Item 59: A Copy by Unknown of a Letter from [William] Caldwell to [Joseph] Brant, (removed to Legal Box #1), 1781 April 17
Item — Box: 10, Folder: 59
Dates
- 1781 April 17
Creator
- Caldwell, William, ca. 1750-1822 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
From the Collection: 17 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter.
Condition Note:
Good. The paper contains some tattered edges, minor browning of the paper, some minot stains, and some minor folds.
Measurements:
13 ¼ in. x 8 ¼ in.
Description:
This letter, dated April 17, 1781, is written by Captain William Caldwell to Joseph Brant, a military and political figure, as well as Chief of the Mohawks. In the letter, Caldwell is writing to Brant about recent orders given to him by John Butler, a British loyalist and colonel during the American Revolutionary War, fighting against United States Independence. Caldwell explains that Brant was directed to bring up cattle after “taking a prisoner.” The party is expecting a cannon to be delivered to a place called Cook House, where then Brant is to be met at Lackawaxen. Caldwell asks that Brant send back a response of his letter with Daniel Cole, the man delivering Caldwell’s letter.
The bottom of the page marks that the item is a copy of Caldwell’s original letter. Daniel Cole's person tag has been estimated through an informed guess by the context of the item as Daniel Cole, 1731-1836. Cole was a prominent British loyalist figure during the late eighteenth-early nineteenth century. He was named for acting as a spy, which may be inferred here in this item, as Cole is being requested to remain back with 3 more men to watch for their motions.
Though the item was likely first assumed to belong to Zebulon Butler or his descendents, a closer examination proves that it is actually referencing John Butler the Loyalist. This is due to the majority of the other parties mentioned in the letter being loyalists themselves, including Anthony Westbrook, John Johnson, Daniel Cole, the creator, William Caldwell, and Joseph Brant. This Butler not only has no relation to the Butler line under Zebulon, but played an active role on the opposing British forces side from Zebulon Butler’s command and led the command during the Battle of Wyoming.
The Battle of Wyoming, a violent conflict that happened during the Second Yankee-Pennamite War of the Susquehanna Controversy where Pennsylvania and Connecticut disputed the other’s claim to the land. On July 3rd of 1778, Pennsylvanian loyalists teamed up with the British and Iroquois to lay siege to the Connecticut settlement Fort Wyoming, viewing the siege as an opportunity to drive out the opposing settlers who they saw as bargaining pieces to placate the crown in their victory. Colonel John Butler, a British major and loyalist, led a troop of nearly one thousand composed of loyalists and Iroquois allies who killed and captured over three-hundred men, women, and children of the valley. Zebulon Butler attempted to defend the settlers within the Valley, but their troops were later overwhelmed by the loyalist troops, as many of their own men were stationed outside of the valley region to fight in the American Revolutionary War.
Transcription:
Tioga April 17th 1781
Sir To communicate to you Colo[nel]. Butlers
orders that you will Indeavor (sic) [Endeavor] to bring off
Cattle after Taking a Prisoner. we expect
the Cannon at the Cook House in five days
from this day. the Cannoes (sic) [Canoes] are Finish[e]’d—
Three Hundred — and one of S[i]r John’s men arrived
Last evening at this place — I will Send
a party to meet you at Lackawack or Sheholey
Please to Send a few lines be the Bearrer (sic) [Bearer]
Please to leave Daniel Cole and three—
more to watch their motion from your
Friend— — —
Capt[ain] Calwell
The above is A True Coppy (sic) [Copy] taken out
of a Coppy (sic) [Copy] of a letter Directed to Brant
Stiled Capt[ain] Brant Chief of the Sixt[h] Nation [Six Nations, Iroquois Confederacy]
Proven Before Esq[ui]r[e] Westbrook.
[Back] Coppy (sic) [Copy] of a Letter From Capt[ain] Calwell To Capt[ain] Brant April 17th 1781
[Back] Coppy (sic) [Copy] of a Letter From Capt[ain] Calwell To Capt[ain] Brant April 17th 1781
Creator
- Caldwell, William, ca. 1750-1822 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu