Appointing a District of Columbia militia officer - photo 1

Appointing a District of Columbia militia officer

Lot 167
27.01.2023 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
$ 5 292
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 887945
Lot 167 | Appointing a District of Columbia militia officer
Estimate value
$ 4 000 – 6 000
JEFFERSON, Thomas (1743-1826). Manuscript document signed ("Th:Jefferson") as President, Washington, 24 September 1805.

One page, vellum, 350 x 410mm (mild toning). Countersigned by James MADISON ("James Madison") as Secretary of State. Endorsed on verso and signed by Young before Justice of the Peace Jacob Hoffman, Washington, 21 November 1805.

Jefferson appoints "Robert Young" as a "Major of the second Legion of the Militia of the District of Columbia." On 3 May 1802 Congress authorized the President to organize the militia for Washington, D.C. Organized into legions, the first was composed of companies north of the Potomac while the second was manned by units from south of the Potomac in Alexandria County, Virginia. Top appointments were reserved for political allies of the administration rather than those with any significant military experience (see Frederick P. Todd, "The Militia and Volunteers of the District of Columbia 1783-1820," Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Washington, D.C. Vol. 50 (1948/1950), pp. 379-439). An 1813 letter addressed to James Madison complained of the tremendous lack of discipline in all ranks, noting that the companies "had no confidence in the military skill or experience of principal part of the field Officers of the Militia," and if attacked, the city "should be in continual danger of having our lines broken, & our flanks exposed: to the utter confusion, loss, & disgrace of the whole." The complaint proved prescient as this is how the Battle of Bladensburg unfolded the following year, allowing the British to capture and burn Washington (see Officers of the Volunteer Militia in the District of Columbia to James Madison, 22 September 1813 in The Papers of James Madison, Presidential Series, Vol. 6, 8 February–24 October 1813).
Artist:Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)
Place of origin:USA
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
13.01.2023 – 27.01.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

On George Washington's aide-de-camp
On George Washington's aide-de-camp
$100
Notes on the State of Virginia
Notes on the State of Virginia
$12 000
Defending the Embargo Act of 1807
Defending the Embargo Act of 1807
$12 000
On construction work at Monticello
On construction work at Monticello
$100

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.