Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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A Portion of the George J. Kramer Grand Prix Collection of United States Domestic Mails 1776-1869 continued...

Revolutionary War

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Marquis de Lafayette. Revolutionary War hero from France, free frank "Lafayette M.g." (Major-General) on folded cover addressed in another hand to "His Excellency, Governor Burke, State of North Carolina, Halifax", originated at Yorktown Va., receipt docketing "Letter from Marquis LaFayette, 6th Sept. 1781, (?) 31st Jany 1782"

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE'S FREE FRANK WITH HIS RANK AS MAJOR-GENERAL IN THE AMERICAN ARMY. A FASCINATING REVOLUTIONARY WAR-PERIOD USE TO GOVERNOR BURKE DURING THE MONTHS HE WAS IMPRISONED BY THE BRITISH UNDER CONDITIONS THAT HARMED HIM PHYSICALLY AND PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO HIS DEATH IN 1783.

Thomas Burke was the third governor of North Carolina. In September 1781, he was captured by Tories under the command of Col. David Fanning, and after a failed rescue attempt by patriot militia under the command of John Butler at the Battle of Lindley's Mill, Burke was imprisoned by the British Army on James Island near Charleston, S.C. Burke was allowed to live freely on the island under parole, but he was subject to mistreatment and deplorable conditions. On January 16, 1782, Burke escaped and made his way back to North Carolina. This mail from Lafayette was waiting for him upon his return.

Ex Siskin (Image)

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E. $ 4,000-5,000

SOLD for $6,250.00
Will close during Public Auction

Nathaniel Greene. 1782 folded letter to "Brigadier General Wayne Commanding in Georgia", letter datelined "Head Quarters So. Carolina, June 7th 1782" written by the aide de camp Wm. Pierce, concerning the appropriation of horses "taken from the enemy", all in Pierce's hand, including "Nat. Greene" public service endorsement (Commander Army of the South), some repaired splitting along folds, Very Fine and desirable Revolutionary War military letter (Image)

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E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $2,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

Abraham Skinner. "A. Skinner, Com. Gen. Pris." endorsement as Commissary General of Prisoners and "public service" on folded cover addressed in his hand to "The Hon. Brigr. Genl. Wayne at Camp near Morris Town", receipt docketing "28th Decr. 1780 from Major Skinner Commg. Prisoners", neatly reinforced folds, Very Fine, Major Abraham Skinner succeeded John Beatty as Deputy Commissary General of Prisoners in March 1780, ex Historical Society of Pennsylvania (deaccession) (Image)

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E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $900.00
Will close during Public Auction

(Military Courier, 1776) "To Capt. Joshua Huntington, In Genl. Washington's Camp, Per Thos. Burr Esq." Address on folded letter datelined "New Haven Nov. 5th 1776", light vertical file fold, Very Fine, sent free to a member of the Continental Army, assuming delivery took about a week, General Washington left Northcastle N.Y. on Nov. 10 and proceeded to Peekskill where he remained for several days when he determined to place a fort at West Point, ex Seacrest (Image)

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E. $ 500-750

SOLD for $2,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

(Ship Letter, 1781) "Boston 25th June 1781". Dateline on folded letter from quartermaster John Hatch to Benjamin Bourne in Providence R.I., sender's endorsement "(public service)", manuscript "sh 2" postmark, "Colonel Pickering mentions there are at Providence 2,396 pickaxes fit for service, also 561 spades and shovels...170 yoke of cattle...immediate transport to the main army", light vertical file fold, Very Fine and scarce, this entered the mails either at a port other than Providence and was charged 1dwt, 8gr (60-100 miles) plus 16gr incoming ship fee and then doubled to meet the inflation rate (paid in cash), or else at Providence and was rated double 1dwt for incoming ship local delivery, a scarce war-period ship letter during the period when the British coastal blockade was in effect (Image)

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E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $3,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

(Middletown Conn., 1779) "Middletown 16". Manuscript postmark and 16dwt rate on folded letter with 23 Aug. 1779 date to Colonel Wadsworth, Commissary General, at New Windsor N.Y., light vertical file fold, Very Fine, rated for 100-200 miles at the 1775 rate (2dwt, 16gr X 50%=4dwt x 2=8dwt x 2 sheets=16dwt), as a result of policies of Congress in trying to curb inflation by making paper money legal tender, by early 1780 Wadsworth could not keep competent agents and resigned (Image)

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E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $2,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

(Edenton N.C., 1777) "Edenton 18th July 1777". Dateline on folded letter addressed to "The Manager of the United States Lottery at Philadelphia", matching "Free", letter reads "we have advertised as you requested and have sold some few tickets", light vertical file folds and some splitting inside, Very Fine and rare use, the lottery was one of the mechanisms used to help pay for the war, examples of mail related to its operation are rare (Image)

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E. $ 500-750

SOLD for $2,200.00
Will close during Public Auction

BALTIMORE/November 3, 1782. Bold strike of two-line datestamp with yeardate struck on back of folded letter to Philadelphia, manuscript "2-16" dwt rate, light vertical file folds, Very Fine Confederation Post cover, this is the first American year-dated handstamp (Image)

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E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $700.00
Will close during Public Auction

BALTIMORE/December 16, 1782. Bold strike of two-line datestamp with yeardate struck in red on back of folded letter from Cuba to Philadelphia, datelined "Havana 8th November 1782", manuscript "3-8" rate for 3dwt 8gr and "1/7" due in local currency (3dwt8gr=10p x 1.67 inflation factor=17p plus 2p carrier fee=1sh7p), light vertical file folds and minor soiling, Very Fine and scarce use from Cuba which added 16gr to the rate for the incoming ship fee, this is the latest reported use of this postmark which is the first American year-dated handstamp (Image)

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E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $2,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

(Philadelphia Pa., Jan. 21, 1783) "21 IA". Franklin mark struck on folded letter to Boston, manuscript "4" dwt rate for distance of 300-400 miles, vertical file fold, Very Fine, this was routed around New York City because the city and its harbor were occupied by the British from Sep. 17, 1776 until Oct. 25, 1783 (Image)

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E. $ 300-400

SOLD for $425.00
Will close during Public Auction

"Virginia 8th July 1783". Dateline on folded letter to "John Francis Mercer, in Congress at Princeton New Jersey", no rate because sent free, from Mercer's brother, interesting letter including "I am really glad Congress has at last had virtue enough to leave Philadelphia. They could never prosper there for a city comprised of 7,000 militia to permit a mob of 250 to insult the Supreme Executive of America is a disgrace", vertical file folds, Very Fine, in June 1783 demonstrations were held in Philadelphia by army veterans who were seeking unpaid back pay, Congress moved to Princeton for four months, this was addressed to the temporary location (Image)

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E. $ 500-750

SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction