1813 WH Harrison War of 1812 Note to Constitution Signer Jonathan Dayton - Rare
$ 448.8
Description
1813 WH Harrison War of 1812 Note to Constitution Signer Jonathan Dayton - Rare. • The Body: The elegant, formal "copperplate" script is the characteristic hand of Harrison’s primary aide-de-camp and secretary, John O’Fallon. As was military protocol, the aide penned this formal "third-person" note on behalf of the General. Item Overview For your consideration is an exceptional 1813 manuscript social note from the headquarters of Major General William Henry Harrison (future 9th President) to General Jonathan Dayton (the youngest Signer of the U.S. Constitution). Dated December 2, 1813, from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, this document captures a significant "Signer-to-Signer" association at the height of the War of 1812. The Content & Context: Written just two months after Harrison’s decisive victory at the Battle of the Thames, this note finds the General in transit from New York to Washington City (D.C.) to address political tensions surrounding his command. The note reads: "Genl Harrison's Compliments to Genl Dayton & informs him that he is on his way to Washington City and will do himself the honor of waiting on him this evening for a few moments as he intends setting out early tomorrow morning." Handwriting Analysis: John O'Fallon & Jonathan Dayton: • The Body: The elegant, formal "copperplate" script is the characteristic hand of Harrison’s primary aide-de-camp and secretary, John O’Fallon. O'Fallon, a nephew of George Rogers Clark and later a legendary Missouri philanthropist, accompanied Harrison on this 1813 journey. As was military protocol, the aide penned this formal "third-person" note on behalf of the General. • The Docketing: The address leaf features contemporary vertical docketing: "From Majr Genl Harrison Decr 2. 1813." This script is consistent with the personal filing hand of the recipient, Jonathan Dayton. This provides ironclad contemporary provenance, proving the document was received, read, and filed by the Constitution Signer himself. Historical Significance: This is not a standard military pay order or land grant. It is a rare "association piece" documenting a face-to-face meeting between the man who signed the Constitution (Dayton) and the man who would eventually sign the laws of the land as President (Harrison). They were also partners in the historic Symmes Purchase land syndicate in Ohio, making this meeting a crucial intersection of early American politics and land speculation.
