George Washington inducts one George Tudor as President of America's first military order
One partially printed leaf of parchment, 20.5" x 14", Mount Vernon, Virginia; October 31, 1785. Engraving signed "Aug L. Belle, Del." Signed "Go: Washington" and countersigned by Henry Knox.
Established May 13, 1783 as America's first Military Order, the Society of Cincinnati was originally composed of members of the Continental Army serving at the cantonment on the Hudson River. At the close of the Revolutionary War, these men established the Society as a tribute to the brotherhood that had been born of their time serving in battle together and to honor the freedom they had fought so hard for. The name honors an illustrious Roman General, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus, who left his home and family twice in his life to lead the Roman Army to victory, and both times eschewed further honors; members of the society sought to emulate Cincinnatus, both in war and peace. It was these same men who unanimously selected General George Washington as the leader of this fledgling country for his honor, valor, and wisdom displayed strongly in the course of the war in the spirit of their namesake hero.
Beautifully engraved, the diploma features classic patriotic imagery, including the Union Flag, an American Eagle, a medallion featuring the motto "Omnia Relinquit Servare Rempublicam" or "He abandoned everything to serve his country, "across from a scroll, held aloft by an angel, that reads, "Independence declared, A.D. 1783." Considered by many to be one of the most attractive and exhibitable of all Presidential and Revolutionary War documents, this particular diploma was awarded to George Tudor of Pennsylvania. Tudor was commissioned 1st Lieutenant of the 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion at the start of the war; he rose through the ranks, was briefly held prisoner at Fort Washington, and ultimately commissioned Major in the 5th Pennsylvania regiment in April 1780, before retiring from service in January 1781.
Though the sepia ink is somewhat pale, it is still quite legible, and the document displays only minor edgewear and light scattered foxing and soiling, chiefly to edges, with a few areas of professional restoration to the bottom margin, not affecting the image. One of the more well preserved examples we've seen of these highly coveted documents!
Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA.