Description:

DESERTION ALONG THE CANADIAN BORDER
Fine lot of six A.L.S., most in the hand of Bvt. Maj. John L. Gardner, 10pp. 4to., most from Fort Gratiot, Michigan, Jan. 21 to Apr. 20, 1840 and concerning Americans deserting to the British in Canada. In his Jan. 21 letter to Col. Love, commander of British forces in London, Ontario, Gardner describes the desertion of a thieving private. A detail of five men were sent to capture him, but were apparently captured themselves when in the zeal to arrest the miscreant, they crossed over the border. He asks that the men be released. Gardner also transcribes Love's treponse of the same day which claims that the men: "...violently entered several houses in search of a deserter...I do not hesitate a moment in directing the prisoners to be released...prohibiting in the future any such act...which can only tend to create a feeling of hostility...". In his reply of Jan. 23, Gardner writes to Love's superior asking that the deserter, who is also being held, be turned over: "...to answer under our Laws..." and asks that he be held in close confinement until the Governor of Michigan can intervene. The next document is a fair copy of a Feb. 4 Canadian citizen's affidavit that two soldiers intended to desert, crossing the river into Canada after being convinced by a Canadian to do so, and were arrested in order to prevent their desertion. An Apr. 20 letter from Gardner to the military commander of Detroit describes an "outrage" in which Canadian citizens and soldiers fired on an American vessel and abducted a soldier. Also included is a letter sent to Gardner describing a British soldier, a "twofold Blackguard", who deserted to the American side and then decided to return to the British Army with a comrade. Very good.

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September 9, 2014 11:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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