Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 86

The Manuscripts, Collectibles & Space Auction

U.S. Revolutionary War

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 658		1778 Valley Forge Letter From Washington's Personal Secretary, Robert H. Harrison. Autograph letter signed ("Rob: H: Harrison"), 1 page, 10¼ x 8¼ in (Valley Forge), Mar. 3, 1778. Letter is silked, with repairs to seal tears. Addressed on verso to Col. Clement Biddle, who was commissary general of forage: "His Excellency requests that you will transport the inclosed [not present] immediately thro the channel of the Stationary __. He would have sent it to Col. ____but apprehended he might not be acquainted with them." Ironically, the letter is written on laid paper with a British watermark: a cartouche topped by a crown and enclosing a seated figure of Britannia. Lt. Colonel Robert H. Harrison (1745-90) was a Maryland jurist who served as Washington's aide-de-camp in 1775, then became his military secretary from 1776 to 1781. He served as the Chief Justice of the General Court of Maryland from 1781 to 1789, but when Washington nominated him to serve on the United States Supreme Court, he declined to serve for health reasons, even though he was confirmed by the United States Senate. Estimated Value $700 - 900. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $1,110
Lot 659		[John André] Early 19th Century Copy of André's Request to Washington "not to die on the gibbet" (1750-1780) British officer hanged as a spy for assisting Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of West Point to the British. Copy of a letter written on October 1, 1780 by British General John André to General George Washington, asking to be shot rather than hanged. In part: "Buoyed above the terror of death by the consciousness of a life directed to honourable pursuits & attained with no action that can give me remorse, I trust the request I make to your Excellency at this serious period & which is to soften my last moments will not be rejected…" His wish was not granted and on Oct. 2, 1780, he was hanged, by the rules of war, as a spy at Tappan, New York on October 2, 1780. Letter is written on pale blue, lined, watermarked paper; paper loss to left side of title line, else fine. The original letter is at the Library of Congress in the George Washington Papers. Estimated Value $300 - 500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $168
Lot 660		The London Gazette, 1784, Proclaiming Treaty to End the Revolutionary War. Number 12557, From Saturday July 3, to Tuesday July 6, 1784, printed by Thomas Harrison, 11¾ x 7 5/8 in., 8pp. Front page proclamation by King George III of the conclusion of the Treaty of Paris "between U, the States General of the United Provinces, and the United States of America," and ordering that "the said Treaties of Peace and Friendship be observed inviolably, as well by Sea as Land," dated July 2, 1784 and given at the Court of St. James. Also, two proclamations by the King for a public day of Thanksgiving to be observed on July 29: "Whereas it has pleased Almighty God in His Great Goodness to put an End to the late Bloody, Extended, and Expensive War in which we were engaged…." One proclamation is for England, Wales and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed. A second proclamation is issued for "that Part of Our kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland." Light toning; revenue stamp at lower right. Estimated Value $300 - 500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $625
Lot 661		[North Carolina] Alexander Martin and Willie Jones. Document signed "Martin Atto" on the verso, at lower edge of docket, as attorney in the case of John Mitchell versus John Howard, 13 x 8 in., Salisbury, 1770. Alexander Martin (1740-1807) served as colonel in Richard Caswell's NC militia, was a North Carolina delegate to the Constitutional Convention, served two terms as NC governor (1782-1785 and 1789-1792), and was U.S. senator from North Carolina (1793-99). Laid, watermarked paper has uneven toning and small areas of paper loss to text. Willie Jones (1741-1801) Autograph letter signed, one page and integral address leaf, Halifax (NC), Nov. 24, 1799. To Montfort Stokes, demanding money owed Jones. Jones was a major planter and slave holder. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1780, and as a Lt. Col. under Nathanael Greene, lead 300 men in pursuit of Lord Cornwallis. He was influential in the adoption of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and played a major role in the establishment of the city of Raleigh. Estimated Value $250 - 350. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $144
Lot 662		Old North Church Remnant. Authentic wood segment of a beam from the historic Old North Church. Mounted on a descriptive certificate, measuring 8½" x 5½". Matted with two, 6½" x 5" color pictures of the Old Church and Paul Revere's historic ride. Attractively framed to an overall size of 16½" x 27". The church at 193 Salem Street, in the North End of Boston, is the location from which the famous "One if by land, and two if by sea" signal is said to have been sent. This phrase is related to Paul Revere's midnight ride of April 18, 1775, which preceded the Battles of Lexington and Concord during the American Revolution. Estimated Value $300 - 500. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $475
Lot 663		The Original Declaration of Independence…and Miniature Sketches of the Signers. Published by Seaver & Company, New York, 1861. With facsimile of the original document in the handwriting of Thomas Jefferson, biographical sketches of the Signers, the Constitution, and Amendments to the Constitution -- and a printed copy of the Declaration of Independence, as amended and adopted by Congress, followed by three pages of ads. Covers are ragged around edges; interior is lightly toned with a few marginal stains. Published as the Civil War loomed in order to create patriotic feeling for the Union. Estimated Value $150 - 200. View details and enlarged photos	Realized $90
Lot 664		[Tobias Lear] Law Books Pedigreed to Benjamin Lincoln Lear. Three law books which belonged to Tobias Lear, who served as executive secretary to George Washington from 1786 to 1799 and as tutor to Martha Washington's grandchildren, and which he left to his son, Benjamin Lincoln Lear, who was born in 1791 in George Washington's "White House" in Philadelphia. President Washington was Benjamin's godfather but Benjamin was named after Portsmouth's Col. Benjamin Lincoln, Tobias' uncle. The books are volumes II and III of The Laws of the United States of America. Acts Passed at the First Session of the Second Congress…In the Year M,DCC,XCI…, Philadelphia: Printed by Richard Folwell, 1796. Both octavo. Both volumes have the bookplate of Benjamin Lincoln Lear pasted to the inside cover. Leather covers are darkened and scraped. Spine of Vol. III with substantial damage, some dampstaining and damage to front pages. Vol. II has the texts of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, and An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States North-west of the River Ohio; also, some holograph notes and markings and signature on the title page of Thomas Herty, who wrote the other volume present: A Digest of the Laws of the United States of America. Being A Complete System (Alphabetically arranged) of all of the Public Acts of Congress Now in Force, by Thomas Herty, Vol. II, Washington City: Printed at the Apollo Press, For the Editor, by W. Duane & Son. 1802. Marbled boards, octavo, moderate to heavy toning throughout; numerous pages uncut. Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $3,000
Lot 665		Two Revolutionary War Documents. 12¼ x 7¾ in. true copy of a document headed "The Committee appointed in June 1777 to Estamate the service performed by the Several Inhabitants of the Town of Sudbury in the present war with Great Britan…." Amounts are listed for military services, including "the Minute Men which were Detained in Service at Cambridge in May 1775…the inlisted men called the Eight Months Men…the two Months men in Febry & March 1776…the men belonging to the Continantal Regements (Exept those belonging to Coll. Greatons which went into Canada)…the men which went to Ticonderoga…the two months men when went to New York…the three months men which went with Capt Moulton to Boston…." and more. Attested as "A true copy from the original" by James Thompson. Laid paper has normal age toning. With a 9 x 6¾" document regarding collecting state and town papers taxes, noted as "Copy of Constable William Stickney Genrel order January 1:1781." Estimated Value $400 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $228
Lot 666		Young King, Seneca Chief (1760-1835) "Koyengquahtah" was born in the village of Canandaigua and grew up during the American Revolution, during which the Seneca were allies of the British. He became a revered chief and was a reluctant signatory of the 1797 Treaty of Big Tree between the Seneca nation and the United States. The treaty opened up the territory west of the Genesee River for settlement and established ten reservations, perpetual annuities and hunting and fishing rights for the Seneca in Western New York. Young King moved to the Buffalo Creek reservation and eventually converted to Christianity. Document signed with the mark of Young King, 6¼ x 8 in., Buffalo, June 11, 1827. Young King signs in receipt of a payment from the U.S. Government: "Received of the United States by the hands of Jasper Parrish Sub Agent to the Six Nations of Indians, One Hundred Dollars, in full for my individual annuity for the first and second quarters of 1827, per Act of Congress of 16th April 1827. Dated at Buffalo, June 11th, 1827. Signed duplicates in presence of Chas F. Coit / Jellis Clute / Horatio Youas. Young King, his mark." Rare. Estimated Value $500 - 600. View details and enlarged photo	Realized $625