Sold – George Washington: Society of the Cincinnati Diploma Signed

The 1st Maryland Regiment was raised on January 14, 1776 at Baltimore, Maryland under the command of Col. William Smallwood for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action during the New York Campaign, and the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. 2nd Lieut. William Pendergast was the Commissary for this unit, as records indicate that on October 29, 1779, “William Pendergast, who was Commissary of the 1st Maryland Brigade, is appointed Ensign [lieutenant] in the 5th Maryland Regt.”

He was promoted on July 31, 1780, army documentation indicating that “Lieut. William Pendergast of the Fifth Maryd Regt., is appointed Commissary General of Issues to the Southern Army – He is to be respected and obeyed as such.” This was a position of great responsibility and reflected the confidence his superiors had in his integrity. Orders on August 9, 1780 required that “All Persons bringing Flour, Meale, Cattle, Rum or Salt are immediately to report the Quantity and Quality to the Commissary Gen of Issues, Wm. Pendergast, Esq., that a fair and equal Distribution may be made of the Same to all Officers and Soldiers, without any preference or partiality to particular Corps…”

On New Year’s Day 1781, Pendergast was transferred to the 3rd Maryland. This unit fought at the Battles of Guilford Court House and Yorktown while he was on its rolls. Pendergast remained in the army until November 1783. His service is documented in the Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, and papers concerning it are included.

The Society of the Cincinnati was composed of officers of the Continental Army and was formed “for the laudable purpose of inculcating the duty of laying down in peace arms assumed for public defense, and of uniting in acts of brotherly affection and bonds of perpetual friendship the members constituting the same.” George Washington took a great interest in the Society and was its first president. A gorgeous engraved membership diploma was produced on vellum, showing American Liberty with a Union Flag and eagle, as well as broken British emblems and Britannia herself fleeing America. These were signed by Washington as Society president and General Henry Knox as secretary. Pendergast was an original member of the Society.

Document Signed, Mount Vernon, October 31, 1785, being William Pendergast’s diploma as a member of the order. The diploma misspells his name as “Prendergast,” a fact he doubtless did not much appreciate. Because the ink so often took poorly to the sheepskin, these diplomas often have faded signatures of Washington. This one is better than most but suffers from that problem to a degree, and Knox’s signature is somewhat smeared. It is our first signed Society diploma in quite a few years.