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Lot 212
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The William Burger War of 1812 collection with extensive naval content
The William Burger War of 1812 collection with extensive naval content
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Description:

War of 1812 1812 - 1815 The William Burger War of 1812 collection with extensive naval content.

Large archive consisting of 42 items from the War of 1812, with extensive naval content.

A stunning set of letters from periods as early as 1810, with detailed accounts from the various perspectives of everyday citizens, to men of political, governmental or military positions. From vantage points meandering over time and place, war strategies from Boston to Washington DC, from the deep South and to the far North, to reflections of war and destruction, observations, individual personal travesties, disease, and comments of families lost dead or separated. These were the people from that era and these letters are their voices. Burger was a collectors collector and hand picked each one of these items with his discerning eye. The below excerpts are a cross section and content abounds above and beyond what is written here.

With examples of such signatures of Benjamin Homans, Samuel Smith, John Spear Smith, William Jones, Joseph Smith, John McDowell and C. Goldsborough, Nathan Sufforough, William Whitney Jr., Joseph Aston, and G.W. Hollis among others.

Several highlights include:

ALSs two letters written from Gottenburg (dated 6/20, 1810 and 7/13/1810)

Both letters make references to the aggressive British blockading of the US Vessels, and the dangers therein. Examples of catalysts for the war.

"One hundred American vessels tied up in the port. Baltic blockaded by the British"

"The regular route to pass into the Baltic is blockaded by the English ... We shall need to pass through a narrow passage ... full of Danish Privateers. They take all vessels that fall in without exception. The privateersmen feed the sailors with run to bribe tehm to take false oath against the vessel ... These pirates are ten times more contemptable than the Algerians ..."

Reflections on disease ...

ALS Dr. Lewis Hermann (signed) to Valentine Mott (dated 10/4/1811)

A letter written from New Orleans reflecting on the virulent disease of Yellow Fever, yet one more thing to fight during the War. The first accounting of Yellow Fever in Louisiana reaching epidemic proportions transpired in 1796 when 638 people (out of a population of 8,756) died from the disease

"At this yellow fever season, when one awakes first thing in the morning a man must shake his head to try whether he is yet alive or not ..."

Meanwhile, in Baltimore ...

ALS Charles Goldsborough (signed) to John MacDowell (dated 4/7/1813)

Charles Goldsborough, a member of Congress and Maryland's last Federalist governor.

A letter from Charles Goldsborough written to John MacDowell, discussing his anti war feelings just a few months after British warships entered the Chesapeake to enforce the blockade. Charles noted that the "The alarm produced in the exposed parts of the State by the blockade of the Chesapeak, and the intrusion of the Smaller vessels of the British fleet every day further & further up the bay, is much that I think it probable that the Legislature will be called ... The War is extremely unpopular here. Indeed the Democrats themselves do not dare openly to advocate it"

And orders from Nova Scotia ....

Manuscript, Alexander Croke (signed) 5/31/1813

A British judge, Colonial Administrator influential in Nova Scotia. Croke's bench had considerable jurisdiction; over all maritime cases in a colony based largely on fishing and where smuggling was commonplace, and found guilty merchants who had been granted licenses by colonial authorities to engage in the slave trade. This documents was a military order from Nova Scotia Court commanding George Anderson to set forth in a warlike mannor and reek complete havoc on the United States.

"Whereas in consequence of the repeated insults and provocation which we have received from the Government of the united States of America finding ourselves completed to take such measures as are necessary for .. The honor of our Crown and the just rights of our subjects ... do license and authorize the said George Anderson to set forth in a warlike mannor the said Schooner - called the Weasle under his own command and therewith by force of arms to apprehend seize and take the ships Vessels and goods belonging to the government of the United States of America their subjects of any inhabiting within the Countries Territories of Dominion of the United States of America save and ..."

From the Far North ....

ALS G.W. Hollis (signed) to His sister (dated 9/24/1813)

A revealing letter reflecting on the Battle at Lake Erie

"You may tell your hot feds that the American Commodore Perry Commandant for our fleet on Lake Erie has taken the whole British fleet Prisoners Ship and All - this will make them curl their noses ... they would rather have heard of his being taken by the English - you may also tell them that Commodore Chauncey has chased the English Commodore Sir James Yeo on Lake Ontario from one end of the Lake to the other ... "

And then from the North to the South ...

