caldwell signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and, because of his recruitment ride ahead of the Battle of Gonzales, is known as the Paul Revere of the Texas Revolution. Benjamin McCulloch fought in the Texas Revolution and afterwards served as a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia, a major in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War, and a brigadier-general in the Confederate States Army. John Coffee Hays was an officer in the Texas Rangers and the army of the Republic of Texas; he was later an early settler in Oakland, California.

PROVENANCE:

"The Texas Independence Collection" (Sotheby's New York, 18 June 2004, lot 49)