SIR HENRY CLINTON'S DEFENSE OF HIS USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS DURING THE REVOLUTION, 1784 FIRST EDITION, UNCUT AND UNOPENED

CLINTON, Henry. A Letter from Lieut. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, K.B. to the Commissioners of Public Accounts, Relative to Some Observations in Their Seventh Report, Which May Be Judged to Imply Censure on the Late Commanders in Chief of His Majesty's Army in North America. London: Printed for J. Debrett, 1784. Octavo, sewn as issued, laid into early blue paper wrappers, uncut and unopened. $650.

First edition of Sir Henry Clinton's vindication of his expenditures of public money while in command of the British army during the American Revolution.

Taking issue with the Commissioners' implications that he had used government funds in an improper manner during the war with the Colonies, Clinton here and submits documents to prove that, had his orders been read and acted upon in Britain, the so-called mismanagement of which he is now accused would not have come to pass. Also mentioned is his concern with the obvious favoring of Cornwallis by the Commissioners. The whole question of the leadership of the British troops during the Revolution, and the competition between Clinton and Cornwallis, led to its own "war" of correspondence between the two men. Without the explanatory slip inserted "in some copies" only (Howes). Sabin 13750. ESTC T513. Howes C494.

Minor spotting, mostly to edges; a near-fine, uncut copy.