1783 GEORGE WASHINGTON LEAVES ARMY & NEW YORK ~ 1857 Art Print Engraving RARE !!

Description: WASHINGTON TAKING LEAVE OF HIS OFFICERS Artist: Darley ____________ Engraver: G. R. Hall PRINT DATE: This engraving was printed in 1857; it is not a modern reproduction in any way. PRINT SIZE: Overall print size is 5 ½ x 8 1/2 inches, actual scene size is 4 by 6 3/4 inches. PRINT CONDITION: Condition is excellent. Bright and clean. Blank on reverse. Paper is quality woven rag stock paper. SHIPPING: Buyer to pay shipping, domestic orders receive priority mail, international orders receive regular air mail unless otherwise asked for. Full payment details will be in our email after auction close. We pack properly to protect your item! PRINT DESCRIPTION: The formal peace process concluding the war between Great Britain and the United States was a long ordeal. It was held in Paris, went through endless meetings and changes and correspondence, and entrusted to a Congress in Philadelphia filled with a “B-list” of representatives. It took the better part of two years to conclude. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had been sent abroad. George Washington remained with his army, maintaining the tenuous peace, and making sure the British Army vacated its “former” possessions. He had serious concerns about prematurely disbanding the Army. Finally, in September, 1783, word came that the Treaty of Paris had been accepted, signed and was a proverbial “done deal.” By December, the remaining British soldiers had embarked for England and American soldiers were discharged. George Washington prepared to resign his commission, and return to his beloved Mount Vernon. Samuel Fraunces, a licensed “freeman and innholder,” was a New York tavern keeper. The Fraunces Tavern still stands as a treasured historic site at 54 Pearl Street in New York City (a short walk from the World Trade Center). Taverns were a popular and necessary part of any community. Not only did they accommodate travelers, but they were places for citizens to gather, exchange news, enjoy fellowship and occasional entertainment, and usually excellent food and beverage. The upstairs Long Room at the Fraunces could hold nearly a hundred people, and was periodically used for parties. On December 4, 1783, the war now officially over, George Washington invited his officers to a private dinner in the Long Room of the Fraunces Tavern for a final farewell. Col. Benjamin Tallmadge is usually credited with providing the best recollection of the uncommonly emotional leave-taking, recalled privately as an elderly man. Decades later, his memoirs were compiled by his children. (Tallmadge, by the way, was Washington’s clever spymaster during the Revolution. Years later, after the War, he served in Congress.) The dinner was set for noon on December 4, owing to better lighting and convenience. Besides, General Washington was planning to board a ship later that afternoon, en route to Annapolis where Congress was meeting. George Washington was an exacting man, and did not suffer fools gladly. He frequently lamented the incapacity of his officers, his troops, the Congress, and even inclement weather. His persona was cool; he did not encourage familiarity. He consistently maintained a polite, but proper distance throughout his life. Nevertheless, his soldiers revered him. At least mostly. According to award-winning historian Thomas Fleming, for several months there had been great unrest among the American officers. They had not been paid; all the promises from Congress had been ignored, glossed over, or downright countermanded. George Washington had steadfastly taken their part, and used his inordinate prestige on their behalf, to seek the justice that was due them. Earlier that year, he had managed to avert a serious mutiny. His efforts were less than fruitful, and he felt powerless to alleviate the soldiers’ legitimate grievances. Nevertheless, at the appointed time, Washington’s officers, many of whom he knew only slightly, entered the Long Room of the Fraunces Tavern, and shortly thereafter were joined by the General. According to the memoirs of the elderly Benjamin Tallmadge: “With a heart full of love and gratitude I now take leave of you,” Washington said as he lifted his glass. “I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable. I cannot come to each of you but shall feel obliged if each of you will come and take me by the hand.” They came forward. They shook his hand. Some actually clasped his shoulder. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Including his. THIS IS AN ACTUAL ENGRAVING PRINTED IN THE 1850's! A GREAT HISTRORICAL SCENE OF A KEY PATRIOT FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA !

Price: 19.99 USD

Location: New Providence, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-10-22T15:54:46.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7.95 USD