ID 1539281
Los 943 | A BROADSIDE ANNOUNCING THE AMERICAN VICTORY AT CHARLESTON
Schätzwert
$ 15 000 – 20 000
"they never had such a drubbing in their lives."
An unrecorded broadside announcing the American victory at Charleston as well as fireworks in Princeton celebrating independence. Printed by Solomon Southwick the same month he printed a broadside of the Declaration of Independence, the present notice reports on Lord Howe's confirmation of Major General Lee's account of the
the siege of Charleston on 28 June 1776. Lee's unlikely victory was in great part due to the fortifications along the narrow channel leading into Charleston Harbor. Constructed of soft palmetto logs, the fortifications absorbed the British naval artillery, effectively neutralizing their effect, while the Lee's forces transformed the channel into a gauntlet that inflected heavy damage on the Royal Navy Ships sent to capture the town. And until the battle of Trenton at years end, this would some of the last "Grand News" for the campaign. A proud General Lee reported, "We had only ten men killed on the spot, and twenty-two wounded, seven of whom lost their limbs. But with their limbs, they did not lose spirits, for they enthusiastically encouraged their comrades, never to abandon the standard of liberty and their country." British reports, gleaned from deserters confirmed the victory: "About two o'clock on Friday, some of the men cried out the Yankees had done fighting, others replied they were glad of it, for they never had such a drubbing in their lives, they had been told that the Yankees would not stand two fires, but they never saw better fellows, all the common men in the fleet spoke loudly in praise of the garrison. There was a report in the fleet that no quarters would be given to the Americans, and that 5000£ had been offered for General Lee."
The broadside also notes several other important events, including the American retreat from Canada as well as a report from Princeton from 10 July: "Last night Nassau Hal was grandly illuminated, and INDEPENDENENDY proclaimed under a triple volley of musketry, and universal acclamation for the prosperity of the UNITED STATES. The ceremony was conducted with the greatest decorum."
Letterpress broadside. 350 x 230mm (light foxing).
| Kategorie des Auktionshauses: | Briefe, Dokumente und Manuskripte |
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| Kategorie des Auktionshauses: | Briefe, Dokumente und Manuskripte |
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| Adresse der Versteigerung |
CHRISTIE'S 8 King Street, St. James's SW1Y 6QT London Vereinigtes Königreich | |
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