Description:

George Washington
Morris Town, NJ, January 5, 1780
George Washington Franking Signature During Revolutionary War to Col. Stephen Moylan, January 5, 1780, PSA/DNA
Free Frank
Gorgeous George Washington franking signature 'Go: Washington' [Morris Town, January 5, 1780], addressed in another hand to Colonel Stephen Moylan: "Col. Moylan / 4th Regt Light Dragoons / Colchester Connecticut". Written on a 6.5" x 5.5" leaf, PSA/DNA authenticated and encapsulated to overall dimensions of 10" x 6.5". Light staining consistent with age, and overall very good. Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity by PSA/DNA.

*Please view images for more details on condition.

In addition to Washington's fine signature, the leaf also bears two dockets from important Revolutionary War figures: Washington's correspondent Stephen Moylan, who notes on verso: "Gen. Washington 5th Jan'y 1780 Answered." Then, on the recto and beneath Washington's signature, Colonel Nehemiah Hubbard writes: "Rec'd Hartford Jany 16th 80 & forwarded / your Hum Servt N. Hubbard".

The transcript of the letter contained within this cover can be accessed on Founders Online at https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-24-02-0032. It reads:

"Head Quarters Morris Town, 5th Jany 1780 / Dear Sir, The Board of War are anxious to compleat an arrangement of the four Regiments of Cavalry and have wrote to me on that account - You will therefore be pleased to forward that of your Regiment as speedily as possible. As this will be put upon Record in the War Office and will be the scale by which all future promotions will take place, I must request you to be as particular as possible in ascertaining the dates of the Commissions, and if any officers are intitled to promotions in consequence of Vacancies, you are to specify when the Vacancies happened and who formerly filled them. The Majority of your Regiment and that of late [Theodorick] Blands cannot be filled, untill the Regimental arrangements are compleated. I am Dear Sir yr &c…".

Stephen Moylan (1737 – April 11, 1811) was an Irish-American patriot leader during the American Revolutionary War. Moylan immigrated to Philadelphia from Ireland in 1768 and joined the American Continental Army in 1775. Upon the recommendation of John Dickinson, he was appointed Muster-Master General on August 11, 1775. Moylan's experience in the shipping industry afforded the United States a well-qualified ship outfitter who would help fit out the first ships of the Continental Navy. On March 5, 1776, he became secretary to General George Washington with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was appointed Quartermaster General in the American Continental Army on June 5, 1776, succeeding Thomas Mifflin. He resigned from this office on September 28, 1776, however continued to serve as a volunteer in Washington's staff through December 1776.

He then raised a troop of light dragoons, the 4th Continental Light Dragoons, also known as "Moylan's Horse," in Philadelphia, January 3, 1777. The regiment would be noted for taking the field in captured British Red Coats and engaged in military action at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, then at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. By the end of 1777, they were engaged in defending the cantonment at Valley Forge. Col. Moylan succeeded General Pulaski as Commander of the Cavalry in March 1778. "Moylan's Horse" would participate in the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778.

In the campaign of 1779, Moylan and the 4th Dragoons were stationed at Pound Ridge, New York, and saw military action when the British raided Norwalk, Connecticut, on July 11, 1779. They also took part in the Battle of Springfield in New Jersey, on June 23, 1780, and in Anthony Wayne's expedition at Bull's Ferry, NJ, on July 20, 1780. Moylan commanded his Dragoons at the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781, after which he was to take the cavalry to the Southern Campaign. However, his failing health caused him to leave the field and return to Philadelphia, where he constantly appealed to the Continental Congress to man, equip and maintain the Continental Dragoon Regiments. He was rewarded for his service by breveted to brigadier general on November 3, 1783.

Nehemiah Hubbard, Jr. (1752-1837) was a Connecticut merchant, sailor, land speculator, and paymaster in the Continental Army. In his youth, Hubbard worked as a clerk and traveled on voyages to the West Indies, eventually becoming a merchant. In July 1776 he was appointed by the state of Connecticut as paymaster to Colonel Charles Burrall's Connecticut Regiment and likely traveled to Ticonderoga with the regiment. By the end of the war he had advanced to Deputy Quartermaster General for the state of Connecticut and was present at Yorktown, where he worked with contractors supplying the French troops fighting with the Americans. After the war, Hubbard returned to Middletown and his business as a merchant. He expanded into banking, becoming president of the Middletown Bank and then the Savings Bank, and land speculation as one of the founders of the Connecticut Land Company. He acquired over 50,000 acres of land in Ohio and sent relatives and business agents to settle and sell the land; part of this land is now the town of Hubbard, OH.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Provenance:
  • PSA/DNA 85413280, Letter of Authenticity by PSA/DNA.
  • Dimensions:
  • 6.5" x 5.5"
  • Artist Name:
  • George Washington
  • Medium:
  • Free Frank

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