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Wonderful & inclusive issue on the Major Andre-Benedict Arnold treason plot...



Item # 700601

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November 16, 1780

THE INDEPENDENT CHRONICLE & UNIVERSAL ADVERTISER, Boston, Nov. 16, 1780  A nice feature of the masthead is a great engraving taken after one done earlier by Paul Revere, showing a patriot soldier with a sword in one hand and a scroll reading "Independence" in the other.
Half of the front page is taken up with three documents each signed in type: John Hancock, one a "Proclamation" for a day of thanksgiving for events of the ongoing war. Another two documents signed; John Hancock on the back page.
Pages 2 and 3 have wonderful & very detailed content on the treasonous Major Andre/Benedict Arnold plot to surrender the American post at West Point.
A report is headed: "Proceedings of a Board of General Officers, held by Order of his Excellency General Washington...Respecting Major Andre...Sept. 29, 1780, at Tappan, in the State of New York. It includes: "Extracts of letters from General Washington to the President of Congress" which presents much detail on the plot. A few bits include: "... hours previous to my arrival Major-General Arnold went from his quarters...and...over the river to the garrison at West Point...I found General Arnold had not been there during the day...he was still absent...announcing the capture of a John Anderson...with several interesting important papers, all in the hand writing of General Arnold... also accompanied with a letter from the prisoner, avowing himself to be Major John Andre, Adj. General to the British army, relating the manner of his capture & endeavoring to shew that he did not come under the description of a spy..." and the content goes on and on.  Another item notes: "...a copy of the proceedings of a Board of General Officers in the case of Major Andrew...The offer was executed in pursuance of the opinion of the board on Monday, the 2d inst, at 12 o'clock at our late camp at Tappan..." and again much more.
Include as well is a letter signed in type: G. Washington, concerning the charges against Andre and Arnold, then a lengthy letter admitting to the plot, signed in type: John Andre, Adjutant General, and still more. See the photos for the text.
Another report on page 3 notes in part: "...that General Ethan Allen, with 1300 brave Green Mountain Boys under his command... pursued 1400 of the enemy...came up with them near Skeensborough, when a severe action ensued, in which the enemy were defeated and that General Allen had killed and taken six hundred of them."
We believe this to be the first American newspaper with this content we have sold in many, many years.
Four pages, pages 2 and 3 each have one inked error in the blank margins, not touching text.  Nice condition.

Category: Revolutionary War