SILAS TALBOT USS Constitution Commander Outfits the First USS GEORGE WASHINGTON!

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Autographs-Colonial-Political-Americana

By Early American History Auctions

Mar 20, 2021

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330 Lots of Rare, Historic Autographs, Americana, Civil War Era, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Slavery & Black History, Revolutionary War Era, Colonial America, Federal Period, War of 1812, Colonial Currency, Indian Peace Medals & more... Early American History Auctions auctions@earlyamerican.com

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• Lot Description
  Autographs
  SILAS TALBOT Commander of the USS Constitution (1799 to 1801) Here Fitting out the Very First United States Navy Frigate "George Washington" a "Ship of War" at Providence, RI.
  SILAS TALBOT (1751-1813). Officer in the Continental Army and in the Continental Navy during the American Revolution, also Commanding the USS Constitution from 1799 to 1801, an original Member of the Society of the Cincinnati.
  October 4, 1798-Dated Federal Period, Historic United States Navy Manuscript Document Signed, "Silas Talbot", measuring 7.25" x 4.5", 1 page, Providence (RI.), Choice Very Fine. Being a United States Treasury Payment Receipt Signed by Talbot. This Document is well written and signed in rich deep brown ink on fine quality clean laid period paper having one tiny ink burn on United and some trivial humidly tone at upper right. It reads, in full:
  "Providence - Octob 4, 1798 - Recd. of Samuel Merideth Treasurer of the United States Two Thousand five hundred Dollars On Account fiting out the Ship George Washington as a Ship of War at Providence Rhode Island. Having Signed a duplicate receipt of this same Tenor and date to the Treasurer of the United States. - (Signed) Silas Talbot."
  Docket on the blank reverse reads, in full: "Capt. Silas Talbot Agent for Ship George Washington at Providence. -- Receipt for 2500 dols. - Warranr No. 7".
  The first USS George Washington was a Frigate in the United States Navy. She was named after President George Washington. Her Complement was 220 officers and enlisted sailors and her Armament consisted of 24 x 9-pounders and 8 x 6-pounders of cannon. She was the first American Warship to enter the Mediterranean!
  The First Navy Frigate USS "George Washington" was built as a merchant vessel at Providence, RI, in 1793; purchased by the Congress at Providence, RI. on October 12th, 1798 from John Brown and John Francis for $10,400 in cash and $30,000 in 6 percent Navy Stock, for use in the developing undeclared naval war (the so-called Quasi-War) with France, and converted to a warship under the supervision of Captain Silas Talbot, with Captain Patrick Fletcher in command. The George Washington was a Frigate and would serve until 1802 under the command of Talbot and William Bainbridge. An important early historical United States Navy Signed Receipt, documenting the First American Warship named USS George Washington, the very first American Warship to enter the Mediterranean.
  Silas Talbot (January 11, 1751 - June 30, 1813) was an officer in the Continental Army and in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Talbot is most famous for Commanding the United States Navy Frigate USS Constitution from 1799 to 1801.
  On June 28, 1775 Talbot received the commission of a captain in the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment. He was commissioned a Captain in the Continental Army on July 1, 1775.
  After participating in the Siege of Boston, Talbot and the American Army began their march to New York. Along the way they stopped at New London whose port had just received Esek Hopkins who had just landed from a sailing exposition in the Bahamas. After learning that Hopkins was going to petition General George Washington for 200 volunteers needed to assist his squadron in reaching Providence, Talbot volunteered his services in this effort.
  After Talbot made his way back to New York where he was aiding in the transportation of troops, he obtained command of a fire ship and attempted to use it to set fire to the British Warship the HMS Asia, on September 14, 1776. The attempt failed, but the daring it displayed, and that Talbot was severely burned during the effort, won him a promotion to Major on October 10, 1777 retroactive to September 1st, 1777.
  After suffering a severe wound at Fort Mifflin, while fighting to defend Philadelphia, on October 23, 1777, Talbot returned to active service in the summer of 1778 and fought the Battle of Rhode Island on August 28, 1778.
