George Washington Signed Discharge Document
Revolutionary War | June 1783

 

GEORGE WASHINGTON SIGNED DISCHARGE DOCUMENT
REVOLUTIONARY WAR | JUNE 1783

Document 12”x 6.6”
Frame        13”x 8”

Revolutionary War soldier’s service discharge document By His Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESQ; General and Commander in Chief of the Forces of the United States of America.

These are to Certify that the Bearer hereof “John Van Horn Private” in the “second New York” Regiment, having faithfully feved the United States “three years” and being inlifted for the War only, is hereby Discharged from the American Army.

GIVEN at Head-Quarters the
“G Washington”
By His Excellency’s Command “J Trumball Jr”.

REGISTERED in the Books of the Regiment, “Christ Smith” Adjutant,

THE above John Van Horne Private has been honored with the BADGE of MERIT for “three” Years faithful Service “P. Cortlandt Colonial”. 
 
HEAD-QUARTER, June “seventh” 1783.
THE within CERTIFICATE fhall not avail the bearer as a Difcharge, until the Ratification of the definitive Treaty of Peace; previous to which Time, and until Proclamation thereof fhall be made, He is to be confidered as being on furlough.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Historical Background

The 2cd New York Regiment was authorized on May 25, 1775 and formed in Albany New York June 28th for service with the Continental Army. Under the command of Colonel Philip Van Cortlandt the Regiment would see action in the Invasion of Canada, Battle of Valcour Island, Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Monmouth, the Sullivan Expedition and the Battle of Yorktown. It was furloughed June 2, 1783 at Newburgh, New York and disbanded November 15, of that year. The fighting phase of the Revolutionary War ended at Yorktown with the surrender of British troops at Yorktown October 1781 but the official end of the war would not formally come to end until 1782 in Paris when British and American negotiators signed preliminary articles of peace. However Great Britain, Spain, France and the Netherlands continued the negotiations until September 1783.

Condition: The document is in fair condition, staining throughout, several folds as shown, a rectangle shape cut out on all sides about G. Washington’s signature, microscopy was used to compare the cutout to the original document results indicated the cutout’s chain lines align with the document’s lines, folds and color (see photo), frame early 1800’s, loop is original and has a silk ribbon remnant attached.

 

Email: jtfrancis.com@gmail.com

Item: 19-5-10