looking for help with Peach diseases or maladies

Hello,
I'm interested to know if anyone might have perspective on what might be ailing an Indian Free and a Redhaven peach tree I purchased this past spring.

I'm in the midst of a conversation with the nursery and despite positive experience in the past with customer service this year, this conversation is leaving me questioning the integrity of their nursery and their reply to the situation.

I believe these trees arrived somewhat compromised, healthwise.  They had suckers and what looked like winter burn or some rot dieback from pruning cuts made a bit too high above the bud.  They both also had quite a bit of gummosis on their main trunks .  There's one photo from the spring I've attached. 

I also attached a couple photos of the trees from the summer and from this fall which show the further development of the gummosis which I believe I have diagnosed as Cytospora canker.  I don't see pieces of sawdust or bark mixed in the sap as if it was from insect or mechanical damage. I'm pretty sure of this.  I also attached some photos of the trees from the fall.  The damage on both of them is pretty extensive, but worse so on the Indian Free peach.  Although it's not the highest resolution image, you can see from the pics of it in the summer that the canker was already inches long and girdling the main trunk. 

The nursery I purchased the trees from wrote the following to me after I emailed them about my trees:
"Peaches can be cut back extensively so I'd just cut the areas you're concerned about. I don't think it's canker. It may be healed, but to make sure just cut below it."

Considering that if I prune the Indian Free back below the damage, I would be left with about .25 inches about the graft union, I'm wondering why I paid $35 plus $8 shipping for a tree that had so few inches of viable scion wood on it.

If I do this with the red haven ($25+$8 shipping),
I'll be left with some viable scion wood.

Thank you so very much for your time and perspective, any assistance with diagnosis or treatment or if I should be asking for replacements.

A few more pics...

It may be the beginning of black knot. Hard to tell on my phone. Some problems will cause the leaves to curl.

Another issue with peaches is that they are picky about planting depth. If soil is heaped up too high, rot and vermin can kill the tree.

I'm not familiar with your diseases but that sap thing looks dodgy, and I'd be wanting my money back...
Have you had an "I want my money back" type conversation with the nursery, or more casual?
Of course most will try and get you to accept the trees, but I'd be pretty concerned if they're actually resisting paying you back.
You paid good money for good trees; I think being told to cut off most of what you're paying for is rather cheeky!

Thank you for your replies.

Dale, they went in spot on at the soil level...no rodents or predation or signs of insect damage. But the leaves are looking rough...please see here: https://permies.com/forums/posts/list/39813#309973

Leila, I was a bit more arbitrary in my e-mail to them, as per below:

"I just wanted to write to see if you might take some time to discuss the situation and potential resolutions that you can provide.  I'm not sure if this would be a situation where replacement trees or what other options would be appropriate or some such consideration. "

I'd honestly rather order from some place else than have the trees replaced by the nursery, but I did not see any allowance for that in their guarantee (one growing season).

I did not reply yet indicating how close to the graft the damage is but I did it find it odd not offering some other solution or diagnosis. I got the vibe of "it's cool or cut it" the way I read their reply email.

I didn't comprehend the sap disease thing was practically at the graft union, even though you said

Jp Learn wrote: if I prune the Indian Free back below the damage, I would be left with about .25 inches about the graft union

I'd be phoning them. Email gives them way too much room, and makes me excessively careful with my words.
Nothing like a good conversation ...
When calling, if there's any resistance to a refund I'd politely offer to send my photos to the nursery manager to look at.
It's a bit passive-aggressive blackmaily, but I think any self-respecting nursery person would look at those photos and think
"that's not going to be good for business"

I would mention this thread to them and remind them that you have not mentioned their name ....... yet . Would you have bought them looking like that ?
Me niether

David

Still interested to know what the gummosis might be the result of...but I did speak with someone who assured me I'd be receiving a full refund for the peaches. It's quite comedic...the email reply that I posted was from the owner of the nursery...the gentleman I spoke with over the phone was someone else who works there but who basically said 'this is unacceptable' and offered the refund or credit towards a future order. Considering the quality of plants I received from them, I went for the refund.

Thank you all for your time...and maybe someone will know what this disease is?

Cheers!