Elijah Backus 1791 LETTER CONNECTICUT. REVOLUTIONARY WAR CLAIMS. ALS Elijah Backus To Andrew Kingsbury

CONNECTICUT. REVOLUTIONARY WAR CLAIMS. Autograph Letter Signed ("Elijah Backus"), to Andrew Kingsbury, Norwich, November 29, 1791.

One page with integral address leaf. 4to. Laid paper. Addressed to "A. Kingsbury Esqr / Comptroller / Hartford Connect." Red wax seal remnant, seal tear, old folds, minor spotting.

Letter documenting the bureaucratic process of settling Revolutionary War claims between federal and state authorities. Backus informs Connecticut Comptroller Kingsbury about a power of attorney returned from the federal Post Office in Philadelphia with instructions from William Howell regarding proper payment procedures. Details military bounty rights and arrearage claims for rations and clothing owed to a soldier named Beckwith.

The letter demonstrates the complex fiscal relationships between Connecticut and federal offices in Philadelphia during the early Republic, and the developing system for settling Revolutionary War claims. Kingsbury served as Connecticut Comptroller (1786-1793) before becoming State Treasurer.

Docketed on verso with date. Original folds, small seal tear, minor spotting, else very good.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Written in an official capacity concerning Revolutionary War claims, this letter was likely carried by private conveyance rather than through the postal system, as evidenced by the absence of postal markings. This was common practice for official state business, which was exempt from postal charges.
Elijah Backus, (1726–1798) served as a captain in the Connecticut militia during the Revolutionary War, commanding a company (often noted as part of the 7th Regiment or 4th Battalion). His leadership extended beyond the battlefield—he was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Committee of Safety, and held various local political offices both before and after the war.