George Washington's Valley Forge printer signs a letter, 1797

Description

Letter dated Halifax, North Carolina, September 19, 1797 written and signed by Abraham Hodge, the printer who was with George Washington at Valley Forge in 1778-1779 and operated the printing press which produced Washington's orders, commissions and recruiting posters for the Continental Army. Hodge (1755-1805) founded North Carolina newspapers, was state printer, and publicist. During the American Revolution, he worked for Samuel Loudon, a patriot printer of New York who published several New York newspapers. He also became the state printer of New York, and was key in conducting the traveling press that covered George Washington's army at Valley Forge. By 1785, he had established a printing office in Halifax County, North Carolina, where he was elected as the State Printer that year. He writes to Mr. Backus regarding a printing order from John Harrison, who printed The Weekly Museum in New York City.