(Alexander Hamilton)

29 letters and letter fragments, approximately 56 pages, various formats, signed by William Coleman, General John Skey Eustace, Caleb Gibbs, A.J. Hamilton (Scottish cousin), LaRochefoucauld-Liancourt, Henry Lee, Philip Livingston, Nathaniel Pendleton, Jacob Rutsen Van Rensselaer, and others, two letters with autograph endorsements signed by Hamilton; some browning, fold separations, seal and marginal tears with some occasional text loss.

Caleb Gibbs, Boston 30 September 1799, The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Syrett, 23:485 ("On 24 October 1799, Hamilton wrote to Gibbs: 'I have received your improper letter of the 30th of September.' Letter not found." According to Syrett, Gibbs was "an indefatigable office seeker."); Henry Lee, 12 August 1791: this brief note refers to a letter sent to Hamilton earlier that same day; see Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Syrett, 9:31–32. 

29 letters and letter fragments, approximately 56 pages, various formats, signed by William Coleman, General John Skey Eustace, Caleb Gibbs, A.J. Hamilton (Scottish cousin), LaRochefoucauld-Liancourt, Henry Lee, Philip Livingston, Nathaniel Pendleton, Jacob Rutsen Van Rensselaer, and others, two letters with autograph endorsements signed by Hamilton; some browning, fold separations, seal and marginal tears with some occasional text loss.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

All letters not published in the Papers of Alexander Hamilton. The most notable of all the letters are two that bear Hamilton's autograph endorsements.

"A gentleman called this instant to tell me, 'a duel was to take place between General Hamilton and myself—in the first place—and two successive combats with the Messrs Church, if I survived the first affair." The first endorsement is written on the verso of a letter by Hamilton's old adversary, John Skey Eustace, who had been the young, awestruck aide-de-camp to General Charles Lee. After Lee's court-martial for his blunders at the Battle of Monmouth (at which Hamilton had testified), Eustace bruited about that Hamilton had perjured himself at the court-martial and snubbed him at a later encounter to the point where he confided to Lee: "I could not treat him much more rudely ... I expect the son of a bitch will challenge me when he comes" (quoted from the Charles Lee Papers by Chernow, p. 116). Hamilton's illegitimacy caused him to brood about slights to his honor throughout his life and only served to fuel his combative nature. Before the summer of 1804, Hamilton had been involved in six dueling confrontations—including one with future president James Monroe. Now, some twenty years later, his old adversary Eustace, perhaps aware of Hamilton's pugnacious repute, seeks to assuage his prickly, thin-skinned disposition and avoid an unseemly confrontation: "To this report has arisen from some reflections I had sent to a printer, which were communicated to Messrs Morgan and Pollock when they expressed a wish to see them—as I desired them to be suppressed, or a message sent me that I had unjustly inculpated Mr. Morgan; and authorized the printer to give my name to any inquirer, with a perusal of the price, I might perhaps rest the explanation here; but a belief that it is more easy to present than to remove an error when once in general circulation it is difficult of correction—I won’t request you to send for the Reflections to Mr. Lang, in my name, that you may give the next prompt and efficient check to this more than ridiculous story. 

"It is, Sir, from delicacy to you that I venture to give you this information —and you will naturally class this with my former and sincere assurances of respectful esteem." A gratified Hamilton sent a polite reply the following day (10 January 1799) on the verso of the letter: "“You are perfectly right, Sir, on calling the story you mention a more than ridiculous one. To confirm this conclusion, it is not necessary for me to tell you that I had not the most distant idea of your having with any thing which could give me displeasure. Of course, no step to satisfy myself better of this is requisite ... A.H."  

The other endorsement signed "A. Hamilton" is written on the bottom of a letter from Arthur Breech dated 13 September 1803 informing Hamilton that a land survey will be shortly completed at a cost of $500 and that in the meantime, "I have been obliged to advance one hundred upwards for provisions. I have taken the liberty of drawing upon you in favor of Suydam Wykoff Mercht: N. York for $200."  Hamilton writes in anticipation of receiving the full bill, "I request the following Gentlemen to pay their respective proportion to the bearer. 

John Laurance Dollar 50
Robert Troupe D[itt]o
Nicholas Fish   D[itt]o"

In a joint venture with these three in 1795, Hamilton purchased a quarter share (5450 acres for $9,000) of land from Arthur Noble in Herkimer County, New York, known as Nobleborough (see Papers, ed. Syrett, 18:503–507, n. 11–13).

Other notable correspondents include Philip Livingston, New York delegate to the Continental Congress (1775–1778) and signer of the Declaration of Independence; Caleb Gibbs, first commander of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard during the American Revolution; Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee; William Coleman,  first editor of the New York Evening Post (now the New York Post), chosen by founder Alexander Hamilton; Jacob Rutsen Van Rensselaer, a Federalist politician who served as New York Secretary of State (1813–1815); and Nathaniel Pendleton, a lawyer and judge during the American Revolution who later served as Hamilton's second in his fatal duel with Aaron Burr.