Description:

Revolutionary War
Norwich, CT, November 1, 1779
Revolutionary War Patriot Cares for French Prisoner of War
MDS

Manuscript Document Signed, "Saml. Tracy," "Thos. Hyde Junr," "Nehe Waterman Jnr," and "Saml. Lovett," as town selectmen, 1p, 8.25" x 5.5", Norwich, Connecticut, November 1, 1779. Docketing at verso. Flattened folds and creases with separation and tiny areas of loss. Scattered ink splatter. Toning and minor foxing. In very good condition.

The document details the expenses outlaid by Elijah Lothrop, a Connecticut patriot who is seeking reimbursement for his care of a recuperating French prisoner of war. It reads, in part: "To keeping & sending Mr Tiersie a French Prisoner in his sickness from the 14th of last November to the 28th of January being 10 weeks & 4 days at £9..16 ? week...£102..8..0 / To expences in transporting him to Lebanon bank on his way home to Philadelphia 7..4..0 / £109..12..0."

France recognized the American colonists seeking independence from Great Britain in February 1778, and Great Britain responded by declaring war on France in March 1778. A French fleet under Admiral Comte d'Estaing arrived in America in time to support the British attempt to oust the British from Newport, Rhode Island, in August 1778. With the failure of the attempt, d'Estaing's fleet went to Boston.

In October 1778, there was an exchange of prisoners between the French fleet in Boston and the British in New York. On October 10, about 230 British prisoners arrived in Norwich, Connecticut, under guard. They departed on October 12 for New York, where they were to be exchanged for a similar number of French prisoners captured by the English (likely French military or civilian sailors and passengers.) On October 25, Jedediah Huntington wrote to his father from Norwich that between 500 and 600 Frenchmen had arrived from New York the previous night, and some of them had already departed for Boston.

Some twenty of the French prisoners of war died and were buried in Norwich. Others recuperated there for various lengths of time, and Mr. Tiersie was almost certainly one of these exchanged prisoners whom Lothrop housed for ten weeks until he had recuperated sufficiently to travel to Philadelphia.

Elijah Lathrop (1743-1821) was born in Norwich, Connecticut, the son of Elisha Lathrop and Hannah Hough Lathrop. He married Elizabeth Elderkin in 1763.

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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  • Dimensions: 8.25" x 5.5"
  • Medium: MDS

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