Henry Laurens 1778 Revolutionary War NC Embargo, George Washington, Valley Forge - $4,500 - (Clemmons, NC)

Henry LAURENS (1723-1792). Autograph Letter Signed “Henry Laurens President of Congress” 1 p. 13 x 8-1/4 in., York Town [Penn] 13 February 1778 to Governor [Richard] Caswell (1729-1789) of North Carolina concerning an embargo on beef and pork in order to ensure adequate supply for the Continental Army then encamped at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Laurens open his letter to the North Carolina governor on other correspondence: “I beg leave to refer to a Letter which I had the honor of writing to your Excellency under the 10th Inst. & which will accompany this [not present] – Yesterday Your Excellency’s favor of the 11th Ulta. Reached me I immediately presented it to Congress & from thence it was transmitted to the Board of Treasury.” More crticially, Laurens informs Caswell of the need to embargo pork and beef: “Inclosed herein Your Excellency will receive an Act of Congress of this date [not present] earnestly requesting an immediate restraint to be laid on the exportation of Beef & Pork from the State of North Carolina to which I refer & remain with every great Respect…” On 19 December 1777, Washington’s Army settled into Valley Forge, strategically located between the British occupying Philadelphia and Congress’ temporary seat at York. It took well over a month for the ill-clad and nearly starving soldiers to complete their huts. By the time they were complete, “there had been three complete breakdowns in the supply of food and close to 4,000 men were so destitute of clothing they could not leave their huts.” Due to the extreme shortage of supplied, the Continental Congress resolved that North Carolina and other states lay an immediate embargo on all exports of beef and pork: ”Whereas, there is great danger of the armies of the United States being very much distressed, if the exportation of beef and pork from the State of North Carolina be not immediately prohibited; Therefore, Resolved, That the legislative and executive powers of the…

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