Lot 1032
Stark, John (1728-1822), American Revolutionary War General from New Hampshire, hero at Bunker Hill and "Hero of Bennington". Revolutionary War Dated Autograph Letter Signed, one page, 7¼ x 9¼ Albany, June 2, 1779. To Philip Van Rensselaer, Public Store Keeper: "Sir, You will Supply Genl. TenBrouk’s Brigade of Militia with Arms, Ammonition [sic] &ct: as may stand in need for taking Receipts to be accountable for the same." Choice signature "John Stark, BG", docketed on verso, Very Fine.
Estimate 4,000 - 6,000
AN EXCEPTIONAL WAR DATE DOCUMENT FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE’S GREATEST HERO.
Expertization: PSA/DNA Letter of Authenticity.
Passed over for promotion to General, Stark resigned his Continental Army commission in March of 1777. Four months later, he was offered a commission as Brigadier General of the New Hampshire Militia. He accepted on the condition that he would not be answerable to Continental Army authority. Soon afterward he was ordered by Brigadier General Philip Schuyler to depart from Charlestown, New Hampshire to reinforce the Continental Army at Saratoga, N.Y. He refused and instead led his men to meet the Hessians at the Battle of Bennington. Before engaging the Hessian troops, Stark prepared his men to fight to the death, shouting, "There are your enemies…They are ours, or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow!" In 1809 he was invited to a reunion of Bennington veterans. He replied in a letter that he was not well enough to travel and closed with the words, "Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils." In 1945 "Live free or die" became the New Hampshire state motto.
|
| |
| Unsold |
