Autographs
"on Publick Service" Continental Army Major General John Sullivan Revolutionary War Transmittal Cover to "Meshech Weare Esqr. Chairman of the Committee of Safety New Hampshire" and President of New Hampshire
Major General JOHN SULLIVAN (1740-1795). American Revolution War Continental Army Major General under George Washington, captured at Long Island and exchanged, he later Wintered at Valley Forge, and was abandoned by D'Estaing to face the British at Newport, Delegate in the Continental Congress; 3rd Governor (or "President") of New Hampshire, and appointed by Washington as First United States Federal Judge for NH.
June 11th (1778) Dated Revolutionary War Period, Manuscript Signed Postal Cover Document, Completely Written in General John Sullivan's own Hand, with his name in third person, sheet fully measuring about 15" x 9.25", Transmittal Cover headed: "on Publick Service" and addressed to: "Meshech Weare Esqr. Chairman of the Committee of Safety New Hampshire" being noted at bottom: "In favor of Governor Bowen on: General Sullivan". There are expected folds, with splits and wear, having some outer edge paper loss. Inside this Transmittal Cover which is apparently in the presentation of an enclosed Letter (not present), the cover's handwritten text reads:
"Correspondence of Gen Sullivan at Rhode Island." Docket reads: "Genl. Sullivan's (Letter) June 11(th) with chip in paper lacking the year but it is certainly (1778).
In early 1778 Sullivan was transferred to the post of Rhode Island where he led Continental Army troops and militia. It was intended he work together with a French Navy fleet to assault or besiege British-held Newport which was regarded as extremely vulnerable since France's entry into the war. The attempt was called off when the French fleet of Admiral d'Estaing was scattered and damaged by a storm. Owing to the damage to his ships, and discouraged by the arrival of a British fleet under Lord Howe, D'Estaing withdrew to Boston. The British garrison of Newport then sortied, forcing Sullivan into retreat after fighting the inconclusive Battle of Rhode Island in August 1778.
The failure to defeat what appeared to be a very vulnerable garrison, and the manner in which the campaign collapsed, provoked a major rift in Franco-American relations. Sullivan wrote a letter to D'Estaing protesting what he saw as treachery and cowardice and describing it as "derogatory to the honor of France". The failed campaign sparked an international incident between the two allies, and was followed a year later by another unsuccessful attack on a British garrison at the Siege of Savannah. The debacle did not badly affect Sullivan's career, and he was considered as a potential commander for a possible invasion of Canada. The French decision brought on a wave of anger in the American rank and file, as well as among its commanders. General Greene wrote a complaint which John Laurens termed "sensible and spirited", but General Sullivan was less diplomatic. He wrote a missive containing much inflammatory language, in which he called d'Estaing's decision "derogatory to the honor of France", and he included further complaints in orders of the day that were later suppressed when tempers had cooled. American soldiers called the French decision a "desertion" and noted that the French forces "left us in a most Rascally manner". The inflammatory writings of General Sullivan reached Boston before the French fleet arrived, and Admiral d'Estaing's initial reaction was reported to be a dignified silence. Politicians worked to smooth over the incident under pressure from Washington and the Continental Congress, and d'Estaing was in good spirits when Lafayette arrived in Boston. He even offered to march troops overland to support the Americans: "I offered to become a colonel of infantry, under the command of one who three years ago was a lawyer, and who certainly must have been an uncomfortable man for his clients."
The Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill and the Battle of Newport) took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and militia forces under the command of General John Sullivan were withdrawing to the northern part of Aquidneck Island after abandoning their siege of Newport, Rhode Island when the British forces in Newport sortied, supported by recently arrived Royal Navy ships, and attacked the retreating Americans. The battle ended inconclusively, but afterwards Continental forces withdrew to the mainland, leaving Aquidneck Island in British hands.
The battle was the first attempt at cooperation between French and American forces following France's entry into the war as an American ally. Operations against Newport were planned in conjunction with a French fleet and troops, but they were frustrated in part by difficult relations between the commanders, as well as by a storm that damaged both French and British fleets shortly before joint operations were to begin.
General Sullivan's proposal was that the Americans would cross over to Aquidneck Island's eastern shore from Tiverton, while French troops would use Conanicut Island as a staging ground and would cross from the west, cutting off a detachment of British soldiers at Butts Hill on the northern part of the island.
On August 9, d'Estaing began disembarking some of his 4,000 troops onto nearby Conanicut Island. The same day, General Sullivan learned that Pigot had abandoned Butts Hill. Contrary to the agreement with d'Estaing, Sullivan crossed troops over to seize that high ground, concerned that the British might reoccupy it in strength. D'Estaing later approved of the action, but his initial reaction and that of some of his officers was disapproval. John Laurens wrote that the action "gave much umbrage to the French officers".
Lord Howe's fleet was delayed departing New York by contrary winds, and he arrived off Point Judith on August 9th. D'Estaing feared that Howe would be further reinforced and eventually gain a numerical advantage, so he boarded the French troops and sailed out to do battle with Howe on August 10. The weather deteriorated into a major storm as the two fleets maneuvered for position and prepared to battle. The storm raged for two days and scattered both fleets, severely damaging the French flagship. It also frustrated Sullivan's plans to attack Newport without French support on August 11th. Sullivan began siege operations while awaiting the return of the French fleet, moving closer to the British lines on August 15th and opening trenches to the northeast of the fortified British line north of Newport the next day.
As the two fleets sought to regroup, individual ships encountered one another, and there were several minor naval skirmishes; two French ships, already suffering from storm damage, were badly mauled in these encounters, including d'Estaing's flagship. The French fleet regrouped off Delaware, and returned to Newport on August 20, while the British fleet regrouped at New York.
Admiral d'Estaing was pressured by his captains to immediately sail for Boston to make repairs, but he instead sailed for Newport to inform the Americans that he would not be able to assist them. He informed Sullivan upon his arrival on August 20; Sullivan argued that the British could be compelled to surrender in just one or two days if the French remained to help, but d'Estaing refused. d'Estaing wrote: "It was ... difficult to persuade oneself that about six thousand men well entrenched and with a fort before which they had dug trenches could be taken either in twenty-four hours or in two days." Any thought of the French fleet remaining at Newport was also opposed by d'Estaing's captains, with whom he had a difficult relationship due to his arrival in the navy at a high rank after service in the French army. The fleet sailed for Boston on August 22nd.
The French decision brought on a wave of anger in the American rank and file, as well as among its commanders. General Greene wrote a complaint which John Laurens termed "sensible and spirited", but General Sullivan was less diplomatic. He wrote a missive containing much inflammatory language, in which he called d'Estaing's decision "derogatory to the honor of France", and he included further complaints in orders of the day that were later suppressed when tempers had cooled. American soldiers called the French decision a "desertion" and noted that the French forces "left us in a most Rascally manner".
The battle was also notable for the participation of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment under the command of Colonel Christopher Greene, which consisted of Africans, American Indians, and White Colonists.