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Edward Hand, Two Revolutionary War-Date ADsS, 

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Historical Memorabilia Start Price:700.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 2,000.00 USD
Edward Hand, Two Revolutionary War-Date ADsS, 

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Auction Date:2009 Jun 24 @ 10:00 (UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT)
Location:6270 Este Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, 45232, United States
pay directives from Edward Hand as Commander of Fort Pitt to Paymaster Boynton, dated April 16, 1778, one on each side of a 3.5" x 6.25" piece of rag laid paper. One side dated 16 Apr. 1778, to Daniel Newman, £86 for his pay for nearly 4 months as Surgeon; other side dated 18 Apr. 1778, for pay to Mr. Thos. Valentine Dalton £81.8sh.6p for pay for 6 months as Fort Adjutant.

Edward Hand's reputation as a front-line troop commander was his indelible claim to fame in Washington's service. He was born in King's County, Ireland in 1744. His first career was in medicine. To avoid a 5-year doctor's apprenticeship, he joined the British Army as a Surgeon's Mate and was sent to America in 1767. Hand was fascinated by America's "self-government" experiment. He left the British Army in 1774 and settled in Lancaster, PA.

When the Revolutionary War began, he was made a Lieutenant Colonel of the Pennsylvania Riflemen in the American Army. the Pennsylvania riflemen were comprised mostly of young men from around Lancaster. They were regarded as one of the American Army's best fighting units.

The unit was soon activated for a forced march, destination Boston, where Col. Hand, as 2nd in command, and these men, would face the British at Bunker Hill as the 1st Continental Regiment. This unit was the very first combat unit sponsored by Congress in the Continental Army of George Washington - the very first regiment of the people's new army.

With great skill in his engagement on Long Island (Battle of Brooklyn), Hand was able to provide Washington with most of his intelligence needs while also managing the immediate affairs of his own musketmen. During the battle, he was among the most active in harassing the British, and he and his regiment under William Alexander, Lord Stirling, held the British advance up the Shore Road. But his undying contribution to American arms came in the days following the brilliant envelopment by Washington of the crown forces at Trenton ("Washington's Crossing of the Delaware").

Hand was promoted to Brigadier General in 1777 and given command of Fort Pitt in western PA where he fought Loyalists and Indians. In 1780, he was promoted to Brigade Commander of Lafayette's Light Infantry Division. George Washington made Hand Adjutant General of the American Army in February 1781. Hand served in the siege of Yorktown that led to the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis and the British Army (Oct. 19, 1781). He marched with the troops back to Philadelphia, where the Army was disbanded.

After resigning from the military, Hand served in the Continental Congress (1783-84) and signed the Pennsylvania State Constitution (1790). Edward Hand died in Lancaster on Sept. 3, 1802 of cholera. 

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