"To the officers of the army ... July 4th, 1784."

"To the officers of the army ... July 4th, 1784."

Draft of an oration : To the officers of the army|Newburg addresses|Squire John

[S.l.] 1784-1785

[3] items. 36 cm. (fol.)

MSS 1264 M

At head of title of first document: No. 1 ;In bottom margin of p. [4] in a different hand and different ink: Henry Clements
[1]. No. 1 - To the officers of the army ... (to be continued): [4] p. ; [2]. No. 2 - To the officers of the army ... Finis. To the hon'ble the Society of the Cincinnati, July 4th 1784, Henry H. Chapman; [3]. Motto, February 26th 1785 [or 1781?].
Nos. 1 and 2 are contemporary copies of documents now known to be parts one and two of the Newburgh Addresses: paeons to the author's fellow officers who served during the American Revolution as well as a call to action to address their grievances: "Till now, the Commander in Chief has regarded the steps you have taken for redress with good wishes alone; his ostensible silence has authorized your meetings, and his private opinion has sanctified your claims ...."
For a discussion of the background of the Newburgh Addresses, see Minor Myers. Liberty without Anarchy, pp. 1-2. See also p. 12: "[John] Armstrong wrote them [the addresses], Capt. Christopher Richmond of Maryland made copies, and Maj. William Barber of New York carried the copies around the camp."
It is possible that part one and most of part two of the manuscript are in Richmond's hand. He was an aide-de-camp to General Gates, a supporter of the resolutions.
On p. [4] of no. 2 is an untitled poem, at the bottom of which is the following: The hon'ble the Society of the Cincinnati/ July 4th 1784/ Henry H Chapman. The poem appears to be in Chapman's hand.
Number 3 is a poem. At head of title: Motto February 26th 1785: He roar'd so loud he look'd so very grim/That his own shadow durst not follow him/ Bombalio. Clangor. Stridor. Taratanera. Marmor./ A Presentation in mock Heroicks / By John Burgoo, entitled Squire John. Mentioned are "Squire John, Lieutenant General of the King's armies on the vast Canadian lakes ... Colonel of my Queen's most Light Dragoons. Lieutenant General of the King's Armies on/ The vast Canadian Lakes and the Land/ of all America from Strand to Strand/ Colonel of my Queen's most Light Dragoons/ Which I am training up to blows & wounds/ Governor of Castle William Fort/ In North Britain a Land of sweet Report."
Number 3 is a poem: Motto. February 26th 1781; ... A Protestation in mock heroicks / By John Bungoo [i.e., Chapman?] entitled Squire John
In margin of p. [1] of no. 3: Miss [Lane?] Mitchell/ Beauty of Mary Land / First damned his Eyes/ in great surprise; and in same hand: Henry Clements / Deeply smitten
Number 4 is almost entirely blank and apparently at one time enclosed the other 3 items; in pencil on one side: Parson Thornton; on the verso in ink are 3 lines of subtraction of currency.
One Henry Clements served in the Maryland Line during the Revolution and was an original member of the Maryland Society of the Cincinnati; Christopher Richmond and Henry Chapman were also original members of that state Society.
Gift of W. McC. Chapman via Col. William McC. Chapman, 1967.
Transcripts of nos. 1-3 in case file.

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