1816 – Letter from a former U. S. Officer who had coordinated the transport and supply of Army units deployed to Detroit, Mackinac Island, Chicago, and Green Bay, during the War of 1812 and continued to do so as a civilian contractor after the war ended in 1815This two-page stampless folded letter measures 15” x 9.5” unfolded. It was sent by former Colonel, James Thomas, from Detroit on 30 August 1816 to his business associate, Jacob Miller Haldeman, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It bears a scarce manuscript “Detroit / 30 Augt.” postmark and ”25” rate mark in red. Haldeman has docketed the correspondence “Letter 30 Augt 1816 / Col Thomas”.In this letter, Thomas informs Haldemann that he has been on Mackinac Island coordinating the supply of fort and community at Green Bay in what today is Wisconsin. It reads in part:“I suppose you would be glad to hear from me if it is merely to tell you that I am in the land of the living. . .. I have been about 24 days to the Island of Mackinao. The Troops destined for Green Bay have established themselves at that place and arrangements have been made for supplying them. All matters and things have gone on smoothly this season and something will be made by the contract. Our friend Simpson has made great exertions, he accomplishes everything that he undertakes. . ..”Thomas, who several years before was instrumental in securing land-based supply lines during the Battle of Lake Erie was, no doubt, speaking of a large 60-ton shipment of 370 barrels of flour, 31 barrels of salt, 3 barrels of pork that he had recently received on 12 August via the schooner Hercules.Haldeman was a Pennsylvania iron monger who made a fortune shipping iron by mule train to Harpers Ferry during the war, where it was used to manufacture arms.(For more information, see Quaife’s “The Story of the Schooner Hercules” at the National Museum of the Great Lakes website and James W. offerdle’s “Recollections of Green Bay in 1816-17” at the Explore Oneida website.)Quite scarce. At the time of this listing, no Thomas correspondence from either the War of 1812 or his follow-on work supplying army units in the Northwest Territory is for sale in the trade. The Rare Book Hub shows nothing similar has appeared at sale. OCLC identifies no similar items held by institutions, however Haldeman’s business records located at the University of Pennsylvania’s Kislak Center may contain something similar.A first-hand testament to James Thomas’s role in securing the Northwest Territory.#10702
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