  As commander of the galley Pigot (which he had captured from the British in the Sakonnet River on October 28, 1778), and later Argo, both under the Army, he cruised against Loyalist vessels that were harassing American trade between Long Island and Nantucket and made prisoners of many of them.
  On November 14, 1778 the Continental Congress passed a resolution which recognized his success in capturing the Pigot and promoted him to Lieutenant Colonel on the same date. In October of the same year, the Rhode Island General Assembly voted to present Talbot with a "genteel silver-hilted sword" for the same action. The Presentation Sword was made by Silversmith John Gladding Gibbs, of Providence.
  Because of his success fighting afloat for the Continental Army, the Congress made him a Captain in the Continental Navy on September 17, 1779. However, since Congress had no suitable Warship to entrust to him, Talbot put to sea in command of the Privateer "General Washington." In it, he took one prize, but soon thereafter ran into the British Fleet off New York. After a chase, he struck his colors and surrendered to the HMS Culloden, a 74-gun ship-of-the-line, and remained a prisoner until exchanged for a British officer in December of 1781.
  After the war, Silas Talbot settled in Johnstown, New York, the county seat of Fulton County, where he purchased the former manor house and estate of Sir William Johnson, founder of Johnstown. He was a Member of the New York State Assembly in 1792 and 1792-93.
  Talbot is buried at Trinity Churchyard.
  George Washington proceeded in early December to Dominica, in the West Indies, to join Commodore John Barry's squadron for the protection of American commercial against the many French privateer's preying on US shipping and commerce. She rendezvoused with Barry in the USS United States and the USS Constitution at sea 29 December and arrived Dominica next day. For the next few months, she convoyed AAmericas in the West Indies, sailing from St. Christopher's Island to Tobago. During this time, with revenue cutter Pickering, she recaptured two American ships from the French: the brig Fair American 29 April 1799, and the schooner Francis on 1 May 1799.[4][5]
  She departed the Caribbean in mid-1799, arriving Newport, Rhode Island, 12 June 1799, and after a short stay sailed again 2 July. On this cruise, she searched the coast for French privateers as far south as Charleston, S.C., and then took station off Santo Domingo protecting American commerce. The George Washington returned to the United States, in October 1799, for extensive repairs.[6][7]
  She was taken to Philadelphia in April 1800 and there was outfitted and prepared for sea. in May 1800 Captain William Bainbridge was given Command of the George Washington. Lacking a strong navy, the United States accepted the questionable alternative of trying to protect its commerce from the Barbary Pirates by paying an annual tribute (extortion). Bainbridge sailed with a load of stores and timber for the Dey of Algiers on 8 August. The George Washington arrived safely in September, the first American warship to enter the Mediterranean.
  However the ship did not contain enough tribute to satisfy the Dey's demands. The Dey demanded the use of the ship and its crew, claiming he owned them since they pay tribute. Unhappily, Bainbridge had to accede to threats and carry the Dey's presents to the Sultan at Constantinople. He protested vigorously but, in the face of concentrated guns ashore and credible threats of retaliation against American shipping, he departed 19 October. The George Washington returned to Algiers on 21 January 1801, and after a visit to Alicant arrived back in the United States on 19 April 1801.
  The ship underwent repairs and was again fitted to carry stores and timber to Algiers. Manned with only a partial crew, she sailed 20 July 1801 and arrived in Algiers via Mlaga, Spain, on 5 October 1801. After calling at Italian and French ports, she returned to Philadelphia about 15 April 1802.
  The USS George Washington was sold in May 1802 by the Navy agent in Philadelphia, George Harrison.
  
  Our Auction Contents:
  
  Black History & Slavery: (Lots 1 - 63)
  Abraham Lincoln Related: (Lots 64 - 74)
  Historic Autographs: (Lots 75 - 235)
  Colonial America: (Lots 236 - 261)
  Revolutionary War: (Lots 262 - 304)
  George Washington Related: (Lots 305 - 306)
  Early American Guns & Weapons: (Lots 307 - 318)
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