JOHN JACOB ASTOR IV (1864 – 1912) American business magnate, real estate developer, and lieutenant colonel in the Spanish–American War, and a prominent member of the Astor family. He died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. In June, 1898, Astor equipped and organized the 'Astor Battery', a force of three officers and 101 men. During the fighting at Manila on Aug. 13, 1898, the Astor Battery was on the right of the line. It shelled the blockhouse with its Hotchkiss mountain guns, and the men, under Capt. March, subsequently charged the position with revolvers, losing three dead in the attack. Offered here is an excessively rare collection of 16 carte-de-visite photographs of members of the battalion, 13 of which were signed in Manila in October and November, 1898, with many adding 'Astor Battery' to their signatures. All but one of the men are shown in combat wear, many displaying the pistols they used to charge the Filipinos in Manila. The photographs are in excellent condition. Astor does not appear to be within the grouping.