John Maitland letters

Descriptive Summary
Repository:	Georgia Historical Society
Creator:	Maitland, John, Lieutenant Colonel, 1732-1779.
Title:	John Maitland letters
Dates:	1775-1776
Extent:	0.05 cubic feet (1 folder)
Identification:	MS 0954

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Biographical/Historical Note

Lieutenant Colonel John Maitland (1732-1779) was the son of the Earl of Lauderdale. He represented the Borough of Haddington in the House of Commons before coming to America with the British Army to fight in the American Revolution. Maitland served in the 711th Regiment, Regular Army. He died in 1779 in the state of Georgia.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of photocopies of five original letters written from John Maitland to his brother, Alexander, between August 27, 1775 and July 8, 1776. In these letters, Maitland reports on his journey to America, discusses life in the army, and recounts the British capture of Staten Island, New York.

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Index Terms

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

Donor acquired the material from the 17th Earl of Lauderdale, a descendant of one of John Maitland's five brothers.

Preferred Citation

[item identification], John Maitland letters, MS 954, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mildred Maitland Wiggins, 1973.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

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Sponsorship

Encoding funded by a 2012 Documenting Democracy grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

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Container List

 

Item 1: Lieutenant Colonel John Maitland letter to General Alexander Maitland, 1775 August 27 ( 1.0 p. )

Sent from Island of Madeira. Writes of a six-week delay in sailing.

 

Item 2: Lieutenant Colonel John Maitland letter to General Alexander Maitland, 1775 October 9 ( 1.0 p. )

Sent From Boston, Massachusetts. Refers to the nine week passage to America; notes General Gage will sail tomorrow.

 

Item 3: Lieutenant Colonel John Maitland letter to General Alexander Maitland, 1775 December 2 ( 5.0 p. )

Sent from Camp on the Heights of Charles Town. Reveals his disappointment over the slowness with which he is being promoted; says he has been tempted to give up the service.

 

Item 4: Lieutenant Colonel John Maitland letter to General Alexander Maitland, 1776 June 8 ( 1.0 p. )

Sent from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Notes the arrival of "Sandy," son of Alexander Maitland; writes of the arrival of one transport from England, which was the only reinforcement the have had for several months; expects to sail this day but does not yet know his destination.

 

Item 5: Lieutenant Colonel John Maitland letter to General Alexander Maitland, 1776 July 8 ( 1.0 p. )

Sent from Charles Neck, Staten Island, New York. Reveals that they took possession of the island without significant opposition; no one in the Army seems ill; wishes the war was over.