Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hancock, John, 1737-1793 to the Convention of Maryland

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00779 Author/Creator: Hancock, John, 1737-1793 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: November 14, 1776 Pagination: 1 p. : Height: 32 cm, Width: 21 cm Order a Copy

Enclosing a letter from James Searle regarding possible attack by British fleet. On November 13, 1776 Searle spotted about one hundred British ships off the point of Sandy Hook at Long Branch, New Jersey. He immediately wrote to Thomas Wharton Jr., chairman of the Pennsylvania Council for Safety and warned him that the ships seemed to be heading southward. The letter caused great worry in Congress. Hancock sent letters to assemblies in all of the Southern states, and enclosed a copy of Searle's letter as well. However, the British fleet Searle saw was heading for Britain. Letter also notes that General Carleton's force had just retreated from Quebec. Letter signed by Hancock as President of the Continental Congress.

Hancock, John, 1737-1797
Searle, James, 1730-1797
Wharton, Thomas, Jr., 1735-1778
Carleton, Guy, Baron Dorchester, 1724-1808

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources