Middleton, Arthur, Signer of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina

Autograph letter (unsigned), 4 pages (13 1/8 x 8 3/8 in.; 334 x 212 mm, uncut) on a bifolium, Philadelphia, 4 March 1782, being a retained draft, with numerous revisions and emendations, of a letter from the South Carolina congressional delegation (Middleton, Thomas Bee, Nicholas Eveleigh, and Isaac Motte) to South Carolina Governor John Rutledge, marked at top "By Dr. Johnson"; a few light stains.

Sold, Parke-Bernet, 15 January 1941, lot 288 (undesignated consignor) — Sold, Partke-Bernet, 25 November 1952, lot 226 (undesignated consignor)

Letters of Delegates to Congress, ed. Smith, 18:371–73; Joseph E. Fields, "The Autographs of Arthur Middleton," in Autograph Collectors' Journal, vol. 4, no. 2 (1952): 53

An extraordinarily lengthy and detailed war-date letter by one of the rarest of the Signers of the Declaration, providing rich insights into the final phase of the Southern campaign. Middleton's letter begins with a complaint about the lack of intelligence reaching the South Carolina delegation from its home state. "We have not been honor'd with any of your favours since the 22d Novr. last—nor have we receiv'd any Advices from Carolina which may be depended on, either respecting the Proceedings of the Legislature, or the Operations of the Army since General Greene moved down the Country, & forced the Enemy to evacuate their Post at Dorchester; We cannot but be anxious on both those Subjects, at a period so critical to the Interests of our Country, and are in daily Expectation of Intelligence, which we flatter ourselves will prove agreeable."

The congressional delegation then furnishes some agreeable intelligence of its own, regarding Commodore Alexander Gillon of the South Carolina Navy: "It is with pleasure we acquaint you of our having, after much uneasiness on his Account, receiv'd a Letter from Commodore Gillon, dated the 30th January, informing us of his Arrival at the Havanna on the 13th with five Prizes of Considerable Value. He incloses Inventories of the Cargoes &ca and a Letter for your Excellency. We have answer'd his Letter & shall send Copies by the earliest Oppertunities from hence. We have advized him to the best of our Judgments, and according to our Ideas of the management which would be most advantageous to the Country as it is at present circumstanced. ..." Gillon, a Charleston merchant and seaman, had chartered a frigate (which he rechristened South Carolina) from the Duke of Luxembourg; any prizes taken by Gillon were to be divided among himself and his crew, the state of South Carolina; and the ship's owner. 

Middleton also reports on the sailing south of a convoy of British transport ships, speculating about the import this development might have for the occupied city of Charleston. "Congress have had Accounts, through a good Channel, of the sailing of 19 Transports from NYork on the 18th ulto. under Convoy of the Lion of 64 & the Rotterdam of 50 Guns. They were said to be bound for Charles Town; various Conjectures are formed of the Intention of the Enemy by this manoeuvre; some suppose they mean to evacuate the Southern Posts, & to remove the Garrisons back to New York, as it is reported they are building additional Barracks there, and the Transports were dispatch'd empty, immediately upon the arrival of the Narcissus from England; we cannot flatter ourselves with any thing so favourable to our wishes as the Evacuation of Chs. Town, a Circumstance which would be very agreeable, tho' not equally so with that of their being disgraced by Capture in a Country so long harrass'd by their cruel & iniquitous proceedings." Middleton and his colleagues think it likely that the British are preparing to evacuate, with their booty, before the French Navy can be persuaded to join an American siege of the harbor:  "We are rather apprehensive that their design is to remove the Slaves & valuable property they may have collected, to some place of supposed greater security, as they must have reason to conclude that a Cooperation of our Ally is not improbable, in which Case a Fate similar to that of Cornwallis must be expected by them, & tho' they cannot save themselves, they may wish to make sure of their Plunder—a short time will discover their Views."

The South Carolina delegates next renew their concerns about the difficulties in having the state's financial agent, John Ross, honor their pay orders: "many of our Countrymen are much distress'd, which gives us a good deal of uneasiness, as we have no private funds to supply their Necessities, nor any prospect of obtaining them Assistance elsewhere. We earnestly request to hear from you upon this subject as soon as possible. We contriv'd to obtain a Loan of 200 Dollars for Mess. Wm. & Stephen Lee, (who were about to set off in a most distress'd Situation), by pledging our Names for the repayment of the money in Two months; We are well dispos'd to contribute every possible aid to our fellow Citizens, but this is a mode which our Circumstances do not permit us to repeat."

Middleton passes on reports of British and French naval engagements in Carribean and describes the exchange of Lord Cornwallis for Henry Laurens, the South Carolinian and President of Congress, who had been taken prisoner during the capture of Charleston. "Congress have acceeded to the proposal of the Exchange of Lord Cornwallis, upon certain Conditions, among them That of the Liberation of Col. Laurens—we used our Endeavours to prevent his Lordship's Exchange, but without Effect. You will have heard of the Exchange of Genl. Moultrie, & Col. Pinckney before this reaches you." He also reports that Congress has voted against a proposal to have Vermont independently admitted to the United States. Middleton closes this remarkably informative letter with the admission that "We have No further News foreign or domestic; nor has any thing in a publick Line Occur'd. worthy of Communication."

But some further worthy news did reach Philadelphia, causing Middleton to add a postscript. "Since writing the above respecting Commodore Gillon, Captain Jackson is arrived here, who transmits Col. John Laurens by this Conveyance a particular Acct. of his, Commodore Gillon's Transactions, which if true appear to us of a very serious nature, and require Explanation. We submit whether a fast sailing Vessel, (if to be got) being dispatched from George Town to the Havannah will not be the most expeditious way of forwarding your Orders to Commodore Gillon." While in Havana, Gillon negotiated to join a largely Spanish fleet in an expedition against the British colony of New Providence in the Bahamas. This might have been the transaction that so distressed Captain Jackson.