The Founding of America - 1773-1777 - from the William Reese Company

Item 12 is a copy of A Narrative of the Excursion and Ravages of the King's Troops Under the Command of General Gage, On the nineteenth of April, 1775. This is an account of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, one of those armed confrontations well before the colonies declared independence. It was to warn of the advance of British troops seeking to capture the colonists' inland ammunition storage as well as their leaders that sent Paul Revere out on his "midnight ride" mission to warn the militiamen of the advancing enemy. Adequately forewarned, the Massachusetts "Minutemen" were able to pick off advancing British soldiers and force them back to Boston, mission unaccomplished. This account is the first detailed report of the famed battle, published by noted Massachusetts printer Isaiah Thomas within in a week of the battle. $125,000.

The Massachusetts colonists and British soldiers would mix it up again later that year at Bunker Hill, an official British "victory" that did more to enhance the colonists' confidence than help the British subdue them. Once again, King George misread their determination. Item 19 is a London broadside printed in August 1775, headed By the King A Proclamation For Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition. In it George requires all colonists to help the British by disclosing who the rebels are and assist in bringing them to punishment, at pain of their own punishment for failure to comply. Like all other attempts to intimidate the colonists, this one, too, only made them more determined. $75,000.

The rebellion would now spread to other colonies, and the British would confront a wall of opposition in America. In turn that would lead to the momentous declaration of July 4, 1776, when all of the colonies would vote to declare their independence from Great Britain. Item 30 is Volume II of the Journals of Congress, Containing the Proceedings in the Year 1776… published in 1777. This includes the first printing in the Journals of Congress of the Declaration of Independence. This copy belonged to Richard Bland Lee, brother of famed revolutionary "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, and uncle of the leader of America's next enormous crisis, Confederate General Robert E. Lee. $25,000.

In 1777, the now self-declared, though unrecognized 13 independent states would come together in a union. Item 34 is the 1777 Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Between the States… That Union would be tried in the years ahead, but has endured conflict, crisis, and ignorance to this day. $75,000.

The William Reese Company may be reached at 203-789-8081 or amorder@reeseco.com. Their website is www.reeseco.com.