ALS signed “Georgie,” three pages both sides, 5 x 6.5, Unites States Military Academy letterhead, August 18, 1904. Letter to his sister Anne. In part, “Yesterday we had a great time, a Mrs. Watson asked ten plebes to a picnic and I was one of them. We all went out at camp separately and met at a little lake in the hills below Fort Putnam. There we waited for a long time and had just determined to drown the fellow who told us we were invited when Mrs. Watson came in a carriage. They brought lots of thins to eat and five young ladies…The carriage went away and soon came back with six more girls and Mr. Watson. Then we all ate and drank and most of them spooned, but I was too polite and helped serve things. When I did talk for I didn’t spoon, it was to Miss Watson. You see I had very nearly met her the day before under rather advantageous circumstances. I was on guard, and when on guard and not walking, you have to clean everything in sight. I had brushed my hair and was looking very neat so I pretended to sweep the visitors tent where all the people could see me. While I was engaged in this task Miss Watson came up and started to take two steaks off the pile in the tent but they were not piled well and so started to fall on her when I rushed to the rescue and stopped them. Ha!…If she really says the things you say she does and is not sarcastic I may have…hope but I fear she means that infernal engineer who is not a real soldier but merely a builder of bridges…The first class we’re having artillery practice this morning and though we could not see the guns we could see the shells bursting on the hills and it looked fine.” Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed in Patton’s hand, to “Mrs. Geo S. Patton.” In fine condition, with a bisecting horizontal mailing fold to each page. An interesting look into Patton’s social behavior. COA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