Extract of letter to General Thomas Pickney dated 10/16/1813

While the war was in full motion to the North, and mid Atlantic states, General Pickney was in command of the 6th Military district in South Carolina and Georgia and was fully engaged in the Creek Wars.

"Recent accounts from Halifax indicated preparations for an early expedition against some part of our Southern Country ... great vigilance and activity in making the necessary arrangements to repel the invasion should it take place ... interruption of our commerce is not the sole object of the enemy's policy ..."

Meanwhile on the waters ....

ALS W.P. Webb (signed) to John Gifford (dated 10/7/1813

With mention of the capturing of the USS Brig Argus by the English. Brig Argus had been audaciously raiding British merchant shipping in British home waters for a month when the British Cruiser HMS Pelican was launched to take her down in 1812. The letter addresses additional references to the active Blockading of the ports and harbors:

"this much we learn with regret that the United States Brig Argus is captured by the English after a desperate action in which Capt Allen her commander ... was killed. In consequence of the general Blockade of the ports and harbors of the United States I am not yet determined in my destination ..."

From Battles at sea, a letter to John Ross leading up to the Battle of Baltimore (and who much later championed the Native Americans ....)

ALS Samuel Smith (signed) to John Ross Esq (dated 6/18/1814, just a few months before the battle of Baltimore)

Although Smith, during the War of 1812 he was a major general of the Third Division of the Maryland Militia, defending Baltimore, including involvement for the preparation and fortification of Fort McHenry, bombed 13-14 September 1814.

"The commander of the American Schooner Chauncey bearing a Flag of Truce from New York to Gottenburg; has forfeited that Character by giving chase to an English Brig and sending on board her an American subject to be smuggled into the Country. You are therefore hereby required and directed in the event of falling in with this Vessel to detain and send her into Port for adjudication"

From our research, the Schooner Chauncey was a cartel schooner as such Cartel ships employed on humanitarian voyages, in particular, to carry prisoners for exchange. While serving as a cartel, a ship was not subject to capture. However, if it engaged in commerce or warlike acts such as carrying official dispatches or messengers, it lost its character of inviolability and would then be subject to capture. Thus Smith's statement in this letter of the Schooner Chauncey bearing a Flag of Truce "has forfeited that Character (by) sending an American subject to be smuggled"

A fascinating letter about the concurrent background events of the period, made more intriguing by the intended recipient, John Ross. Ross, a significant historical figure at the time was adjutant of a Cherokee regiment under the command of Andrew Jackson. Ultimately however he would well remembered as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation and became actively involved in rejecting and petitioning Congress to stop the land acquisition and relocation of the Cherokees. A cause he championed which ended poorly in the demise of the of the Native Americans in the event later known as the "Trail of Tears" in 1838

To Reflections on the attack on Washington DC ...

ALS Samuel Dunn (signed) to John Parker (dated 4/26/1815

With references to the British attack on Washington, DC and reflections on the subsequent infamous burning of the White and Capital

" ... on viewing the ruins of the Navy Yard, of the old Frigate N. York, one of partly finished on the stocks, and of a beautiful new sloop of war fully armed and equipped to preserve them from the enemy, my indignation against our own government for this wanton and unnecessary destruction of property fully equaled my detestation and contempt for the British for their vandal like and savage burning of the President's House and Capitol, Those monuments of the arts Mr. Madison terms them which I verify believe did excel in elegance and grandeur anything of the kind they have to boast of ..."

The causes for the War of 1812 are still debated by historians today. Great Britain's impressment of American sailors, its seizure of American ships on the high seas, and suspected British encouragement of Indian opposition to further American settlement on the western frontier all contributed to America's decision to declare war against Great Britain in June 1812.

None of these factors, however, adequately explain why President James Madison called for a war the country was ill-prepared to wage. Moreover, the war was quite unpopular from the start. Many Federalists_„îchiefly in the New England states_„îopposed an armed conflict with Great Britain, continued to trade with the British, and even met in convention to propose secession from the Union. Some members of the president's own Republican Party objected to the war's inevitable costs and questionable objectives, such as the conquest of Canada.

To declare war was one thing, but to prosecute it successfully was a different matter. Much of the story of the War of 1812 is about the unpreparedness of America's Army and Navy at the conflict's outset, and the enormous difficulties the new nation faced in raising troops, finding competent officers, and supplying its forces. Although the United States achieved few of its political objectives in the War of 1812, its Regular Army emerged more professional, better led, and t to take its place as the foundation of America's national defenses.

These were the voices from the War, captured throughout the stunning revealing letters and other content.

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