Bidspirit auction | GEORGE S. PATTON

GEORGE S. PATTON - Pencil signature 'Geo. S. Patton' being part of the address written by him on the face of an envelope sent by him to his wife Beatrice, with a second signature and rank as first lieutenant written in the return address area. The second signature is partly obscured by a June 26, 1916 New Mexico postal cancel. Overall very good. At this time, Patton was serving as Pershing's personal aide in the Pancho Villa Expedition. A month earlier, he undertook the first motorized attack in the history of U.S. warfare. A force under his command of ten soldiers and two civilian guides with the 6th Infantry in three Dodge touring cars surprised three of Villa's men during a foraging expedition, killing Julio Cárdenas and two of his guards. The incident garnered Patton both Pershing's good favor and widespread media attention as a 'bandit killer'. Shortly after, he was promoted to first lieutenant while a part of the 10th Cavalry on May 23, 1916.