RARE AUTOGRAPH OF CAPTAIN JAMES MUGFORD, JR. MUGFORD, JAMES, JR. 1749-1776. Autograph Pay Order ...

RARE AUTOGRAPH OF CAPTAIN JAMES MUGFORD, JR. MUGFORD, JAMES, JR. 1749-1776. Autograph Pay Order Signed ('James Mugford Jr') ordering advance Sargent's pay for Colonel John Glover just before their heroic capture of the Hope outside Boston Harbor, May 17, 1776, 75 x 200 mm, Beverly, April 13, 1776, laid down to board, WITH: Autograph Receipt Signed ('Jas. Mugford Jr') for various costs to Nathaniel Swasey, 70 x 160 mm, n.p., September 26, 1774, laid down to same board, and framed to 195 x 240 mm. Provenance: From the collection of an 'Old Marbleheader'; by descent. RARE AUTOGRAPHS OF EARLY REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO JAMES MUGFORD JR. Captain James Mugford Jr was one of the earliest heroes of the American revolution and the architect of one of the most daring escapades in early American naval history. In early May 1776, the British supply ship Hope, laden heavily with British armaments, limped into the waters outside of Boston harbor. Mugford, who had heard stories of the cargo while imprisoned by the British months before, with the blessing of Artemas Ward, commandeered the Franklin which had been lying at Marblehead, and assembled a crew of 18 men, mostly local. The British had a small fleet still at Nantasket Roads, but a strong easterly wind prevented them from sailing, and when Mugford and his crew pulled up alongside, and boarded the Hope, they had no recourse. When Mugford and his men boarded, the Captain of the Hope ordered the rigging cut in order to prevent the ship from sailing and allow the British fleet time for a rescue, but Mugford vowed to shoot the first man who touched a rope. Mugford and his crew took the ship and headed toward Boston. In order to avoid the British fleet, he took the Hope up through Pulling Point Gut, a fisherman's channel between Shirley Point and Deer Isle, but misjudging the tide, he ran aground. Jonathan Glover, continental agent at Marblehead immediately mobilized 150 armed guards and a fleet of small boats to carry the bounty ashore. Later that night, he lined the channel with lit boats and a pilot brought the prize into Boston, followed by the triumphant Mugford in the Franklin. Two days later, Mugford sailed out of Boston aboard the Franklin, but again found himself aground on the shoals. Now, the British seized their opportunity and attacked. The colonists aboard the Franklin valiantly saved the ship and drove back the superior British force, losing only one man: James Mugford Jr. The supplies taken from the Hope were of 'immeasurable value' to the young Continental forces, and both Ward and General Washington sang the praises of the valiant Captain Mugford. On May 20, an account of the proceedings was printed, including an inventory from the bill of lading (see American Archives VI, 495-6): 'Carbines, with bayonets, scabbards, and steel rammers, — 1000 Carbine cartouch-boxes, — 1000 Slings, — 1000 Spare travelling carriages, 24-pounder, heavy, — 1 Spare travelling carriages 12-pounder, light, — 4 Traversing handspikes, for do˙, — 8 Handsaws, — 84 Sand-bags, bushel, 5000; half bushel, 5000, — 10000 Mantelets of cured hides, — 100 Broad-axes, — 144 Hand hammers, — 50 Grindstones, with troughs, — 15 Felling-axes, — 300 Hand-hatchets, — 500 Hand-bills, — 500 Barrows, wheel, 268; hand, 150, — 418 Spades, common, 1000; ditching, 250, — 1250 Shovels, shod, 750; iron, 250, — 1000 Carpenters' tools, sets, — 6 Handsaws, whet and set, 6; tennant do˙, 6; turning do˙, 6; broad-axes, helved, 6; adzes, helved, 6; penmauls, helved, 6; hammers, claw, 6, riveting, 6; chissels, broad-helved 6, scribing 6, heading 12, paring 6, firmer 36, mortice 24, and large 12; gouges, helved, firmer 36, peeking 6, and trunnion 12; pierces or pads, stocks and springs, 6; bitts for do˙ 72; draw borers, halved, 24; pairs of pincers, 6; iron squares, 6; brass chalk-line, rolls, 6; chalkline, knots, 12; iron compasses, pairs, 6; engineers' augurs, (8 to a set) sets 6; thrifts for do˙, 48; two feet rules, 6; black lead-pencils, dozens, 6; stones, rub 6, rag 6, Turkey oil 6; rasps, 12; saw-sets, 6; files for do˙, 18; gimlets, sorted, 124, large spike, 12; glue, 12 pounds; copper glue-pots, 6; fish skins, 6; mallets, 6; betties, or small iron crows, 6; planes of all sorts, 132; Hambro' line, skains, 50; spikes, from five to eight and a half-inch, 29 cwt˙ 3 qr˙; nails, 24-penny, 35,500; pick-axes with helves, 500; hammers with helves, sledge, 25; augurs with thrifts, 75. Rope, tarred, from 2 to 4 1/2 inch, coils — 5 Ditto, white, from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inch, coils — 4 Powder, copper hooped, whole barrels — 1500.' The large haul was of great value to the young country whose production of armaments was still in development. We trace no sale of Mugford's autograph at auction through rarebookhub or ABPC. Two interesting early Revolutionary War documents from one of the earliest martyrs of the American Revolution. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing