Brief guide to manuscripts collections| William L. Clements Library The University of Michigan Benjamin Gilbert Letterbook |
Benjamin Gilbert, a native of Brookfield, Mass., had joined the Continental Army by 1777. He was serving in aupper New Jersey in the fall of 1780, when the letters commence, and he spent the winter at West Point. In February 1781, he accompanied Lafayett's force to Trenton, Wilmington, Christiana, Elkton, Annapolis, and eventually Virginia in pursuit of the army of Phillips and Arnold; he was with Lafayette at Yorktown. The last half of the letters originate from West Point and Continental Village, New York, 1782-1783, where the army impatiently awaited the withdrawal of Carleton's forces from New York.
Letterbook of Benjamin Gilbert, Revolutionary War officer in the Massachusetts Line.
Gilbert's letters, many of them to his father, present little description of specific events in the war. The letterbook's great value is the picture it gives of a junior officer's outlook. Gilbert discusses Arnold's treason, the revolt of the Pennsylvania Line in January, 1781, the burning of Manchester, Va., southern hospitality, the exhiliration of impending triumph at Yorktown, widespread desertion of Hessians during the evacuation of New York, and shortages of pay, food, and clothing. A few letters unrelated to the war concern his finances and the claim of paternity made against him by a Brookfield girl.
Purchased, 1972
Published as John Shy, ed. Winding down (Ann Arbor, 1989)
| Homepage | Manuscripts | Collections | Staff | Hours and policies |
|---|