Jun 21, 2018 - Sale 2483

Sale 2483 - Lot 31

Price Realized: $ 8,125
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 8,000 - $ 12,000
"COL HAMILTON INDUCED ME TO TAKE THE ROAD I MARCHED" KALB, JOHANN. Autograph Letter Signed, "The Baron deKalb," to Colonel Charles Pettit, reporting the position of his division and acknowledging Pettit's request to save dry forage. 1 page, small 4to, with integral address leaf; silked on pages 2-3, minor scattered foxing, conjugate leaves joined with linen, small holes in address leaf expertly repaired with paper, folds. "At Camp near Col. Humphrey's" [Fishkill, NY], 22 September 1778

Additional Details

"The letter I received last evening from Col Hamilton induced me to take the Road I marched my Division, which movement is also agreeable to the orders I received today by a letter from His Excellency. I had already past Col. Vandebrugh [James Vanderburgh?] when I got it. Upon the whole I think I am Encamped so as His Excellency directed me. 11 miles & a half from Fishkill Town on the road leading to Sharon and Boston, on a convenient tolerable high Ground [,] the said road in the rear and fish Creek in front.
"There are some good pastures [;] I shall confine our horses to them to Save the dry forage as you desire."
Writing to Kalb from Pawling, NY, on September 22, 1778, General Washington clarifies his orders: "Lest you should not thoroughly have conceived my intention, as communicated by Lt. Colo. Hamilton, I give you . . . this Letter. . . . I mean that you should . . . be ready to support the Posts at West point . . . and . . . that you do move that way immediately upon receiving notice form General Putnam that the Enemy demonstrate an intention of operating that way . . . ." West Point was of critical importance as it was one of the fortifications preventing the enemy's use of the Hudson River.