Rare John Rutledge Signed War-Dated Document as Commander-in-Chief of SC

A document signed by John Rutledge (1739-1800), Revolutionary War Governor of South Carolina, as "J. Rutledge" at upper right underneath a paper seal. The partly printed and partly handwritten document is dated November 14, 1782. Displayed in a floating mount to the right of an engraving by G.F. Storm after the original portrait of Rutledge by Colonel John Trumbull, and slightly above a plaque engraved with Rutledge's pertinent biographical details. The document is gently toned with scattered ink bleed-through. Isolated holes are found along fold marks, and some of these appear to have been professionally restored. Else near fine. Matted and framed behind Plexiglas, not examined out of the frame. There is a 7" long scuff located on the right side of the Plexiglas. The sight size of the document is 8" x 5.5" while the overall framed size is 25" x 21" x 1.5."

John Rutledge promoted Samuel Farrow to the rank of First Lieutenant of a local militia known as Roebuck's Spartan Regiment.

In part, with original spelling and punctuation:

"To Samuel Farrow Gentleman:

I Reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Courage and good Conduct, and in your Fidelity and Attachment to the United States America, have commissioned and appointed, and by these Presents do commission and appoint you the said Samuel Farrow to be first Lieutenant of the said Company in the Spartan Reigt Commanded by Col: Benjm: Roebuck which said - Company - you are to lead, train, muster, follow and observe…according to the Rules and Discipline of War, pursuant to the Laws of this State…"

John Rutledge, along with older brother Benjamin, a Declaration of Independence signer, were fully committed to the Patriot cause. John Rutledge was a Continental Congress delegate who served as Governor (and short-lived president) of South Carolina between July 1776 and March 1778, and then between January 1779 and January 1782. A delegate of the Constitutional Convention, John Rutledge later served as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court between 1790-1791 and as 2nd Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court for nine months in 1795.

Samuel Farrow (1759-1824) and several of his brothers supported the Patriot cause during the American Revolution. The family hailed from modern day Spartanburg, South Carolina, located in the northwestern corner of the state near the North Carolina border. The historical records indicate that Farrow served in the Little River District Regiment between 1779-1780, and then in Colonel Benjamin Roebuck's Spartan Regiment between 1780-1783. He is believed to have fought at the Battle of Musgrove's Mill on August 18, 1780, which was a Patriot victory. Roebuck's Spartan Regiment engaged in almost two dozen skirmishes with British soldiers and area Loyalists in South Carolina and Georgia over a nearly 2-year-long period.

Roebuck's Spartan Regiment was established in July 1780, just two months after Charleston surrendered to the British following a six-week-long siege. The fall of Charleston was a crushing blow; the British commandeered Patriot ships, artillery, ammunition, foodstuffs, and valuable commodities, and gained possession of over 5,000 prisoners of war. This was part of the so-called "Southern Strategy" of the British, which entailed applying pressure to General George Washington's other geographical front. Roebuck's Spartan Regiment was thus probably fostered by a thirst for revenge.

After the Revolutionary War, Samuel Farrow served as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina (1810-1812), a U.S. Congressman (1813-1815), and a state congressman (1816-1819).

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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