LETTERS TO A NOBLEMAN, On the Conduct of the War in the Middle Colonies

LETTERS TO A NOBLEMAN, On the Conduct of the War in the Middle Colonies

(London: J. Wilke, 1780).

SCARCE BRITISH PUBLICATION ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Galloway had served as delegate to the First Continental Congress from Pennsylvania. For much of his career in Pennsylvanian politics he was a close ally of Benjamin Franklin but when his proposed plan to avert independence failed he became a Loyalist.
In the winter of 1777, Galloway joined the British General Howe and accompanied him on his capture of Philadelphia. During the British occupation, he was appointed Superintendent of Police, and headed the civil government, a position he used to aggressively organized the Loyalists in the city. He was dismayed when Howe chose not to push after the colonial army and attack them at their weakened encampment at Valley Forge, and even more so when Howe decided to abandon Philadelphia in 1778 following France's entry into the war. When the British army withdrew to New York, he went with them back to England.
Though Galloway had a reputation as a highly efficient administrator, his repeated interference in military affairs made him unpopular. These letters were published to influence the Parliamental investigation in Howe's actions. Galloway very publicly makes charges of incompetence and negligence and argues that with better tactics Washington should have been defeated. Howe's response, "Some Observations Upon a Pamphlet, Entitled, Letters to a Nobleman" followed quickly. In time Parliament would side with Howe and he was acquitted of any blame. Item #27507

Very scarce, the third edition published only one year after the first and to coincide with the publication of Galloway's rebuttal to Howe's response to the first edition. 8vo, in later printed wrappers designed as the original, thread bound. viii, 101, 1 pp. with half-title but without the map. Extremely well preserved, only the lightest of mellowing.

Price: $650.00