The following items were once owned by Civil War veteran John Watson Foster (1836-1917). Foster rose to the rank of colonel during the war and was a long standing supporter of the Republican Party. He served in various important governmental roles including: *Ambassador to Mexico (1873-1880) *Ambassador to Russia (1880-1881) *Ambassador to Spain (1883-1885) *Secretary of State from June 29, 1892 to February 23, 1893. During his short tenure under President Benjamin Harrison, Foster worked to resolve disputes over the Bering Sea with Russia and Britain, the potential annexation of the Hawaiian Islands, and prevented a war from breaking out between the US and Chile after a Chilean attack on U.S. sailors. *He represented China during the negotiations at the end of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895. *President William McKinley sent him as a special representative to Great Britain and Russia in 1897. *Foster was President Theodore Roosevelt’s lead commissioner in negotiations with Canada in 1903. *He represented China a second time during the Second Hague Peace Conference in 1907. Foster also wrote a series of books on diplomacy and helped create the American Society of International Law in 1906 and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 1910. His son-in-law Robert Lansing followed in his footsteps and served as Secretary of State under President Wilson as did his grandson John Foster Dulles who later held the post under President Eisenhower. The uniform includes: A) 1872 Army frock coat in dark navy with gold cord shoulder boards with black background and Colonel insignia, six golden buttons with American eagle and a shield with an "I" and three lace bands on each wrist, eighteen buttons on the breast, and four in the tails. Additional shoulder boards with Colonel insignia are also included. B) The royal blue pants with a black stripe down the sides, two front and single rear pockets, button up fly with additional buttons for suspenders, and adjustable rear waist draw. C) The beaver skin chapeau de bras is similar to the 1859 style seen in Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms by William K. Emerson on p. 522 but with the smaller eagle that is seen on later examples. It has an angled golden band with an American eagle with the phrase "E. PLURIBUS UNUM" on a banner in the beak and a small American eagle with shield button on the bottom set over a round ribbon. It also has a golden coils on the tips and a black ostrich feather. The interior silken lining is marked "ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL/No. 519B-WAY/NEW YORK/WARNOCK & Co". It is contained in a brown lacquered metal tin. D) Model 1850 Staff and Field Officer's sword made by Horstmann and Sons of Philadelphia, 36 1/2 inches overall, with 31 inch blade with ornate etching along the more than half of the length including floral and martial motifs, "U.S." on the left, and "E. PLURIBUS" and an American eagle on the right. The bottom of the blade on the right side is marked with the maker. A small proof is present on the bottom of the left side, and "IRON PROOF" on the bottom of the rear edge. The hilt is silver while the guard is gilt brass. The scabbard is lacquered brown metal with gilt brass suspension bands and tip. The back side is plain while the right side of the upper band depicts Athena with a sword and shield. The middle band has a floral design, and the bottom has a soldier with a sword and American flag. E) The presentation walking stick is a testament to Foster's support of the Republican Party in Indiana and is inscribed "Colonel John W. Foster/from the/Republican State Ticket/Indiana/1872". The gold plated handle also has ornate engraving and relief with scroll work, stags, and floral motifs. 36 1/2 inches tall, the tip is steel with a German silver band and the shaft is tapered ebony, 1 inch diameter at the head. When he returned from the war, Foster edited the Evansville Daily Journal and used the paper to promote the party from 1865 to 1869. His support continued thereafter and thus President Grant installed him as an ambassador to Mexico. F) Also included is an impressive silver Aztec calendar said to be made from 700 Mexican silver pesos with inscription to John W. Foster. It is estimated to contain 607 troy ounces of silver with a full weight of 35 pounds. The inscription reads "Presented to Col. John W. Foster By the/American Residents/OF MEXICO/MARCH 2d/1880". Such a gift certainly demonstrates Foster's popularity among the American residents due to his skill as an ambassador. G) The items come with a wooden crate with "BLOOMINGTON INDIANA" along with weight, value, and other markings along with a Railway Express Agency prepaid label. The Railway Express Agency was a monopoly set up in 1917 to deliver packages by rail throughout the country. Foster died that same year in Washington, D.C. It is likely that these items were shipped back to his family in Indiana shortly after his passing. His body was also returned to Indiana and is interned in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Overall this grouping is in very fine, original condition. The frock coat has only a few small rips on the interior lining and a silvery hue over the paddles and shoulder boards. The pants have some small holes and are otherwise in excellent condition especially given their age. The hat is excellent! It has only the slightest signs of age. The tin for the hat is good with a damaged rear hinge and marks and scratches overall and fading lacquer. The sword is fine with a polished blade with clear etching and markings and some light wear at the tip. The hilt and guard have an aged patina with a small bare spot on the bottom. The scabbard retains 90% of the thinning dark brown lacquer finish with some small bare spots and an aged patina on the accents. The walking stick is likewise excellent with some brown patina on the tip, light scratches on the rod, a small dent on the head and some light fading to the inscription. The calendar has a dark gray patina with clear inscription and markings. The bottom of the calendar has part of the red velvet base ripped and absent as well as a corner of the lining. The crate is fine. This is an incredible grouping of historic items with the silver melt value of the Aztec calendar alone worth in excess of $10,000.00!