Hartford: May 26th, 1782.
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Unbound. Approximately 7" x 6.5". Laid paper. Old folds, near fine. Payment order to Dick Freedom, paid out to and signed for by Cuff Liberty. Liberty's signature is a bit clumsy, perhaps indicating that he was relatively new to literacy, but is easily readable. Revolutionary War pay documents were often paid out to a fellow soldier in the same unit, either out of convenience or because of previous debt. Dick Freedom was one of approximately 300 freeman or slaves from Connecticut who fought for the Continental Army, often for the promise of freedom (and thus they often adopted aspirational names, as was probably the case with both Freedom and Liberty). Freedom, from Wallingford, served in the all-black Second Company of the Fourth Connecticut Regiment with Liberty from Middletown, Connecticut. Both are listed by William Cooper Nell in his book *Coloured Patriots of the American Revolution* (1855). Moebs. *Black Soldiers, Black Sailors, Black Ink*: Freedom p.266, etc.; Liberty p.261, etc.
Item #423391
