Dec 01, 2011 - Sale 2263

Sale 2263 - Lot 119

Price Realized: $ 24,000
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 8,000 - $ 12,000
"THE MOHAWKS . . . HAVE BROUGHT EIGHT FRENCH CAPTIVES AND FOUR SCALPS" (COLONIAL WARS--KING GEORGE'S WAR.) Large archive of the papers of Brigadier General Joseph Dwight. 126 items, including 105 letters (most addressed to Dwight regarding the war), 11 muster rolls and other military lists, and 10 other manuscript documents. Various sizes and conditions, most with 19th-century repairs, each with inked library stamp. Vp, 1734-62, most 1746-48
Set Alert for Similar Items

Additional Details

Joseph Dwight (1703-1765) was born and raised in western Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard in 1722. He became Brigadier General of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. During King George's War, he led the Massachusetts troops on the western frontier for the great "proposed expedition to Canada" which was intended to end French ambitions along the colonies' northern frontiers. Hundreds of soldiers enlisted, but lacked adequate provisions or gear for such an undertaking, and were spread thin in small units along the desolate frontier. Meanwhile, the French and their Indian allies grew increasingly bold, with scouts and raiding parties constantly harassing the ill-equipped English garrisons.
The bulk of this collection consists of letters addressed to Dwight from his subordinate officers from the summer of 1746 through early 1748. The earlier letters are infused with high hopes and patriotism, and two citizens in August 1746 reported enlisting their slaves for service. As supplies and morale ran low, the captains and colonels complained that their solders were not being paid, nearly naked, running low on ammunition, and ever closer to outright mutiny. A Deerfield officer named William Williams reported that "Discoveries of the enemy in small parties have been frequently made, hovering about us" (31 July 1747). The next week, Nathaniel Lothrop at Fort Number 4 described an incident: "One of our men was shot upon by the Indians, one of which he shot down upon the spot, and so made his escape to the forte" (10 August 1747). A rescue party was sent out to save this soldier as Indians pursued him back to the gates. Nathaniel Kellogg offered a rare glimpse of humor, describing how a stray dog had wandered into the fort, which they supposed to be property of the enemy; they released it with a mocking note around its collar reading "To the Genl of the supposed advancing French army" (14 August 1747).
One of Dwight's most frequent and most outspoken correspondents was Capt. Ephraim Williams Jr. (1715-1755), who had charge of remote Fort Massachusetts in present-day North Adams. He is best remembered today as the founder of Williams College. His nine signed letters to Dwight, 1743-47, are full of interesting commentary. On his Stockbridge Indian troops: "They are the most difficult people to be concerned with, tho I believe will be very serviceable in the army" (15 February 1746). On a New York scouting expedition: "We hear from Albany the Mohawks are some of them returned from Canada and have brought eight French captives and four scalps" (24 November 1746). On the poor state of the troops: "Capt. Pettybone's men almost naked & quite lousy" (4 July 1747). On the need for Massachusetts to go on the offensive: "I am astonish'd to think the eyes of the most blind are not now opened when they hear of the enemies making their nearer approaches to us by multiplying their fortresses still nearere our borders" (8 July 1747).
In addition to the correspondence, numerous muster rolls and other documents shed light on the aborted campaign. A leaf of Joseph Dwight's own journal entries dated 21 June to 8 July 1747 is particularly revealing: "22d. Set out and came here, recd accts of the enemy attacking Surratoga & killing 60 men." On 30 June, a scout "discovered a number of the enemy there, heard them talk & one of the men sd he saw three, another two, upon wch they run & the enemy chased them a mile or more." On 8 July, he authorized a small raiding party: "Wrote Capt Melvin his permission & warrant to go on the scalping design."
Among the 19 pre-war documents, most noteworthy is a one-page "Proceedings of the Proprietors of Muddy Brook" signed by Dwight as moderator, discussing the property divisions in a small settlement in Great Barrington, MA, 8 May 1740. a detailed inventory of this important colonial military archive is available upon request.