Revolutionary War document describing arrest of the perpetrators of a Loyalist plot to spread smallpox & counterfeit currency among the rebellious colonies, signed by Dr. Josiah Bartlett, physician signer of the Declaration of Independence, April 1777

JOSIAH BARTLETT, MESCHEH WEARE & E. THOMPSON. Josiah Bartlett was a physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence; Mescheh Weare was the first President for the State of New Hampshire; and E. Thompson was a Justice of the Peace & Treasurer Receiver of New Hampshire.

April 19, 1777-dated Revolutionary War period, manuscript document is concerning the arrest and possible conviction of several counterfeiters, In very fine condition, it is boldly signed by, "Josiah Bartlett," "M(escheh) Weare," and "E. Thompson," all being listed as, "Justices of Peace throughout the Land." There are some remnants of the original paper seal affixed with red wax at upper left corner and it is docketed on the verso. It has some expected age tone and folds, and is whole and fully intact. This original document is quite well written, 1 page, measures 8.5" x 6.75" and was issued at Exeter, New Hampshire on April 19, 1777.

It reads, in part:

"To the Keeper of the Public Gaol (prison) in Exeter in the County of Rockingham, Greeting. We send you herewith the Bodies of Leonard Whiting, Richard Catts Shannan, John Holland & John Wilkins, apprehended & brot before us... on Suspicion of their being concerned in Counterfeiting the Bills of Credit of this State and of the other United States, and of passing the same And of Spreading or a Design to spread the Small Pox among the good People of these States... you are hereby required to receive them into your Custody & them safely keep until discharged by due course of Law."

Bioterrorism was among the many concerns that occupied Gen. George Washington in the winter of 1775, six months after taking command of the ragtag American forces in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The years of the American Revolution coincided nearly perfectly with a smallpox epidemic that spanned the North American continent claiming more than 130,000 lives from 1775 to 1782. And Washington had reason to believe that the British were waging germ warfare by deliberately infecting American troops with the highly contagious and deadly smallpox virus.

Washington knew firsthand the misery of the disease having survived a smallpox infection years earlier; he was well aware that a smallpox epidemic would ravage his fledgling armies. It is impossible to know with certainty whether the British practiced germ warfare against the Americans or not. However, a series of letters from Washington to Congress written in December 1775 reveal that the threat of biological warfare was sufficiently real in his mind to merit mention in his official reports. First, his fears were based on a report that he heard and then fuelled by what he saw with his own eyes. Before closing a lengthy letter to Congress reporting on a variety of topics, Washington passed along information that he had heard from a sailor: that British Gen. William Howe was sending people out from Boston who had been deliberately infected with smallpox so that they might pass on the disease to the Americans surrounding the city. After seeing an increased number of cases in people coming out of Boston, Washington came to believe that smallpox was indeed “a weapon of Defence they Are useing against us.” Excerpt:

“By recent information from Boston, Genl Howe is goeing to Send out a number of the Inhabitants in order it is thought to make more room for his expected reinforcements, there is one part of the information that I Can hardly give Credit to. A Sailor Says that a number of these Comeing out have been innoculated, with design of Spreading the Smallpox thro’ this Country & Camp. I have Communicated this to the General Court & recommended their attention thereto.”

—From George Washington’s letter to Congress

In February 1777, while encamped at Morristown, Washington became convinced that only inoculation would prevent the destruction of his Army. Emphasizing the need for secrecy and speed, Washington ordered the inoculation of all troops. Because Virginia forbade inoculation, Washington asked Governor Patrick Henry to support the program, writing that smallpox “is more destructive to an Army in the Natural way, than the Enemy’s Sword.”

It is a fact that John Holland was captured and later escaped confinement, and returned to England. This is a truly remarkable and historic Revolutionary War document, signed by several noted Americans. More importantly, it shows two most aggressive forms of both economic and biological warfare that were being potentially being waged by the Tories and British upon the American population.

Contributed by anonymous