Lot 112
Gage, Thomas (1719/20 20-1787) Commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America (1763-1775). Appointed military governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1774, it fell to him to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party by implementing the Intolerable Acts. When he attempted to seize military stores of Patriot militias in April 1775, the Battles of Lexington and Concord ensued, beginning the American War of Independence. General William Howe replaced him after the Battle of Bunker Hill and Gage returned to England. Manuscript Document Signed ("Thos Gage") as Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Forces in North America, one page with separate docket leaf, 12½ x 7¾ in., New York, April 4, 1770. An order to Francis Stephens, Storekeeper and Paymaster of His Majesty's Ordnance at New York: "You are hereby directed and required to deliver to one of the Artificers going to Niagara Three Foot Tents compleat, for the use of Seven Carpenters and eight Masons to be employed in building new Blockhouses, and other works at Niagara…." With the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, Fort Niagara fell into disrepair. A stockade was added in 1768 to provide protection against an Indian attack and in 1770-71, two stone redoubts were added. The tents ordered by Gage were the workmen sent to build the redoubts and the tents were for their use.
The storekeeper and paymaster obviously kept Gage's order, which had two nice blank pages, for some notes of his own. On the verso of both pages are Revolutionary War-date notes about supplies, beginning in November 1776 and ending May 25, 1779. In 1776, the writer notes livestock, guns, clothing, etc., "Lost by the Enemy" (America being the enemy). There are notations from 1777 and 1778 and a full page of entries for May 25, 1779 losses, which include many supplies, and four horses, "Lost by taken up the Bredge by Cap Diceson order Col. Clarke Reg[i]ment Car[o]lina men when the Enemy was persuing John Demarest with the Effects." The page with Gage's order is very good. The page with the docket and the verso of both pages are stained and some items faded, but overall legible. A very interesting lot!
Estimated Value $2,750 - 3,000.
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