Rare Declaration of Independence Found in British Archives
A unique copy of the Declaration of Independence, captured from an American privateer by a Royal Navy ship on Christmas Eve in 1776, has been uncovered in British archives. This find makes it one of just 11 surviving copies of its kind.
Volunteers at the National Archives in Kew Gardens, London, stumbled upon this previously unknown version while working on the America-250 project, which involves cataloging documents linked to Royal Navy officers from around the time of the American Revolution. During this process, a volunteer named Michael Sklar came across a letter from Captain Thomas Fitzherbert related to the document, initially published anonymously as a “separate paper.”
This particular declaration was one of several printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16 and 19 of 1776. It stands out as the only Exeter Declaration found outside the United States.
It was determined that the declaration had reached the British archives because it was part of the documents seized from Captain Eleazar Johnson, who commanded a 20-gun brig named Dalton. The ship had been authorized by John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress, to “attack, seize, and capture ships owned by British subjects.”
The Dalton was pursuing objectives along the coast of Portugal, which was an important ally for Britain at the time. However, it surrendered after a prolonged chase by Captain Fitzherbert’s ship, HMS Resonable, on New Year’s Eve of 1776.
Interestingly, Captain Fitzherbert did not seem to recognize the importance of this declaration, leading to its eventual neglect until, years later, it found its way into the National Archives.
The crew of Dalton was captured and imprisoned in England, where the captain made multiple attempts to escape, including digging a tunnel. One crew member recorded his observations during their efforts to break out of prison, noting the significant amount of soil they were trying to hide.
We could see a large quantity of soil coming out of the hole, and it was difficult to conceal. We filled every little nook in the prison that seemed safe, and piled large stones both in front and behind, hiding them under hammocks and old clothes.
Ultimately, their escape attempt failed, but they were later exchanged as prisoners and released.
This particular declaration is now recognized as the fourth and most unusual version in the National Archives in the UK. The other three copies are known as the Dunlap Broadsides, which were the first editions of the Declaration printed overnight on July 4, 1776. One of these additional Dunlap copies was discovered only in 2009 and is currently on loan to a museum in Pennsylvania.
