2017-03-28 Tue

George LaBarre Galleries of Hollis, N.H. is offering one of the rare Connecticut line notes which were issued for African-American soldiers. The reverse of the note features a red arrow pointing towards the soldier’s signature. These are promissory notes issued for service in the Continental Army from 1780 to 1782 as the state had no money to pay its soldiers. The note reads “in the Connecticut Line of the Continental Army.” The note was payable in “gold, silver or bills of credit” and interest needed to be paid between six to eight years. When the notes were redeemed they were signed on the reverse and hole-cancelled.

Tuis Sharper belonged to the Sixth Connecticut Regiment and was one of almost 5,000 African Americans who fought the Revolutionary War after George Washington allowed black enlistment in January 1776. Most of these notes were not signed as the soldiers could not read or write, making the note offered at the auction more special.

As per experts, Sharper was under Capt. Martin Kirtland’s company in the Connecticut Battalion.