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Sale 58
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Lot 39
Washington, George (1732-1799) Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and First President of the United States (1789-1796). Letter Signed G:o Washington" as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, 1½ pages, 11¾ x 7¼ in., Head Quarters West Point, August 25, 1779. Although unnamed on this letter, we know that Washington was writing to Joseph Hewes, signer of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina and a member of the Continental Congress because the Papers of George Washington in the Library of Congress has Washngton's retained copy with Hewes listed as the recipient. Hewes had asked Washington to help gain the "enlargement" (release) of a friend captured by the British. Very good; encapsulated. The body of the letter is in the hand of Lt. Col. Tench Tilghman, secretary and later aide-de-camp to Gen. Washington. Choice bold "G:o Washington" signature.
Washington refuses to trade military prisoners in exchange for civilian hostages taken by the British and explains why: "…I wish it were in my power to fall upon the means of procuring the enlargement of your friend Mr.Granberry, but as I have no Citizen under my controul who would be a fit subject to propose as an exchange, either upon parole or finally, I have not an opportunity of interesting myself in his behalf. It has been a point determined and invariably pe[r]sisted in, not to give up a person in the military line, for one in the Civil. Had not this conduct have been pursued, the Enemy would have been encouraged to have seized many more Citizens than they have done in their several excursions. The most probable mode of obtaining Mr. Granberry’s release, will be, to endeavor to procure some Gentleman who may be already, or may hereafter be captured by a Vessel belonging to the State of which he is an inhabitant."
Estimated Value $40,000 - 60,000.
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| Realized $31,625 |
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