Collections : [The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon]

Shows the boundaries established by the preliminary Treaty of Peace, signed 30 November 1782, and published prior to the signing of the formal Treaty on 3 September 1783. Includes a detailed plan of the Siege of Yorktown.

Shows territorial possessions in North America after the Treaty of Paris. Includes the satirical "Theodolite's letter to the Botcher's Club in Monmouth Street." The open letter appears to praise the treaty and the 3rd Earl of Bute, who worked on the treaty, while actually pointing out the weaknesses of the territory gained. Theodolite, a scientific instrument used in surveying, likely represented Bute, who collected such instruments. Botchers were menders such as tailor and cobblers, and Monmouth Street was known for its second-hand shops. The letter was thus from Bute to those with mercantile interests or low connections as Bute?s peers disapproved of him and the treaty. The true author of the letter was likely Sayer or a colleague with similar political sentiments.

Map of Virginia and Maryland based on surveys by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson, accurately delineating boundaries, roads, settlements, and Native American trails, and incorporating considerable new geographical information. It was issued in 1775 for inclusion in Thomas Jeffery's 'American Atlas'.

Contains a proclamation of President George Washington in response to a violoation of treaty between the United States and the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw nations, p. 598 col. 2-3.

Autograph letter signed with integral address panel. Bushrod writes about spending Christmas in Dumfries by invitation of "very fine girls," although his trip was cut short when his father came down with gout. He also gives news of the Federal City, which is "thronged with beautiful girls and other strangers," including "a number of Turks and Indians." He shares an anecdote about the Turkish ambassador asking Thomas Jefferson for "six wives" and writes about a dinner hosted aboard a frigate by Jefferson for a group of Native American men. Bushrod also writes of the rising power of Napoleon in France and about the Carters of Philadelphia.

Autograph letter, signed "Timothy Pickering" to Oliver Phelps. Pickering, appointed by President Washington as commissioner to the Iroquois, is writing to merchant and land speculator Oliver Phelps in response to the Pine Creek killings, in which two Seneca Indians were murdered in a dispute with the sons of John Walker, a man whom the Seneca claimed to have scalped and murdered several years prior. Pickering writes of Washington's "utter abhorrence" of the killings. He has sent Pickering to meet with the relations of the murdered Seneca men.

Clendinen introduces, to Washington, King Dequen, leader of the Kascashas, and expresses the chief's intent to prevail "upon the Chiefs of Many [Indian] Nations to Travel with him to you,... Hoping that we may all become the Same people. Firmly United to Each Others Interests."

Unable as yet to get information on lands Washington is interested in--goes to New Orleans in 2 weeks--"I have seen a very extrordinary publication in a Fredericksburg Paper wherin mention is made of Gen. W-ks-n [James Wilkinson ?] having prepared a fleet of 25 Boats some of them armed with three Pounders and maned with 150 men who intend fighting their way down the Mississippi into the Gulph of Mexico. It is very extrordinary how such a report coud have taken its rise as Ge. W-ks-n is now here and intends down the River at the same time as I do, with only five or six Tobacco [ ] instead of 25 armed Boats."--sends some "pecaun" nuts from New Orleans--Indians doing mischief--but lands settling fast despite scalpings--price of corn--returns to Mt. Vernon in August.

"Sir - The purp. of this is to aquaint you of an Engagement we had with the Indians late this afternoon. Three of our men going out on pretense of looking after some horses met with a party of Indians within sight of the Fort, two of which escaped and alarm'd us; we immediately pursued them with a party of between fourty & fifty men undr command of Capt. Mercer, Lieut. Williams, Ensn. Carten, Ensign McCarty, Lt. Lemen & myself - after following them about a mile & an half, on rising a mountain we were fired on very smartly which we warmly returned ...."

"From Theodore de Bry's Grand Voyages, Dreyzehender Theil Americae published by Matheus Merian. This German version of Captain John Smith's map of Virginia depicts the English colony shortly after Jamestown's 1607 founding. Powhatan, the principal chief of the indigenous confederacy that dominated the region, presides in the upper left corner. The rivers command our attention. The English expected to settle the interior by following waterways upstream. In time, tobacco plantations worked by indentured servants and slaves replaced the indigenous settlements that dotted these rivers. The Potomac River is visible just above the "SA" in "Chesapeak Bay."" -- Mapping the "New World": Highlights from the Paul Schott Stevens Collection