26. HENRY DEARBORN (1751 - 1829) American military officer and Secretary of War, fought at Bunker Hill, in Arnold's Quebec expedition,  at Wyoming Valley, and in the War of 1812 took Fort George and York with heavy losses. Scathing A.L.S. "H. Dearbo[rn]" with franked holograph address leaf, 1p. 4to., Sept. 8, 1805 to his son, Henry Alexander Dearborn. Father Henry has apparently intercepted a letter written by his son, and having read it, lets fly: "...I have now in my hand your letter written at the [?] the [?] you left U. Georgetown - in which you speak of Miss S. as the idol of your head! [?] what means this duplicity why am I to be deceived by your double dealing, has my conduct towards you been such as to have deserved such duplicity from you...horrible that you can be guilty of conduct that [?] would shudder at...I find my feelings are too much affected to write...". The letter has been varnished (!) causing it to become brittle and toned, a few splits and a chip causing the loss of the last two letters of signature, another chip causing loss of a few letters of text, still boldly penned. Estimated accordingly. Despite his sins, young Dearborn went on to greater glory: he was admitted to the bar and practiced in Salem and Portland, oversaw the construction of Fort Preble and Fort Scammel in Portland Harbor, and replaced his father as the collector of customs in Boston. He also served as brigadier general commanding the volunteers in the defenses of Boston Harbor during the War of 1812.$200-300