Reporting on Washington's movements in New Jersey - photo 1
Reporting on Washington's movements in New Jersey - photo 2
Reporting on Washington's movements in New Jersey - photo 3
Reporting on Washington's movements in New Jersey - photo 4

Reporting on Washington's movements in New Jersey

Lot 34
16.10.2020 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Starting price
$ 22 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 411441
Lot 34 | Reporting on Washington's movements in New Jersey
Estimate value
$ 25 000 – 35 000
ANDRÉ, John (1750-1780). Autograph letter signed ("John André") to Major Preston, New York, 16 July 1777.

Four pages including integral address leaf, 224 x 182mm, bifolium (small loss from seal tear affects one word of text, hinged at spine to a larger sheet).

Maneuvers against Washington in New Jersey, his promotion to aide-de-camp, and news of the fall of Ticonderoga. An unusually long and detailed letter from André, offering a "small sketch of our Adventures" since being exchanged as a prisoner of war in December 1776. His regiment remained encamped on Staten Island until early June "when they took the field and marched with the rest of the Army into the Jerseys." Marching "from Amboy" he proceeded "to Brunswick & thence to Hillsborough on the Millstone Creek, there we remained a few days viewing Mr Washingtons advanced posts on the top of the blue mountains, but he did not chuse to appear in the plains." Unable to draw Washington out of "his fastness," his regiment returned to Amboy where they prepared to return to Staten Island, when they heard: "that a Body of men under Lord Sterling was drawing near the Town watching our motions … Washington with the rest of the Army had come down from the Mountains … An attempt was made on our Side by a forced march to cut off Mr Washington from his favorite hills but he van of the Army having fallen in with Ld. Sterlings Corps the alarm was given and the Rebel Army gained the Mountains," but the British gained three "pieces of cannon & about a hundred prisoners and did a little mischief besides with bayonet and Sabre." From there, André marched back to Amboy and onto Staten Island, and by early July found himself aboard a transport, "laying off the narrows and we are in hourly Expectations to sail but know now whither." André also reports on the capture of 70-80 rebels on Sandy Hook, while General Prescott "has had the misfortune to fall again into the wretches hands, he was surprized by a party 20 men and taken in his Bed at a country house on Rhode island between Newport and the Camp." He passes "strong reports that Tichonderoga [illeg.] and certain Intelligence is arrived of its being invested, so that we scarcely doubt its being in Gen: Burgyone's Hands." He also hears of the capture of Fort Anne which held a powder magazine, and shares his "good fortune to be appointed Aid de Camp to Major Gen: Grey, to whom I am now attached." During the British occupation of Philadelphia later that year, André would find himself quartered at the home of Benjamin Franklin and may have played a part in the removal of several valuable items from the house on orders of Major General Charles Grey, best known today for his role in the Paoli Massacre. In 1906, Grey's descendants returned a portrait of Franklin that now hangs in the White House.
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