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Collection Overview

Creator:
Great Britain. Army
Title:
British Army Account Book of Revolutionary War Expenditures in the Carolinas and Florida
Repository:
Manuscripts Division
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/wp988n689
Dates:
1781-1782
Size:
1 box and 1.25 linear feet
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Box P-000078
Language:
English

Abstract

Consists of a two-volume account book of British Army military expenditures in North Carolina, South Carolina, and St. Augustine, Florida, during the later years of the American Revolution.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Consists of a two-volume account book of British military expenditures in North Carolina, South Carolina, and St. Augustine, Florida, during the later years of the American Revolution. The accounts are dated between April 1781 and June 1782, which are presumably the dates when a written receipt of expenditure was received by the compiler of these accounts, rather than the actual date when the money was spent. They document British war efforts in the Carolinas and Florida, as well as the individuals who fought, supplied, and raised funds in the campaign against the American rebels on behalf of the British Crown. During the period covered in these accounts in South Carolina, Camden was evacuated by the British in May 1781, Georgetown in June, and Ninety Six in July. In October, the British were defeated at Moncks Corner leaving Dorchester as the only British outpost in South Carolina together with the ports of Charlestown (Charleston); Wilmington, North Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia.

The accounts are recorded under headings divided roughly into the following categories: garrisons, labor, construction, transport, and individuals or companies. The garrisons recorded are at Georgetown, Camden, Beaufort, Moncks Corner, Dorchester, Wappetaw, and Ninety Six, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; and St. Augustine, Florida. Labor includes carpenters, artificers, African American troops or laborers referred to as "negroe hire" (and "negroe cloathing"), "overseers of negroes," boatmen, chaindrivers, and sodlayers. Items listed under construction include bricks, lumber, barracks, cedar posts, tools and ironmongery, tents and marquees, and yard hire. Transport includes schooners and wagons. Among the individuals listed are Colonel James Moncrief, who commanded the Black Company of Pioneers, Scottish merchant and Loyalist leader John Cruden, Captain Robert Gray, Lieutenant Barrett, Captain John Halbert, James Borvie, Luther Honeywood, and Loyalist merchants and tradesmen, including James Cook, Abram Cohen, John Wyatt, and James Clitheral, as well as the firm Gordon, Biddulph and Gordon, among others.

The account book is bound into two volumes, one containing 51 numbered leaves written almost entirely in one neat clerical hand with debits on versos and contra on rectos, as well as another with 70 leaves written in a different, rougher hand. The first volume records expenditures of over 16,000 pounds and contra payments of over 22,000 pounds; the second volume repeats the accounts of the first with additional debits of over 18,000 pounds.

Collection Creator Biography:

Great Britain. Army

The British Army is the principal land force of the United Kingdom founded in 1660 under Charles II. Along with the Royal Navy, the British Army played a key role in British colonization and empire-building efforts over the following several centuries.

Collection History

Acquisition:

Purchase, 2017 .

Appraisal

No materials were separated during 2017 processing.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in April 2017. Finding aid written by Kelly Bolding in April 2017.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

British Army Account Book of Revolutionary War Expenditures in the Carolinas and Florida; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/wp988n689
Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Box P-000078