1851 JOHN M. WASHINGTON. Two Fort Constitution Military Reports Signed by First Governor of New Mexico.

A very attractive pair of Military Reports dating to July 1851 and November of 1851 regarding activities at Fort Constitution. Each measures 9.5 x 22.5 inches with some folds as usual and some staining.

Of particular note, both are signed boldly in the lower right by Brevet Lieutenant Colonel George MacRae Washington, relative of George Washington, first Governor of New Mexico, and important negotiator with the Native Americans and native Mexicans during the Westward Expansion. 

A rather rare and desirable autograph, and here we have a pair of them. 

Biography:

John MacRae Washington [d. 1853] was an important United States artillery officer, and relative of President George Washington, who went on to become the military governor of New Mexico shortly after the end of the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848.

Born in Virginia, Washington graduated from West Point in 1817, and fought in Florida against the Seminole and Creek people. He served with distinction in the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848 under Brigadier General John E. Wool, being promoted to Major and brevet Lieutenant Colonel following the Battle of Buena Vista. He reached Santa Fe on 10 October 1848 with four dragoon companies. The next day he assumed office as governor.

Washington's main priority was to settle a war against the Navajo people. He assembled a strong force of soldiers and volunteers that moved west into Navajo country, where they were met by Navajo envoys saying they were willing to discuss peace, and then met the main Navajo forces. A scuffle broke out when a militiaman spotted a horse that he claimed had been stolen from him. The Navajos fled, and Washington's troops killed six of the fleeing men. One was the old warrior Narbona, now in favor of peace, who was scalped by a U.S. militiaman. The expedition moved on through a pass that one of them named "Washington Pass." In 1992, in response to a proposal by the Navajo people, the pass was renamed Narbona Pass. There were no positive results from the expedition. On returning to Santa Fe Washington became involved in a scandal, probably unjustified, over a child he allegedly fathered with an orphan girl.

In April 1849 Father Ramón Ortiz y Miera arrived in New Mexico from Chihuahua as commissioner in charge of assisting Mexicans who wished to resettle in Chihuahua. He was welcomed by Governor Washington and Secretary Donaciano Vigil, who both thought he was unlikely to succeed and even offered to supply transport to Mexicans seeking repatriation. Their mood changed quickly when the people of San Miguel del Vado alone submitted 900 requests for repatriation assistance. Vigil said that Ortíz could not conduct recruitment in person since his presence would disturb the peace. Ortiz then appointed agents to recruit New Mexico families, and they met with considerable success. In response Vigil cracked down further on recruitment. The United States' position was that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo had not covered repatriation, and Ortíz's activity was therefore illegal.

On May 26, 1849, Brevet Colonel John Munroe was ordered to Santa Fe to relieve Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Washington. Then, on October 23, 1849 Munroe took office as military governor of New Mexico. Washington was transferred to a position in Fort Constitution in New Hampshire. From there, in 1853 he was assigned to lead a body of troops from the 3rd Artillery Regiment in California, but at the start of the journey the steamer San Francisco ran into a storm in which Washington and 181 soldiers were drowned.

Lot includes both items.