[Benedict Arnold, George Washington] 1775 Pay Order For Training Durkee's 20the Continental Regiment

The 20^th Continental Regiment was a unit of the Connecticut Line in the 1776 establishment of the Continental Army. It was often referred to as Durkee’s Regiment after Col. John Durkee, the commanding officer for most of its existence. The regiment was posted in New Jersey during the early stages of the New York and New Jersey campaign.  The regiment retreated with George Washington’s army in late 1776, and then participated in the Battle of Trenton.  The first colonel of the regiment was Benedict Arnold but he never actually commanded the regiment as he was in Quebec at the time of its creation. Durkee was the first lieutenant colonel and was promoted to the regiment’s colonel in August 1776.

7 x 7 ¾, single page with nice docketing on verso, being a Revolutionary War-Date pay order, November 14^th, 1775, addressed to John Lawrence, Treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut, and signed by Rufus Lathrop and Samuel Leffingwell, Justices of the Peace.  Also signed by Post Express Rider Jesse Brown, who was taken captive by Royalists at a public house between Fairfield and Norwalk, but later gained his freedom.

“Sir, Pay unto Capt. Josiah Eames as Captain of the Sixth Military Company of the 20^th Regiment, the sum of twenty three pounds, five shillings & six pence, lawful money that sum being due to the non-commissioned officers & soldiers of said company on account of the half day training ordered by the General Assembly in October Last as the roles returned to us agreeable to the direction of the General Assembly in May last and charge the same to the Colony accordingly.”

On the verso, “Hartford, 12^th August 1775, Rec’d of Treasurer Lawrence Twenty-three pounds, five shillings and six pence being the contents for Capt. Josiah Eames.

“Order Capt. Josiah Eams, Dated 14 July 1775, Audited May 13, 1776”

Folds, expected toning. A solid and quite readable Revolutionary War document.

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