Autographs
Superb Revolutionary War General BENJAMIN LINCOLN
BENJAMIN LINCOLN (1733–1810). Revolutionary War Major General, First Secretary of War, Received Cornwallis' Sword at Yorktown.
October 20, 1804-Dated, Partially-Printed Document Signed, “B Lincoln” as Collector, 1 page, measuring 9.5” x 5”, Port of Marblehead, District of Massachusetts, Choice Crisp Near Mint. Fresh and bright upon fine quality “1804” watermarked perior laid paper. Being a Collector of Customs certificate indicating that on Oct. 20, 1804, 1 cask of wine containing 55 gallons was imported into the District on the American vessel "Joanna Quinn" of Providence, William & Nathaniel Hooper, owners. Lincoln signs the document as Collector of Boston (which had jurisdiction over Marblehead). “J. Prentiss” signs as Inspector (Prentiss pens the manuscript portion, other than Lincoln's signature). Embossed Revenue Supervisor's Seal of Massachusetts (RM511) nicely embossed within the top left bordered square.
Benjamin Lincoln was born in Hingham, MA, and got a Master's degree at Harvard. In the early 1750s he held a number of local civic positions was a member of the Hingham militia. By 1772 he was Lt. Col. of the 3rd Regt. of Suffolk militia.

In 1775 he was elected a representative to the Mass General Court and to the Provisional Congress held at various locations. In 1776 he was made Brigadier General and then Major General, commanding all Massachusetts troops in the Boston area. After the British evacuated Boston, he joined General Washington at New York, commanding the right wing at the Battle of White Plains.

Shortly thereafter he was commissioned into the Continental Army as a Major General. In April 1777 he was defeated at the Battle of Bound Brook by Lord Cornwallis. In September 1777, he fought with Horatio Gates in the Battles of Saratoga. His ankle was shattered by a musket ball during one of the battles, leaving him with one leg shorter than the other. In 1778 he was appointed Commander of the Southern Dept. He participated in the British attack on Savannah, and retreated to Charleston, where in May 1780, he was forced to surrender the city to Lt. Genl. Henry Clinton after a long siege. Clinton denied him the honors of war in surrendering, which deeply upset Lincoln.

He was subsequently exchanged for the British Major General William Phillips in late 1780. After rejoining Washington's main army, he accompanied them to Virginia and was present at the British surrender of Yorktown. Pleading illness, Lord Cornwallis did not attend the surrender ceremony, choosing instead to send his second-in-command, an Irish General. In response, Washington refused the Irish General's sword and sent his own subordinate, Lincoln, to receive the surrender (sweet vindication).

From 1781-83, Lincoln served as the first "Secretary of War" appointed by the Confederation Congress under the Articles of Confederation. In 1787 he was a member of the Mass convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. That same year, as Major General of militia, he put down Shay's Rebellion. He also served as Lt. Gov. of Mass, and then as the Collector of the Port of Boston from 1789-1809, the capacity in which he signs this document (as collector, he also had jurisdiction over Marblehead).

He was a distant relative of Abraham Lincoln. Among his pallbearers when he died in 1810 were John Adams and Thomas Melville. Joshua Prentiss, who penned this document and also signs (twice) was a Marblehead merchant and owner of several fishing boats. During the Revolutionary War he was a Lt. in Captain John Merritt's Company from Marblehead. He served as Inspector of the Port of Marblehead from 1804-1829. He also served as Town Clerk, Selectman and state legislator from Marblehead.