2009-04
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/31/2009
WASHINGTON, George (1732-1799) First President of the United States and commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. DS, "G. Washington," 1pg, Philadelphia, December 11, 1783. An extremely rare manuscript certificate awarding French Captain Augustin Brissault of the First Partizan Legion membership in the Society of the Cincinnati. Also signed by the Society's founder and Washington's future Secretary of War, "H. Knox." Augustin Brissault joined the First Battalion Continental Partizan Legion in the summer of 1778. On January 13, 1779 Congress appointed Brissault Lieutenant by brevet, promoted to Captain March 11, 1782 and honorable retired November 25, 1783, about three weeks before this document. Dark, strong signature, 7-1/4" x 12," fine. Manuscript Society of the Cincinnati diplomas signed by Washington are exceptionally rare ... and this example is one of the first! Washington was elected as President of the Society in December 1783. The research supplied by the Society indicates Knox signed three manuscript diplomas in October 1783. There is one manuscript diploma signed December 1, 1783 (no determination of either Knox or Washington). Then this specific diploma signed by Washington December 11, 1783, making this either the first or second Washington signed manuscript Society of the Cincinnati diploma. The design for the printed Society of the Cincinnati diploma was approved in November 1783. That design was taken by L'Enfant to France where a copper engraving plate was produced. L'Enfant returned to America May 1784 and presented the work to Society's committee. The body text of the diploma was determined later. It was not until November 1784 that the first 100 printed diplomas were finally produced. The concept of having a Society of the Cincinnati was the idea of Major General Henry Knox. The first meeting was held at a dinner in Fishkill (near Newburgh), New York in May of 1783, as the British had not yet withdrawn from New York City. It was chaired by Lieutenant General Alexander Hamilton and the participants agreed to stay in contact with each other after the war. Membership was limited to officers who served in the Continental Army and Navy and also included officers of the French Army and Navy who met the same requirements. Membership was passed down to the eldest son, after the death of the original member. The criteria were to have been an officer in the Continental Army or Navy for a period of three years, an officer who died or was killed in the line of duty, or an officer serving until the close of the war. Within twelve months, a constituent Society had been organized in each state and in France. There were about 5,500 originally eligible members, and 2,150 had already joined.
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