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(Washington, George) Biography of Washington in Notes

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:2,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
(Washington, George) Biography of Washington in Notes
<Our item number 119517><B>&#40;Washington, George&#41; &#34;Biography of Washington in Notes written by himself upon a Sketch made by Col. D. Humphries--. Copied from the original autograph of Washington in possession of the late Mrs. Humphries. J.P.</B>&#34; This is the inscription on the wrappers of the manuscript notes, 22¼ ruled pages, 9¾&#34; x 7¼&#34;, n.p., n.d. The notes, aside from the answers to a few questions about his early life [questions not present] pertain to Washington&#39;s early military career, specifically his expedition in the spring of 1754 to attempt to establish a post at the forks of the Ohio &#40;the current site of Pittsburgh&#41; before the French reached it, only to learn that the French had beat him there and established a post they called Du Quesne. Washington fell back to Great Meadows and he recounts details of his troops&#39; attack of a Frenc scouting party, including having one horse killed from under him and two wounded, a ball through his hat and s everal others through his clothing, but escaping unscathed.The notes also mention an incident in which some of his men were killed by friendly fire, but nowhere is Washington&#39;s capitulation to the French mentioned. It is stated that Washington resigned his military commission because of &#34;<I>an inveterate disorder in his Bowels</I>&#34; and because he had &#34;<I>seen quiet restored…to the Frontiers</I>….&#34; <BR><BR>A note in &#34;J.P.&#39;s&#34; hand at the bottom of page one states, &#34;The word <U>his</U> in the original appears to have been altered from <U>my</U>, in order to accommodate it to Col. Humphreys work.&#34; A statement at the end of the notes says that &#34;<I>The information given in these sheets--tho related from memory…is believed to be depended upon</I>….&#34; and requests that after Col. Humphries has abstracted what he deems proper, &#34;<I>that the whole of what is here contained may be returned to GW, or committed to the flames</I>….&#34; The wrappers are ragged at the right margin and have a damp stain at the top edges, not affecting the notes, which are lightly toned but otherwise fine.<BR><BR>Our thanks to Ted Crackel and his colleagues at the Papers of George Washington who identified &#34;J.P.&#34; as John Pickering &#40;1777-1846&#41;, son of Timothy Pickering. John was in the diplomatic corps and a linguist. He acquired Col. Humphreys papers in 1829 from Mrs. Humphreys. <BR>Estimated Value &#36;4,000-6,000. <BR><BR>Our item number 119517<BR><IMAGES><P ALIGN="CENTER"><IMG SRC="http://www.goldbergcoins.net/liveauction/43jpegs/119517.jpg"> </P></IMAGES>