Details:

Frederic Remington autographed handwritten letter signed (ALS), two pages on a single folded sheet written back-to-back, circa 1899, addressed to Captain Frank Heartt Edmunds. In this engaging and highly personal letter, the celebrated artist, illustrator, and war correspondent discusses military leadership, the coming campaign in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, mutual friends, and family matters, while revealing his characteristic wit and blunt opinions.

Remington opens by requesting a copy of Edmunds’ lecture on military leadership, writing:

“What I want to know is your lecture on how to run a company.”

He continues that he is less interested in administrative matters than battlefield leadership:

“I would like to know how a Col. leads a Regt. – cavalry, infantry or artillery… I don’t care a d— where a Q.M. ends but where does a Col. begin.”

Looking ahead to the anticipated Cuban campaign, Remington confidently predicts:

“There ain’t a doubt in the world but that you will be in Cuba before Easter…”

He then adds one of the letter’s most striking and historically revealing passages:

”…and if you don’t know enough I want to tell you ‘don’t ever surrender yourself in a command to dagoes’—it’s better to die at once.”

The letter concludes with personal news, noting that “Mrs. R. is well,” mentioning an intended visit to Davids’ Island that had not yet materialized, and includes a humorous postscript regarding Quartermaster John W. Summerhayes, joking that he abandoned an intended swim because “the water was too wet & cold,” instead “drank up his pay.”

Written around the time of the Spanish-American War, the letter offers an unusually candid glimpse into Remington’s personality and military interests. Best known for his iconic paintings and illustrations of the American West, Remington was also deeply fascinated by military affairs and frequently corresponded with Army officers. His comments on battlefield leadership, the anticipated service in Cuba, and his characteristic wit make this an engaging and revealing personal letter from one of America’s most celebrated artists.

Very good condition with expected mailing folds.

Frederic Remington (1861–1909) was one of America’s most influential artists, illustrators, sculptors, and war correspondents. Best known for his iconic depictions of the American West, cavalry soldiers, Native Americans, and frontier life, his illustrations appeared regularly in Harper’s Weekly, Collier’s Weekly, and other leading publications of the era. Remington also served as a correspondent during the Spanish-American War, producing vivid firsthand accounts and illustrations from Cuba. His work helped shape the enduring visual image of the American frontier and military life at the close of the nineteenth century, and today he remains among the most celebrated artists in American history.

Captain Frank Heartt Edmunds (1849–1900) graduated from West Point in 1871 and served with the 1st U.S. Infantry during the Northern Plains Indian Wars. While an instructor at the U.S. Infantry and Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth, he authored Principles of the Art and Science of War and Their Application in Modern Warfare, an influential military text first published in 1879. Promoted to major, Edmunds later served on the staff of General Fitzhugh Lee during the Spanish-American War and died of yellow fever in Havana in 1900. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

John W. Summerhayes (1837–1918), referenced in Remington’s postscript, was a veteran of the Civil War who later became Chief Quartermaster of the Department of the East. During the Spanish-American War he supervised the inspection and outfitting of troop transports, supply ships, and hospital vessels. Earlier, while stationed at Davids’ Island in Long Island Sound, he and his wife Martha became acquainted with the Remingtons. Martha Summerhayes later authored the classic frontier memoir Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life by a New England Woman, for which Remington wrote a congratulatory letter upon its publication.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11364 1416602-1