Jackie Robinson 70th anniversary auction to benefit JRF ending April 29
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2017
Presented is a letter that was penned by Thomas Gedney, a US Naval officer who was a key part of the Amistad court case. Gedney discovered the Amistad while on a surveying operation after the crew of the slave ship revolted and killed their abductors. Gedney tried to claim, in court, that the Amistad, its cargo, and the slaves were his property, since he discovered the salvage. The court ruled, in a separate case, that the slaves were illegally captured and were to be sent back to Africa. Gedney was awarded the cargo of the ship, but not the slaves.
In this letter, dated to October 4th, 1849, Gedney discusses a rash of burglaries purported by his men while on an expedition near China. He wrote this two page letter in black pen and signed it as “Thos R Gedney”. This letter comes with a LOA from University Archives.