Exeter printing Declaration of Independence found in Britain’s National Archives records

A volunteer at Britain’s National Archives uncovered a rare printed copy of the US Declaration of Independence. Michael Scurr found it in May while sorting Royal Navy letters from 1776. The paper was attached to a report about a captured American ship, the Dalton. Scurr said, "I thought, oh, right, OK, this is definitely a Declaration of Independence, he told The Associated Press. How exciting is this?\"

Representative image

Archive experts later confirmed it was an early \"Exeter printing\" of the Declaration of Independence. The version was printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, between July 16 and 19, 1776. It was produced days after the original signing on July 4, 1776. The Archives said on Thursday it was one of 11 known copies.

Declaration of Independence copy linked to a captured ship

The National Archives said this was the only Exeter printing identified outside the United States. Staff traced it to the papers of an 18th century Royal Navy captain. The declaration was filed as an enclosure to another document. It accompanied a report on the capture of the Dalton on Christmas Eve 1776.

Amanda Bevan led the archive project cataloguing Royal Navy captains’ correspondence from the American Revolution. Bevan said the document mattered for more than its age. Bevan said it was taken from a ship acting under Continental Congress authority. Bevan also noted the orders carried signatures by its president, John Hancock.

Declaration of Independence suggests aims of American privateers

Bevan said the find also hinted at how the declaration was used at sea. Bevan believed the Dalton’s captain likely read orders aloud, as was normal. Bevan also believed the declaration itself may have been read to the crew. Bevan said, \"They know why theyre fighting, but this puts it in a language which makes it greater than them.\"

Bevan added, \"Theyre not fighting because theyre aggrieved in particular. Theyre fighting for an ideal. And I think that just to find the declaration in a theatre of war where people are committing themselves to fight for their country on the wide ocean is really something special.\" Bevan said sea fighters often received less attention than land troops at places like Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

The Dalton was an 18-gun privateer, meaning it was privately owned but authorised to fight. It operated under the auspices of the Continental Congress. It was meant to support the small naval force of the new nation. Captain Thomas Fitzherbert commanded the 64-gun HMS Raisonnable, which pursued the Dalton for seven hours.

The chase ended with the Dalton captured off the coast of Portugal on Christmas Eve 1776. The ship’s 120 crew members were taken to Plymouth, England. Records said they were held in harsh conditions. Charles Hebert, 19 at capture, wrote journals during over two years in prison.

Declaration of Independence find draws reaction from US historians

In the United States, historians welcomed the discovery at the National Archives. Matthew Skic worked as director of collections and exhibitions at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Skic said, \"This copy of the Declaration of Independence provides a direct link to the Daltons captain, who carried news of American independence to the world,\"

Skic added, \"Its not just a document, its an artifact, he said. Its a tangible connection to the past, because holding that piece of paper in the archivists hand today is a way to transport us back to 1776. The baton being passed, in a way.\" Skic also said the find showed gaps still remain in Revolution research.

Scurr had volunteered at the National Archives for 11 years before the find. Scurr spent Thursday mornings cataloguing documents for future researchers. The National Archives unveiled the discovery ahead of a weekend marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. Staff said the document helped connect naval warfare, captivity, and early efforts to spread independence news.

With inputs from PTI