Diaries and Letters of Electus Backus, ca.1809-1860.

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Diaries and Letters of Electus Backus, ca.1809-1860.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/429235319

The 31-page diary by Electus Backus covers his time traveling from San Antonio to El Paso, Texas in 1850 and 1851. In the diary he talks about Bishop John Lamy, Lorenzo Sitgreaves, Dr. S. W. Woodhouse, members of the Sitgreaves Expedition, as well as the bad weather and the landscape and inhabitants of Texas. He also discusses his journey from El Paso to Albuquerque. There is one diary page by Backus in June 1848 while he was taking part in the Mexican War in Puebla, Mexico, the site where Santa Ana executed Mexía; he mentions meeting General Stephen Kearny. There is also one page of a diary by Backus from 1860 while he was living in El Paso. There are also several letters and statements regarding Backus' protest against and disagreement with a letter by the Secretary of War, Charles Conrad, stating that he was commissioned to Major of the 3rd U.S. Infantry on October 10, 1850; Backus believed it was June 10 instead. This material includes letters by Backus to Adjutant General Roger Jones and Senator Jefferson Davis, who was on the Committee of Military Affairs, along with a statement of facts by Backus. There is also a copy of a letter by Backus to Colonel Samuel Cooper in August 1860 about his commission date. Also included is a 5-page manuscript by Hugh Brady about his brother, Samuel Brady, Indian fighter of western Pennsylvania (the draft is in Backus' handwriting - Hugh Brady was Backus' father-in-law). There is also one letter by Electus Backus, Sr., to his brother Andrew in New York. This letter was written while he was with the US Army in New Orleans in 1809.

6 items.

Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens

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SNAC Resource ID: 7486524

Related Entities

There are 16 Entities related to this resource.

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xk8d2z (person)

Mary Ann Lamar Cobb (1818-1889), wife of Gen. Howell Cobb (1815-1868). From the description of Letter to Mary Ann Lamar Cobb, 1888 Oct. 2. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 38476494 Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) was born in Kentucky. He attended Transylvania University for a short time before enrolling at West Point in 1824, at the age of 16. He graduated in 1828 and immediately joined the First Infantry. His regiment was engaged in the Blackhawk War of 1831. In 1833, he became a...

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Backus, Electus, 1804-1862.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6445rdt (person)

Electus Backus was born in New York in 1804. He was the son of Colonel Electus Backus who was killed at Sackett's Harbor in 1813. The younger Backus graduated from West Point in 1824 and fought in the Seminole and the Mexican wars. In June 1850, Backus, who was Major of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, was assigned command of Fort Defiance, Arizona. Backus died in Detroit in June 1862, just after he was made Colonel of the 6th U.S. Infantry. From the description of Diaries and Letters of Elect...

Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794?-1876

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Epithet: President of Mexico British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000297.0x000203 Commander in chief of Mexican Army and President of Mexico during war with United States (1846-1848). Letter thanks Don Juan Valdivia for providing lumber and use of his estate for defense against possible Spanish invasion (1829). From the description of Antonio Loṕez de Santa Anna letter, 1829. (University of the Pacific)...

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The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States Armed Forces and performs land-based military operations. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States and is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 and United States Code, Title 10, Subtitle B, Chapter 301, Section 3001. As the largest and senior branch of the U.S. military, the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army, which wa...

Lamy, John Baptist, 1814-1888

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6k079ss (person)

Woodhouse, S. W. (Samuel Washington), 1821-1904

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6r80hsx (person)

Samuel Washington Woodhouse (27 June 1821 - 23 October 1904) was born in Philadelphia to a commodore in the American navy. He was educated at classical and military institutions before going into farming with his brother. His interests eventually changed and he decided to study medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1847. While in school he became fascinated with the natural world; he joined the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP) and became acquain...

Brady, Hugh, 1768-1851

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kh25rz (person)

Born at Standing Stone, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1768; ensign in the army of General Wayne, 1792; returned to his home, 1795; received a captain's commission, 1798; occupied land near Pittsburg; resided then at Northumberland, 1807-1812; went again to the front and served during the Canadian campaign in command of 22nd regiment infantry; colonel of 2nd infantry, New York, 1819; brevet. brigadier-general, 1822; placed in command of the Northwest territory headquarters at Detroit, 1825 until his dea...

Jones, Roger, 1789-1852

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m0575f (person)

Soldier; born in Westmoreland County, Va., in 1789. Served in the War of 1812 at Chippewa and Lundy's Lane; breveted lieutenant-colonel for gallantry during the sortie from Fort Erie. From the description of Journal of a military inspection tour of the Western Lakes, 1819 May 30-July 18. (Buffalo History Museum). WorldCat record id: 71303917 Army officer. From the description of Papers of Roger Jones, 1816-1819. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71069337 Fr...

Cooper, Samuel, 1798-1876

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6mk6fqb (person)

Army officer. From the description of Orders of Samuel Cooper, 1860. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79449910 Native of New Jersey, adjutant general in the U.S. Army, and adjutant general and inspector general in the Confederate Army. From the description of Samuel Cooper papers, 1775-1893 [manuscript]. WorldCat record id: 24201832 Samuel Cooper was a native of New Jersey, adjutant general in the United States Army, and adjutant general and inspector gene...

Sitgreaves Expedition (1851)

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Brady, Samuel, 1756-1795

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Conrad, Charles Magill, 1804-1878

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U.S. secretary of war, U.S. senator and representative of Louisiana, and Confederate army officer. From the description of Charles Magill Conrad appointment, 1850. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79456101 Lawyer; member of U.S. Congress; Secretary of War under President Fillmore. From the description of Letters, 1848-1853. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 32878741 American lawyer and statesman; Secretary of War. From the descript...

Backus, Electus, 1765-1813.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6vb2jt5 (person)

Sitgreaves, Lorenzo, 1811-1888

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6v13btz (person)

Mexía, José Antonio, 1790-1839

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Biographical Information José Antonio Mexía A Cuban, José Mexía came to Mexico in 1823. He was a federalist who rose to the position of general in the Mexican Army. Upon being sent by Montezuma, the commandante at Tampico, to punish Texas rebels, in 1832, Mexía changed his views concerning Texas and turned back to Tampico. He attempted to obtain help from New Orleans and returned to Mexico in November ...