BRITISH EVACUATION OF NEW YORK JOSEPH NOURSE(1754-1841) Known as America's first civil servant, Nourse began his career in government in 1779 as Assistant Auditor General for the Board of Treasury. Nourse would remain in the treasury until the administration of Andrew Jackson. A.L.S. 1p. legal folio, Philadelphia, Mar. 19, 1782, to [Horatio Gates] concerning the possibility of the evacuation of New York City by the British. In part: "...I received yesterday from Mr. Robert Morris, your Letter of the 14th Instant. Your preceding, gave me some expectation of seeing you ere this, but as do not mention your time of setting off, I presume you wait further accounts from Bukeley....I have no letter to forward to you from that Quarter, neither have I heard...from thence since the arrival of Colonel Wood, now near a month since, however I expect my brother Jack every day. Be assured Sir, or my attention, & that I feel for your Anxiety. You mistook the meaning of Colonel Wood. It was a Letter that he forwarded to you from Mrs. Gates & Post the Letter from you, to her, he has, & will deliver in person .- he sets off today. I thank you for the communication of certain Intelligence from New York, recorded at Camp, & that from thence, there is the greatest probability of an Evacuation of that Post...." Nourse was optimistic; however the British Army would remain in force at New York for more than a year and a half, finally evacuating the city on November 25, 1783 after the news of the final Treaty of Paris arrived. Losses at right margin, not affecting text, usual folds, else near fine condition.