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This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/9/2015

Incredibly important Letter Written by John Laurence.

John Laurens (October 28, 1754 – August 27, 1782) was an American soldier and statesman from South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War, best known for his efforts to help recruit slaves to fight for their freedom as soldiers, in addition to his critical views against slavery, which set Laurens apart from many of his compatriots of the time.One of only a few known letters by this Revolutionairy hero.

Although Laurens gained approval from the Continental Congress in 1779 to recruit a brigade of 3,000 slaves by promising them freedom in return for fighting, he was killed in the Battle of the Combahee River in August 1782, shortly after sending the letter to General Nathaniel Greene and believed to be docketed by Greene on back. This letter written to Greene talks about the capture of a schooner, which was a pivotal point in the battle, also talks about Francis Marion(The Swamp Fox) and that his blacks, could fortify a fort for him.  Amazing historical content in this long letter. Dated 20Th March 1782. in Full "Dear General. I have received your letter of the 19TH• The principal motives that induced me to wish a movement of the Army on this side of the river were that as in present circumstances the Lt. Troops must always encamp within reach of Bacon's Bridge. The distance from the enemy is to great as to give them a facility of making excursions for forage & returning with impunity that we cannot form any enterprise upon any of their advanced posts and consequently is insipid and without object. Whereas if the position between Ashley River and Goose Creek were taken and General Marion drawn down towards your left the enemy circumscribed in his posts would be precluded from the only movements which he is from his circumstances at liberty to make. I mean convoys of forage and subsistence. We should be enabled to look into their advanced posts and camp and probably find an opening for enterprise. Our vicinity would undoubtedly require vigilance and alertness of the guards but should be under no apprehension of a surprise. This partial investment of the enemy would at the present stage of the war have in my opinion very powerful and opposite effects upon the minds of the two parties if it did not promote desertion of the regular corps. I am persuaded it would detach many of the militia officers and men from the British interests. It would appear to them the preliminary of a siege and they would be in daily apprehension of the arrival of troops and ships. On our part it would give new animation to the Country and give us the resources of one part which I am far from believing exhausted. The enemy would certainly lose ground politically and in order to prevent our, losing it militarily a few works might be made to strengthen our front. This could be performed altogether by blacks. But the present circumstances of the Army may be such as to require the repose, which appears to me to irksome. The want of arms and clothing and the composition of part of your troops are great restraints. I ordered the armed schooner near the enemy left to be attempted the night before last by boarding and to be brought up the river in case of success. My project was to have established a bridge head on the left hand shore of the Ashley as low down as the nature of the ground and position of the enemy would admit and to have collected means of transportation at that point. If you had approved of it this would have saved us great movements, given us a safe position on this side of the river and a great facility of appearing suddenly before their lines, whenever it was judged proper and on the whole would have been a very effectual restraint on their detachments. The schooner was captured by a party of fourteen under the conduct of Captain Rudolph of the Legion Infantry but her vicinity to the lines rendered it impracticable to bring her off & he was reduced to the necessity of blowing her up. After bringing off the Captain with the greatest part of the crew the rest made their escape. This service was effected without the loss or hurt of a man on our part & Captain Rudolph deserves great praise for his bravery and good conduct. I am Dear General Yours Affectionately " John Laurens"

The Honorable General Greene/From Colonel Laurens/20 March 1782 "Plan of operation between the Ashley & Goose Creek/Capture of the Galley by Rudolph and Lt. Smith with 14 men of the Legion Infantry".

John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!
John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!
John Laurens, Historic Letter Very Rare!
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Bidding
Current Bidding
Minimum Bid: $500.00
Final prices include buyers premium.: $3,540.00
Number Bids: 9
Auction closed on Thursday, July 9, 2015.

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