Revolutionary War and Founding Fathers Featured in Fine Autographs and Artifacts Auction
George Washington signed autograph letter on the 'Asgill Affair' denying psychological torture of a British prisoner of war chosen by lottery for etaliatory execution, by “erecting a [gallows] before his prison window”
A collection of Revolutionary War material including letters from General George Washington and rare items signed by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams is on offer in RR Auction's July 2025 Fine Autographs and Artifacts sale which ends on July 9.
Among the most historically significant pieces is Washington's 1786 defense in the infamous Asgill Affair, a four-page autograph letter passionately denying allegations of psychological torture toward a British POW chosen for retaliatory execution.
Other highlights include:
- a 1777 wartime strategy letter to Lord Stirling in which George Washington outlines troop movements and a potential attack on Staten Island
- an official manuscript proclamation of peace and liberty dated April 18, 1783, from Washington's Newburgh headquarters, featuring the line: "An extra ration of liquor to be issued to every man tomorrow, to drink perpetual peace"
- a 1791 resolution signed by Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State recognizing France's tribute to Benjamin Franklin following his death
- a personal and humorous letter from John Adams in 1810 critiqueing the concept of divine right, calling it "the most ridiculous" notion in human history, punctuated by doodles from his young granddaughter
The auction also marks the debut of The Dr. Joseph M. Matheu Collection, Part I, an expansive archive of Civil War-era weapons, military artifacts, and presidential documents assembled over the course of three decades by the late physician and history enthusiast. Items include battlefield-used swords, rare musketry, and letters bearing the signatures of Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman.
