Beschreibung:

14" length with an engrailed edge blending to a smooth throat. Raised ring and a flat-sided spout. Engraved with floral designs and Canada Department, Mount Independance, Uzel Hurd November 15th 1776, Michael Ferrin Joseph Standley. Two of the three American militiamen — Uzel Hurd and Michael Ferrin — cannot be found in the U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1883 in any spelling permutation. There is a Pvt. Joseph Standley from Connecticut (Box 7) and a pvt. elijah also from Connecticut (Box 18). Originally, elements of three regiments of Connecticut State Troops organized in May 1775 — the 1st, 4th and 5th — formed part of the American Army in the Northern Department. After participating in the "Invasion of Canada" the 1st Regiment had been assigned to the garrison of the Canadian Department on January 1776. For the march on Montreal, Brigadier General Richard Montgomery had disbanded the 4th and 5th Regiments in order to bring the 1st Regiment back up to strength. The 1st Regiment State Troops was disbanded in April 1776 and later reorganized as part of the Continental Line. Significantly, the horn bears the rarely encountered designation of “Canadian Department.” During the Revolution the Continental Army was formally divided into seven geographic departments for command and administrative purposes. The short-lived "Canadian Department" was established on January 17, 1776, separated from the New York Department, and officially discontinued on July 8, 1776 following the failed American invasion of Canada, and the Continental Army's withdrawal to Fort Ticonderoga. The terminology is important because it represents the aspirations of the early Provisional Congress to annex the province of Quebec, then known as “Canada.” In all likelihood the owner(s) of this horn had participated in the ill-fated invasion of Canada and the capture of Montreal in November 1775. The November 15, 1776 date on this horn is somewhat perplexing as the "Canadian Department" had been formally abolished by this date but the horn was likely a carry-over. Following the capture of Fort Ticonderoga by Ethan Allen in May 1775, the Americans began construction of a second fortification opposite Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain to secure the strategic approaches to Albany in the event of a British foray from Canada. Built in 1775-76, Mount Independence was designed by Chief Engineer, Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin as an all wooden star fort with extensive shore batteries overlooking the lake. Several thousand New England militiamen were employed in constructing and garrisoning the fort. The partially completed work was formally christened "Mount Independence" on July 28, 1776 in the wake of news proclaiming the Declaration of Independence. In late October 1776, a British amphibious force under Sir Guy Carlton appeared off Three Mile Point, but "the formidable appearance of the two forts with flags flying and artillery conspicuously displayed" compelled the British to withdraw. The next year both forts, manned by an under-strength garrison commanded by Arthur St. Clair, were evacuated on July 6, 1777 after a brief siege by John Burgoyne with 10,000 British Redcoats and Hessian allies. Following Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga in October 1777, the British quickly found the forts to be untenable, evacuated the garrison and burned Mount Independence. Condition: Horn has a dry look with nice dark yellow-to-brown patina. Some chips along the edge of the horn at the wood base. And on the bottom of wood base are two slivers of wood missing on outer edges. Wood base has a nice patina and worn look.