36. SULLIVAN'S EXPEDITION - FRANCES BARBER(1751-1783) Continental officer, assistant inspector-general under Steuben, saw action at Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth (wounded), and Yorktown. Later served in Sullivan's Indian expedition of 1779. Quelled the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Line mutiny of 1781. Tragically killed by a falling tree in 1783. Fine content war date A.L.S., 3pp. legal folio, Fort Sullivan, Tioga, Aug. 20 [1779], to his wife during Sullivan's expedition against the Iroquois, in part: "...A few minutes ago we received intelligence from General Clinton. He is only twenty miles from us, his army in health, without having received the least opposition from an enemy. He will join this army tomorrow, and the next day our united force will commence a rapid movement against the five nations. Our operations will be attended with much more fatigue than danger. We set out from this post with a considerable train of artillery and at least a dozen heavy four horse wagons through a wilderness of Swamps & mountains, where at best we shall only find an Indian path. This will constitute our fatigue. I imagine this will be the last opportunity of your hearing from me, until the army returns to the inhabited country. What part, or when that will be is uncertain. I believe about a month hence..." We are unsure of the source of Barber's optimism considering that it took over two months for Sullivan's army to march from Easton to Tioga (approx. 150 miles) because of the enormous train of baggage needed to support the expedition of 3,500. The only battle would occur nine days later at Newton (about twelve miles north of Tioga) where the Americans easily overwhelmed a combined force of Tories and Indians. After the battle, Sullivan continued north, following Washington's orders to destroy every Indian village they encountered. The expedition began to wind down in September when Sullivan learned that a force which was to join him and move against Ft. Niagara would not reach him. The expedition finally reached Wyoming on September 30 and reported destroying forty towns and 160,000 bushels of corn and a "vast quantity of vegetables of every kind..." The Six Nations would never recover from this disaster. Letter bears the usual folds and a few small tears, otherwise very good condition. $2,500-3,000