November 7-8, 2018 Edged Weapons, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/7/2018
Eight documents relating to the purchase, management and issue of "fresh provisions", principally cattle and sheep, to the British and Hessian hospitals of the New York garrison. Two are retained copies of letters or memorandums removed from a 1780 letterbook, while three are from a 1781 folio ledger of provision returns, both kept by Abijah Willard, Deputy Commissary on Long Island. The remaining three documents consist of a 1777 copy return of provisions issued by Willard, a 24 April 1782 receipt for fresh beef issued to the Hessian General Hospital, signed by F. Gelan, Purveyor, and a letter from Secretary Wemys of the Board of Public Accounts to Willard, dated New York, 24 April 1783, requesting him to attend the next Board meeting on May 1st (1 p., ADS, quarto, docketed on recto). Loyalist Abijah Willard (1724-1789) had previously served with merit as an officer in the Massachusetts Provincials at the taking of Louisbourg in 1745 and again during the French & Indian War. He volunteered to serve as a guide for the British expeditionary force to Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 and during the Siege of Boston, commanded one of the five companies of the Loyal American Association. Following the British evacuation of New York in 1783, Willard settled with his family in New Brunswick and was appointed to the Executive Council of the new province, a post he held until his death. From the Walter O'Connor collection.
Item Dimensions: 14 - 1/2" x 12".