Life of Jonathan Trumbull, Sen., Governor of Connecticut
Boston: Crocker & Brewster, 1859. 1st Edition. 8vo. Very Good. Item #18669
A scarce 1859 1st Edition of this indispensable Revolutionary War figure and the man George Washington called 'the fist of Patriots."
Trumbull was the father of noted 18th-century artist John Trumbull, and one of just two men to serve as a governor of a British colony as well as a U.S. state.
"On May 13, 1774, British General Thomas Gage arrived in Boston, a city with a history of violent protests against British policies. Given the problems he was inheriting from Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson, within a week of arriving Gage contacted Trumbull and expressed a "readiness to cooperate" with him "for the good of his Majesty's service. When Gage sent Trumbull a request for assistance after the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, Trumbull refused and made clear his choice to side with the Patriots. He replied that Gage's troops would "disgrace even barbarians", and he accused Gage of "a most unprovoked attack upon the lives and the property of his Majesty's subjects."
"On July 6, 1775, along with other officers, Trumbull commissioned Nathan Hale as a first lieutenant in the newly raised Seventh Regiment of the Continental Army. Hale was later executed by the British for espionage.
"Trumbull was a friend and advisor of General George Washington throughout the Revolutionary period, dedicating the resources of Connecticut to the fight for independence. Washington declared him "the first of the patriots." When Washington was desperate for men or food during the war, he could turn to "Brother Jonathan". Trumbull also served as the Continental Army's Paymaster General (Northern Department) in the spring of 1778, until the untimely death of his mother forced him to resign his post. As part of his resignation, he requested that the remainder of his back pay be distributed to the soldiers of the Northern Department." - wiki
700pp. Rebound in modern brown cloth, with titling stamped in silver to spine. Square tight binding. Clean interior, save for contemporary previous owner signature to front flyleaf and top of title page in original iron gall ink . Outer pages as well as frontispiece foxed. a handful of pages with foredge wear.
A lovely edition.
Price: $125.00