First hand, Eye Witness Account of The Battles of Lexington and Concord

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2014

"North American's Almanack" by Samuel Stearns, With a 12 Page Period Account of the Beginning of the Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, VG. The full title of this pristine almanac is: The North American's Almanack, And Gentleman's and Lady's Diary, For the Year of our Lord Christ 1776." This work was printed by I(saiah) Thomas, in Worcester, B. Edes in Watertown, and S. & E. Hall in Cambridge, and bears the printed price of "6 Coppers." A total of 16 pages are present (without cover wrapper), consisting of the usual monthly calendars, plus a two page history of the charters of the British colonies of Massachusetts and Connecticut. This history ends with a list of the Governors of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut, from the first settlements up to the time they surrendered their charters. In the top panel of each calendar page, where one usually finds poems, proverbs or prayers, there is narrative titled: "An Account of the Commencement of Hostilities between Great Britain and America, in the Province of Massachusetts Bay" written by Rev. William Gordon of Roxbury, MA. Gordon recounts the secret British march by night toward Lexington, which he himself witnessed. He followed the army, but arrived too late in Lexington to observe the battle. He then interviewed various people who were present, and assembled this account of what took place that day. The original size of this almanac was about 3-3/4” 6-1/2" but in this case each page has been trimmed and professionally mounted on a larger page (10.75" x 7"), thereby preserving it. The original pages are in excellent condition, clean and bright, without tears or chipping. A typed transcription of Rev. Gordon's account and the rest of the almanac accompanies this lot. This rare and historic almanac, containing first hand accounts of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, collected on that day and perhaps the following day, is an important record of the American Revolution.

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