May 17, 2022 Early Arms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/17/2022
Very legible letter of 26 February 1780 from Von Steuben in Philadelphia to Physician General George Glentworth regarding a French officer who is sick and unable to obtain sufficient provisions. Von Steuben asks he be supplied on the same basis as the sick in Continental Army hospitals. “Sir, There is a French officer Mr. Marcellin who has been sick in this Town upwards of a month, & has received from the Continent nothing but his Rations of Salt provisions. This gentleman has been extremely sick & is now somewhat better & should want at this time some comforts as wine, sugar, tea, chocolate &c. and good fresh meat and bread. These things are granted to the sick in all the Continental Hospitals. I will be very much obliged to you, Sir, as I interest myself very much to this Officer & as I hear you are now the head of the Medical Department, if you will be so good as to let me know by a few lines where this Gentleman is to address himself to procure these articles so necessary to him in his situation. The present dearness of things does not by any means permit him to procure them with his own money. I have the honor to be Sir your most obedt. & very humble Servant, Steuben /Maj. General.” Von Steuben (1730-1794) and his contributions to the war effort and American independence need no summary. Glentworth is Doctor George Glentworth of Philadelphia, 1735-1792. Studied at University of Edinburgh, founder Phil. Med. Society 1766. Senior surgeon and physician in the Middle Department from 1 Nov. 1777 to September 1780. Reportedly treated Lafayette for a wound at Brandywine and set up a hospital for smallpox inoculation. The French officer may be Capt. Claude Antoine Villet de Marcellin, early member of the Society of the Cincinnati and later professor at Columbia. He served as Ensign 2nd Pennsylvania 28 July 1779; Lieutenant 1 Jan. 1781; transferred 3rd PA 1 Jan. 1783; PA Battalion June 1783; Brevet Capt. 6 Feb. 1784; discharged 20 June 1784. CONDITION: Excellent. Nicely laid out, matted, and framed with a portrait of Von Steuben. Minor dirt and few small edge nicks. An interesting document with connections to the Continental Army high command, French officers serving in America, and early medical practice in America.