A 'vanishingly rare' copy of the US Declaration of Independence has been unearthed in the National Archives in Kew, west London, sending shockwaves through academic and historical circles just weeks before the 250th anniversary of its signing. The extraordinary discovery was made by volunteer Michael Scurr during a routine cataloguing session in late May, highlighting the enduring significance of this pivotal document in American history.
Scurr's sharp eyes scanned the documents with his usual diligence, but it was not until he spotted the opening words 'In Congress, July 4, 1776. A declaration by the representatives of the United States of America…' that his morning routine took an unexpected turn. This proved to be a copy of the 'Exeter printing' of the Declaration, so named because it was produced in Exeter, New Hampshire, between 16 and 19 July 1776. The rapid dissemination of news about this groundbreaking declaration across the nascent nation is starkly illustrated by the relatively short timeframe between its signing in Philadelphia on 4 July and its local publication.
Graham Moore, a records specialist at the National Archives, underscored the document's importance, particularly in relation to its complex journey into British possession. The Declaration was found among papers seized from an American privateer ship, the Dalton, after it was captured by a British warship off the coast of Spain in December 1776. While other crucial documents, including the ship's commission signed by Continental Congress President John Hancock, were passed to the Admiralty Court, the Declaration was recorded as 'another document' and subsequently forgotten for over two centuries within naval archives.
The 'broadsides' like this Exeter printing were designed for rapid distribution and widespread consumption, acting as critical news bulletins in 1776. It is believed that Captain Eleazer Johnson of the Dalton acquired the copy in nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where his ship briefly stopped. Johnson was a staunch American patriot, declaring himself a citizen of the United States of America to a court in Plymouth, UK, after his capture – an act considered treasonous by the Crown at the time. Amanda Bevan, head of legal records, suggests that Captain Johnson might even have read the Declaration aloud to his diverse 120-man crew, explaining their mission to attack British vessels on behalf of the fledgling US.
The discovery offers a tangible link to this pivotal moment in global history, illustrating the immediate impact and spread of the Declaration of Independence. It also sheds light on the activities of American privateer ships, which were commissioned by Congress to target British vessels, with the Dalton being the first American privateer captured in European waters.