Description:

President Benjamin Harrison Signed Appointment for Lawrence S. Babbitt

1p of vellum, measuring 15.25" x 19.25", Washington, D.C., dated December 27, 1890. A military appointment signed "Benjamin Harrison" as President and countersigned by Redfield Proctor, Secretary of War, and John K. Kelton, Adjutant General of the U.S. Army. The document appoints "Lawrence S. Babbitt…Lieutenant Colonel in the Ordnance Department." With military and patriotic motifs at the top and bottom margins. Blue paper seal adhered to the lower-left corner. With flattened folds, along with minor edge toning and soiling. There is a small area of dampstaining at the lower-left corner. Boldly signed by all.

Colonel Lawrence Sprague Babbitt (1839-1905) came from an impressive military lineage; he was the son of Brevet Brigadier General Edwin Burr Babbitt, who served in the Mexican and Civil War and was responsible for the repair of the Alamo chapel and barracks; grandson of Surgeon Lawrence Sprague who served in the War of 1812; and the great-grandson of Major E.B. Babbitt who commanded troops at the Siege of Louisbourg. After graduating from West Point in 1861, he enlisted as a 2nd lieutenant and was commissioned into the 3rd US Light Artillery. He quickly earned a promotion to 1st lieutenant by brevet the next month for service in the Manassas Campaign and at the Battle of Bull Run. In October, he transferred to the US Army Ordnance Department and worked as an assistant ordnance officer at several forts including the Ordnance Depot at Yorktown during the siege and the Washington Arsenal.

After the war, he headed out west and earned a promotion as major for meritorious services fighting against the Nez Perce and Paiute Indians. He commanded Ft. Monroe Arsenal, VA until 1887 when he was made Chief of Ordnance at the Department of Texas and was given control of the San Antonio Arsenal. With his promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1890, he took command of the US Arsenal in Benicia, CA, and remained there until 1899. After 26 years of service, he finally retired in 1903 and died shortly after.

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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