1763 FORT ONTARIO / French + Indian War SIGNED Document, RHODE ISLAND Lieutenant

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1763 FORT ONTARIO / French + Indian War SIGNED Document, RHODE ISLAND Lieutenant:
$399.99

- 1763 FORT ONTARIO Document / FRENCH + INDIAN WAR -- SIGNED by Thomas Cottrell, Lieutenant of Rhode Islanders -- FORT ONTARIO built to bolster defenses of FORT OSWEGO -

RARE, Rhode Island military document from FORT ONTARIO at the end of the last FRENCH + INDIAN War (1754 – 1763). The document is dated August 1st 1763 and is addressed to “Volkert Douw Agent for the Colony of Rhode Island at Albany”. Fort Ontario was erected as part of the Fort Oswego fortification system and was built in 1755 as a palisade on the high ground on the north east side of the Oswego River.

The FRONT of the document is SIGNED by Thomas Cottrell, Lieutenant of “Rhode Islanders”, and is a “ten day sight draft” (a type of bill of exchange) with Mr. Henry Van Schaick or his order in New York Currency for value received – which is charged to CAPTAIN George Cornell. It also SIGNED on the backside or verso of the document by BOTH Captain George Cornell and by Joseph Clarke (Rhode Island Treasurer).

The FRONT of the document reads in full, “S’r (Sir) At ten days Sight pay this my first of Exchange the Second of the Same Tenor and date being unpaid to Mr. Henry Van Schaick or his Order the Sum of Seven pounds nine Shillings New York Currency for Value Received and Charge the Same to Captain George Cornell and you’ll oblige. Your Hum’l (Humble) Serv’t (Servant) Tho (Thomas) Cottrell Lieut (Lieutenant) Rhode Islanders”.

HENRY VAN SCHAICK was the eldest son of Kinderhook merchant Cornelis Van Schaick. He was apprenticed to a New York City counting house at age 14. During the French and Indian War, he was an officer in a New York Regiment, serving with distinction at Lake George and Niagara. He also held a number of administrative positions within the New York forces.

GEORGE CORNELL was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Rhode Island Regiment of 1759 and was stationed at Fort Stanwix. He was made Captain of the company at Stanwix in August of 1762.

FORT ONTARIO was one of several forts erected by the British to protect the area around the east end of Lake Ontario. The original Fort Ontario was erected in 1755, during the French and Indian War in order to bolster defenses already in place at Fort Oswego on the opposite side of the river. At that time its name was the \"Fort of the Six Nations,\" but the fort was destroyed by French forces and was rebuilt in 1759. During the American Revolution, a detachment from the 3rd New York Regiment destroyed the fort in July, 1778, after the British abandoned it. The British returned and rebuilt the fort in 1782. There was an aborted attack on the fort by Colonel Marinus Willet in 1783. The British held the fort after the war was over until 1796, after the signing of Jay’s Treaty (From Wiki).

CONDITION: document measures about 6 ½ x 7 1/8 inches in size and is in EXCELLENT overall condition. There are some folds and minor wear, but NO rips or tears (see scans). $5 for shipping, postage & INSURANCE. Please email your questions.