Lot 220
Middleton, Arthur (1742-1787), South Carolina signer of the Declaration of Independence, soldier, planter, politician, member of the Continental Congress (1776-1778, 1781-1783). Two Revolutionary War-dated Autograph Documents [unsigned], penned as a member of Congress on front and back of one sheet, 8 x 13½ [Philadelphia], no date [ca. 1782].
First is a balance sheet headed "State of Finance" with a beginning balance of £16,000 comprising a "Subsidy fr. Fr [ance] ~ US" for £6,000 and "Dutch Loan Adv.d fr. Treasury Fr" for £10,000. There follows an itemization of various debits mentioning £800 paid to Benjamin Franklin, £2797.392 "reserved for furnishg articles equivalent to those on b.d the Ship Marquis Fayette taken [the French ship, Marquis de la Fayette was captured by the British, its contents sold at a prize auction in 1781] and £1200 to Anne-César, "Chev. de la Luzerne", French Minister to the U.S.
Second is list of battle sites and commanding officers (both U.S. and British) in and around South Carolina from late summer of 1780 until December of 1782, mentioning, among others, Thomas Sumpter, Nathaniel Greene ["Green"], and John Cornwallis.
Fine condition, enclosed in a custom quarter-leather portfolio with historical background and an engraved portrait.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000
In 1780, while serving in the militia defending the city of Charleston, Middleton was taken prisoner by the British and sent to St. Augustine for nearly a year. He was finally released in a prisoner exchange in July of 1781 and returned to the Continental Congress.
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| Realized $11,000 |
