Printed document signed by James Monroe (1758-1831), as Secretary of State. [Washington, D.C.], 7 November 1812. 1 page. Manuscript note to upper margin: “No. 949 to Captn [?] Howan of the [?] Idalia”.

On order of the President, the document is an “Additional Instruction to the Public and Private Armed Vessels of the United States” that they are “not to interrupt any British unarmed vessels bound to Sable Island.” A note at the top addressed to a Captain Howan suggests these documents were circulated among sea captains, likely both Naval, merchant, and privateer.

Sable Island is a small island southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the Headquarters of the North American Station for the Royal Navy. The island would later be the site on 22 June 1814 of the capture of the American brig Rattlesnake by the British 50-gun fourth-rate Leander.

[War of 1812, Documents, Broadsides, Ephemera, Manuscripts, Signatures, Presidents, Presidential Signatures, Naval History, Militaria]

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