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Lot 254
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George Washington Signed Important Military Letter, Fantastic Content
George Washington Signed Important Military Letter, Fantastic Content
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Description:

Washington George



George Washington Signed Important Military Letter, Fantastic Content



George Washington Single page letter signed, "G: Washington". Washington also wrote in his own hand "BGenl Glover".  Dated "Headquarters [Newburgh, New York],  September 23, 1782".  The letter is written by Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., first comptroller of the treasury and first aide-de-camp to Washington. 7.75" x 12.75". Lightly toned, verso silked. Small separation along folds. On the verso, another hand has drawn a map with the caption, plan of a house / 43, by 40 feet. It is possible that this is General Glover's house, into which he had moved when he retired (and which coincided with the  writing of this letter). Matted with a lovely portrait of Washington to a complete size of 23" x 18.5.

Letter is shown in full below:

 

"I have received your letter of the 24th of August. In the present State of the Army, and the Difficulty attend[in]g the Recruit[in]g Service in the States, it is impossible for me to comply with your request for discharging your two Servants,  Soldiers in the Massachu[set]ts Line.



Neither, for the same reasons, can I consent to their remain[in]g longer out of Service. You will therefore please to order them immediately to join their Regiments, or send on two others of equal goodness -- and to the Acceptance of the muster[in]g Officer in your State, as Substitutes, to take their places....I  am  Sir / Your most obe Servt-- Go Washington"



Verso in another hand has a sketch with the note “Plan of our house / 48 by 40 feet” Perhaps these were early considerations for Mount Vernon…


By 1782, Washington was faced with several problems, some of which are reflected in this letter. Individual states who felt the war had come to an end, ignored sending their financial quotas which were necessary for the support of the military sector. However, the fighting had not subsided, and the situation was compounded by the desertion of soldiers and resignation of officers because of poor rations, lack of pay, and reinforcements that rarely came. "The states now became more supine than before, and Washington's urgent pleas for exertion and his arguments for the necessity of continued effort had small effect. ... [And] he was compelled to possess his soul in patience while his countrymen indulged in an orgy of profiteering, even to the extent of carrying on clandestine trade with the British, as they had done at the beginning of the struggle. It was impossible for Washington to stop these things; they were civil matters to be handled by Congress and the states, but very little was done by either. He was certain the war  was not yet over. The King's speech at the opening of Parliament ... showed little sign of  yielding and the war continued for two dreary years.... Though the enemy was reduced to inactivity through Washington's efforts, domestic conditions were slowly going from bad to worse. The army more dissatisfied than ever from neglect and chronic lack of pay, showed an  unrest which increased Washington's anxiety daily....

 

Of additional interest was the direct reference made to not being able to comply with the discharge of two servants. Prior to the revolution, many free African Americans supported the anti-British cause, (most famously Crispus Attaucks), believed to be the first person killed at the Boston Massacre. At the time of the American Revolution, some blacks had already enlisted as Minutemen. Both free and enslaved Africans had served in private militias, especially in the North, defending their villages against attacks by Native Americans. In March 1775, the Continental Congress assigned units of the Massachusetts Militia as Minutemen. They were under orders to become activated if the British troops in Boston took the offensive. Peter Salem, who had been freed by his owner to join the Framingham militia, was one of the blacks in the military. He served for seven years. In the Revolutionary War, slave owners often let their slaves enlist in the war with promises of freedom, but many were put back into slavery after the conclusion of the war.

 

In April 1775, at Lexington and Concord, blacks responded to the call and fought with Patriot forces. Prince Estabrook was wounded some time during the fighting on 19 April, probably at Lexington and today a memorial in his name stands at Lexington in recognition of him for being the first black combatant of the American Revolution and for representing the thousands of slaves who fought for their country even though their own freedom was not afforded to their people until almost a hundred years later. The Battle of Bunker Hill also had African-American soldiers fighting along with white Patriots.  Many African Americans, both enslaved and free, wanted to join with the Patriots. They believed that they would achieve freedom or expand their civil rights. In addition to the role of soldier, blacks also served as guides, messengers, and spies. American states had to meet quotas of troops for the new Continental Army, and New England regiments recruited black slaves by promising freedom to those who served in the Continental Army. During the course of the war, about one-fifth of the northern army was black. At the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, it was estimated the American army to be about one-quarter black.

General John Glover, the recipient of this letter, played a significant role during the American Revolution. He defended the American position in New York City in 1776 by his command of vessels transporting troops from Long Island. He also manned the boats and led the advance on Trenton, thereby making Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware possible by keeping the enemy on land; stopped Burgoyne's offensive; and attempted to recapture Rhode Island.



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