"I WISH THE FUTURE PRESIDENT ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD AND HOPE HE WILL MAKE ME COMMANDING GENERAL"

PATTON, George S. Autograph letter signed. West Point, New York, May 15, 1907. Two leaves of stationery, one 5-1/2 by 7 inches and the other 11 by 7 inches, totally six sides, with writing in ink on all sides; original autograph envelope measuring 3-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches. $8000.

Autograph letter signed by Patton addressed to his future wife, Beatrice Ayer, while he was still a cadet at West Point.

Patton and Beatrice Banning Ayer met as teenagers on Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California in 1902, when their families were vacationing. Ayer was the daughter of prominent Boston industrialist Frederick Ayer. During his years at West Point, Patton's friendship with Ayer deepened. After he asked Frederick Ayer's permission to marry his daughter, they announced their engagement in March 1910. They were married in Boston on May 26, 1910. The letter reads in full: "Dear Beatrice, It was the queen and it is only one of the many foolish things she has done. I dined at Col. Scott's Sunday and there learned enough about her and her dear Col. A. to fill several books. For one thing the Col. when still a captain got in trouble and though he was able to hush it up pretty well he was kept for some ten years on 'waiting orders' that is without having a command. While he was living in Washington during these years Mrs. A made quite a name for herself as is only natural. Just now she is writing to the President trying to get Mr Fair [?] off the area where he certainly should always be. She has bothered the Surgeon trying to get him to say that it is bad for Fair to walk that Dr. Gandy says he has an underground road from his house to the hospital which he is forced to use [to] avoid her. And lastly the other day when Fair was in the hospital his mother wet down to put some stuff on his head but in her excitement she lost a bottle of cough medicine instead of hair tonic and merrily rubbed this into the poor youth's hair or rather cranium. But this is terribly stupid for you.

I had the greatest dream the other night. I thought that Mr. Wilde of all people was leading a ban of plunderers… and that I dressed in complete armor and followed and Mr. Polk went out to kill him. For the first time in my dream life I was not frightened but went with joy and finally we found Mr. Wilde and his gang Mr. Wilde seemed to have on nothing but a longer red shirt and after we had fought for some time he politely said we had best move into the road for my blood will spoil the grass—reveille—and you also probably think it time for me to wake up all over.

But here is a beautiful poem (not original) which may cause to forgive.

Damn, damn, damn the Filipinos

The slant eyed Khakiac ladrones

And beneath the starry flag

Civilize them with the Krag

And return us to our own beloved homes.

'There's my sentiments.'

Nearly all the foolish yearlings go down to the battery below Cullom and sing very many songs equally foolish. Suppose that if I had proper spirit I would go with them but what with… running and drilling I feel perfectly dead and if I don't get some more energy I shall not do very well in the races. The walk you mention is just the sort I love and I certainly look forward to it and hope to take it in the summer. I wish the future President all the luck in the world and hope he will make me commanding general.' George Patton. Tuesday."

This prophetic lettered offers a fascinating glimpse into the mindset and preoccupations of the future four-star general and World War II legend. In it, Patton shrewdly foretells his future as a commander—and quotes a song sang by American soldiers tramping through the forests of the Philippines while fighting guerillas during the Philippine-American War, 1899-1902. Two months after Patton's letter in 1907, the Filipinos held their first assembly elections and the first Philippine Assembly was held in October, 1907. Why Patton now invokes the racism at the heart of the imperialist American campaign against the country some six years ago is not immediately clear. However, the dream that he recalls goes to his mind-set and his determination as he participates in an oneiric campaign to pursue the bad guys. Patton certainly brought this quest to fruition as "Old Blood and Guts" during World War II.

In excellent condition.