[Rarebooks] FS: Scarce Washington/Valley Forge ephemera

[powersrarebooks at comcast.net]

I can offer: 




[Guthrie, James M.] Washington and a Drummer-boy at Valley Forge. Sold for benefit of the Valley Forge Memorial Monument Chapel, in order to insert therein Marble Tablets in commemoration of the services of the two youthful heroes mentioned herein, and others equally as worthy. The Purchaser of this, for 10 Cents, secures a “BRICK” in the Memorial. [No place, no publisher, ca. 1888]. 



Large fund-raising certificate, appx. 14 by 17 inches, featuring the above caption title in a variety of display fonts, and a large woodcut of Washington and the drummer boy surrounded by text: at the left is a poem on the subject by James M. Guthrie, editor of the Literary Treasury; at the bottom and right is “An Historical Reminiscence” describing the brothers Frederick and John Hesser, age thirteen and fifteen, respectively, who enlisted in the Continental army, and were with Washington during the crossing of the Delaware on December 25, 1776, where Frederick came into possession of a brass-mounted flintlock that had belonged to the enemy (a footnote mentions the then-current owner of that gun). He was sent with a guard having charge of a lot of prisoners, one of whom gave him instruction in the art of drumming. Frederick was transferred to Washington’s main army, and in the capacity of drummer he participated in the battle of Brandywine, where one of his drumsticks was shot out of his hand, “a loss which made Fred. feel very indignant.” He subsequently took part in the repulse of British forces attempting to reduce Fort Mifflin. He was mustered out for his health and settled back in Pennsylvania. For his part, John served as a fifer for forty years, serving last at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. 



In the final paragraph Guthrie explains the reason for the fund-raising campaign, “The fact of two boy s but thirteen and fifteen years of age, mere children, one might say, entering the service of their country and taking part in regular battles with a powerful and determined foe, exhibits a degree of patriotism and hardihood that would do honor to the famous Spartans of old, and shows of what material those heroes were made who founded this great country, and transmitted to us the inheritance of liberty and independence.” Below this, in small type, is a description of the chapel, construction of which was then underway, and which was designed by the Philadelphia architect, E. F. Bertolette. 



Never folded, in excellent condition, attractive, and scarce. 

http://home.comcast.net/~powersrarebooks/WashingtonDrummer.jpg 

$75 plus shipping 


Greg Powers 
Powers Rare Books 
344 Orange Street 
Manchester NH 03104 
603-624-9707 
powersrarebooks at comcast.net