Scope and Content Note
The papers of Benjamin Lincoln (1778-1806) span the years 1778-1806 and include journals, correspondence, certificates, a receipt, a petition, and an extract. Lincoln's journal of October 3 to December 1, 1778, chronicles his journey from Quaker Hill, New York, to Charleston, South Carolina, to take command of the Southern Department of the Continental Army. A journal dated September 3-October 19, 1779, is represented in the collection by the original and a copy. The copy contains eleven lines of text not found in the original. The journal describes the siege of Savannah, Georgia, and gives detailed accounts of military plans and operations. Persons mentioned in the journal include Charles Henri Estaing, comte d'Estaing, Lachlan McIntosh, and Kazimierz Pułaski.