ENGRAVED "FORT NO. 4" POWDER HORN OF JOHN ADAMS, DATED JULY 1748 AND LISTING MEN KILLED SINCE MARCH.

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/26/2018

This 1748 dated powder horn from "King George's War" is important as it records the events that occurred at Fort No. 4 in Charleston, New Hampshire and lists the men killed or taken there, from March 1 until May 30 of that year. This unique Fort Number 4 powder horn is inscribed: "IOHN :: ADAMS :: HIS :: HORN" "JULY :: ye : 11th :: 1748 : A : CATALOGUE" ": OF : THE : MEN : Kild, AND : TAKen : SINCE : MARCH" ": Ye : 1 : Chx : STEPHENS : WAS : Kild : AND :: I :: P :" ": Ws TAKEN : At : No. 4 : & : MARCH : ye. : LEVt." "SA,r Ws Kild, AND * COP,r : I : W : & M : : Was Kild. :" "ye 25: W : B : TAKn : at : P : Quage : MAY : ye 30th : SE,r." ":: ISAAC * TAYLOR :: 7 Clark * IOHN :: DOOD" ":: &" ":: M :: P :" "21 ::: PO" It is fitted with a domed, hardwood butt plug. There is a filled hole where there once was a knob. The plug is attached with wood pins. The recessed portion of the horn is faceted with two carved rings. The tip has a lip that is very nicely carved with scalloping. According to research done by Mr. Jones, a more complete version of the text is as follows. He added complete names of the soldiers when only initials are listed and corrected conventions to modern English. The researcher also included more in depth information about the soldiers listed. This research is included with the horn. "John Adams, his horn" "July 11, 1748, a catalogue" "of the men killed and taken since March" "The first Charles Stevens was killed and Eleazer Priest" "was taken at No. 4, March the Lieutenant" "Sergeant was killed and Corporal Joshua Wells, Moses Cooper was killed" "and Daniel Sergeant was taken at Fort Drummer and May" "the 25 Jason Badcock taken at Paquoig and may the 30th Sergeant" "Isaac Taylor and Clerk John Dodd" "Joseph Petty" This horn is pictured and described on pages 22 and 23 of Jay Hopkins book "Bone Tipped and Banded Horns. According to Hopkins, "It is the earliest dated horn with lathe turned elements the [he had] come across for this study. It was almost certainly of New England manufacture." During the Summer of 1746, the inhabitants of surrounding communities were compelled to take refuge in the fort. Their lands could not be worked. As winter approached, they had to leave Number 4 and leave their former communities of Groton, Lunenberg, and Leominster, Massachusetts. In March 1747, Captain Phineas Stevens with thirty men as ordered by Governor William Shirley to march to Fort Number 4. The post had been deserted for more than two months ands it was feared Number 4 would be burned or taken if it was left unmanned. They arrived on March 27, finding the fort in good condition and occupied by an old Spaniel and a cat, left behind at its desertion. The journal of Lieutenant John Burk of Captain Phineas Steven's Company, which was kept at Fort Number 4, records the death of a Charles Stevens and the capture of a Eliezer Priest on March 15, 1748. The horn appears to record these men's names in an abbreviated form. Another journal entry from a Captain Eleazer Melvin, dated May 31, 1748, records the deaths of an Isaac Taylor and a John Dod, who also appear to be recorded on the powder horn. At one point, they repulsed an invading force of nearly 300 French and Indians. Condition: Very Good, as described. This horn features a nice, mellow patina. Approximately one half of the 1/8 inch rim at the plug is missing with some chipping. This damage appears to have been done during this horn's period of use due to the soft edges. There is also a 4 - 1/2 hairline crack which runs though two of the panels of lettering. Some small abrasions are present.