Revolutionary War
Roxbury, MA, July 13, 1775
Revolutionary War Court Martial Boldly Signed By Peleg Wadsworth: "Not Guilty"
MDS

Manuscript document signed, "P Wadsworth," 1p, 6.25" x 5", Roxbury Camp, July 13, 1775. Docketed at verso. Flattened folds and creases. Toning and scattered foxing. Uneven edges. Very faint pencil notations from a former collector. Isolated minor ink smudging. In near fine condition and very boldly signed.

In full:

"Roxbury Camp 13th. July 1775
Col: Cotton
Sir the Court Martial ordered this day have impartially examined ye Evidences & try'd ye Prisoner committed to us, & according to ye testimony of ye Evidences Judge him Not Guilty - in behalf of ye Court Martial."

In the spring of 1775, immediately after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Captain Peleg Wadsworth organized and commanded a company of Kingston, Massachusetts, minutemen. Wadsworth's company became part of the Plymouth County regiment commanded by Colonel Theophilus Cotton. Cotton was the senior militia officer responsible for the expedition against the British force occupying Marshfield, Massachusetts. During the Marshfield Expedition, Cotton delayed attacking while awaiting additional forces. According to contemporary accounts and later histories, Captain Wadsworth became impatient with the delay and advanced his own company to within musket range of the British position, nearly provoking an engagement before being restrained. Although the British withdrew by sea before a battle could occur, the episode established Wadsworth as an energetic and capable officer.

Peleg Wadsworth (1748-1829) was an American Revolutionary War officer, surveyor, engineer, land agent, and statesman who rose from captain of Massachusetts minutemen to brigadier general of militia and later served seven terms in the United States Congress. Wadsworth graduated from Harvard College and taught school for several years in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was fifth in descendant to Christopher Wadsworth, who came from England to the Americas in 1632. He is remembered both for his distinguished Revolutionary War service and as the maternal grandfather of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Theophilus Cotton (1716-1782) was a prominent Patriot who commanded the 4th Massachusetts Regiment during the early years of the American Revolution. Before the Revolution, Cotton established himself as a successful merchant and public official in Plymouth, serving in several local governmental capacities and becoming one of the leading citizens of the county. He is best known for mobilizing Plymouth County militia and participating in the Siege of Boston. In 1775, Cotton served as Colonel of the 1st Plymouth County Regiment. Cotton occupies an important place in Revolutionary War history as a representative of the experienced Massachusetts militia colonels who mobilized local forces immediately after Lexington and Concord. His command included officers who would later achieve greater distinction, among them Captain Peleg Wadsworth, and his regiment formed an essential part of the provincial military structure before the Continental Army assumed primary responsibility for the war.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 6.25" x 5"
  • Medium: MDS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

by University Archives
July 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
88 Danbury Road
Suite 2A
Wilton, CT, US 06897

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000