An autograph letter, signed, from Col. Richard Kidder Meade to General Henry Knox. Meade (1746-1805) was like his friend Alexander Hamilton an aide-de-camp of George Washington, and is perhaps best remembered as having supervised the execution of the British spy Major John Andre. This letter was Lot 104 in the auction catalog of The Frederick B. McGuire Collection of American Autographs, sold at the American Art Galleries in New York on February 26, 1917.It reads in full:"H. Qtrs [probably] 8 May 1778Sir, Hamilton is so engaged at this time, that he has requested me to make an apology for not writing himself, & to desire that you will keep the Torys secure until you hear from the Gen'l. who will immediately give Gov. Livingston notice of the affair. the Proceedings of the Court Martial will be attended to so as to have the sentences of the capital offenders in tomorrows orders. the rest you will deal by as you please -- Your letter to the Board of War will be forwarded this day.I am sirwith respectYr. Mo Obt ServtR K MeadeADCPS We are glad to hear that Mrs. Knox is better."The courts-martial referred to in the letter are uncertain, but may be in part those of Samuel Carter and one Seeds referred to in Washington's letter to Governor William Livingston of New Jersey on April 15th of the same year, which reads in part, "Some little time ago, one Samuel Carter an inhabitant of the State of New Jersey was taken in Arms on the side of the Enemy by a party of Colo. Shreves. The Colo. summoned a General Court Martial and tried one Seeds a deserter from the Continental Army and Carter."Appleton's Dictionary of American Biography states that Meade "entered the Revolutionary army in 1775, soon after his return to Virginia, and was one of the twenty-four persons that on 24 June of that year daringly removed the arms from Lord Dunmore's house and placed them in the magazine in Williamsburg. In December, 1775, he commanded a company at the battle of Great Bridge, near Norfolk, Virginia, the first that was fought in that state, he was then received into Gem Washington's military family as one of his aides, in which capacity, with the rank of colonel, he served throughout the war. He was with the commander-in-chief in all of his great battles, and used to say that Alexander Hamilton did the headwork of Washington's staff and he the riding, his black mare being well known to both armies. He superintended the execution of Major Andre. When Washington took leave of his aides at the close of the war he said to Colonel Meade: " Friend Dick, you must go to your plantation; you will make a good farmer, and an honest foreman of the grand jury."

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