Nov 29, 2012 - Sale 2296

Sale 2296 - Lot 7

Price Realized: $ 6,240
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 3,000 - $ 4,000
"KINGSTON [IS] LAID IN ASHES BY THE ENEMY" (AMERICAN REVOLUTION.) CLINTON, GEORGE. Autograph Letter Signed, "GeoClinton," to his brother James ("Dear Brother"), explaining that the British troops arrived at Kingston before George Clinton's troops, whereupon 1000 men burned the town and immediately returned to their ships, warning that a similar fate awaits the settlements along the shore and that forage and property should be moved from the path of the enemy, reminding him to take the sleigh from the barn as it is all the personal property that remains to him after that destroyed in Kingston, noting that the enemy is advancing up the river to Saugerties with Tryon commanding on the east side and Vaughan on the west. 1 1/2 pages, 8vo, with integral address leaf; some fading to text and signature, scattered minor toning and soiling, few short closed tears at edges. (JMR) "Head Quarters Hurley," 17 October 1777

Additional Details

"Before this can reach you [you] will receive the disagreeable account of Kingston being laid in ashes by the Enemy. They landed before my Troops arrived after a little opposition by the few militia Cols Pawling & Snyder could collect, and marched about 1000 Men immediately up to Town where they were told by some Tories who continued in it that my People were advancing on the Hurley Road & they immediately set it in Flames and extracted precipitately on Board their Vessels tho their Orders were to proceed to Hurley & the adjacent Neighborhoods to give them the same Fate, so that tho I was not able to get my Troops Time enough to save Kingston, they saved this and the other Parts of the Country near it. This will show you the Fate New Windsor & the other settlements along shore are to partake on the Enemy's Return down. Therefore the Necessity of removing the Forage &c from the Banks of the River among which remember my Sleigh in the Barn as it is now the only moveable Property I have left, the Best being removed to Kingston shared its Fate, tho indeed a great share of Property has been saved out of Town. The Enemy sailed up the River this Morning as high as Saugerties burning along Shore as they go. When they go a little higher I [will] follow them. They have Parties on both Sides of the River. Tryon commands those on the East & Vaughan on the West Side [of] the River."