Key Takeaways
- A volunteer at the UK National Archives uncovered a rare Exeter‑printed copy of the 1776 U.S. Declaration of Independence while cataloguing uncatalogued naval documents.
- The document is one of only eleven surviving copies and the sole known example outside the United States.
- Its provenance traces the declaration from a New Hampshire print shop to the American privateer Dalton, its capture by British forces, and eventual storage in British naval archives.
- The find illustrates how news of American independence spread rapidly across the Atlantic and highlights the trans‑Atlantic nature of the Revolutionary War.
- The Dalton’s diverse crew—including a free Black sailor—offers a glimpse into the multicultural makeup of early American privateering forces.
- Scholars value the document not only for its rarity but also for the detailed story it tells about the dissemination of revolutionary ideas and the lives of ordinary participants.
Discovery of the Declaration
Michael Scurr, a volunteer cataloguing previously unrecorded materials at the National Archives in Kew, experienced what he described as “just a boring old Thursday morning” in late May. While opening a volume of 18th‑century Royal Navy correspondence, he encountered the opening lines of a document he instantly recognised: “In Congress, July 4, 1776. A declaration by the representatives of the United States of America …”. He immediately called over his supervisor, sharing the excitement of what he believed to be a truly thrilling archival find.
Identification as the Exeter Printing
Experts quickly identified the sheet as a copy of the so‑called Exeter printing of the Declaration of Independence. Only eleven such copies are known to survive, and this particular example is the only one located outside the United States. Graham Moore, a records specialist at the National Archives, noted that the document’s significance lies not just in its rarity but in the remarkably complete narrative of how it traveled from New Hampshire to British naval custody.
Printing and Distribution Context
The broadside was produced in Exeter, New Hampshire, between 16 and 19 July 1776—only days after the original signing in Philadelphia on 4 July. Moore explained that these broadsides were designed for speed: printed quickly, distributed widely, and read by as many people as possible in the shortest time. Their purpose was to spread news of the daring declaration throughout the colonies and beyond, making the Exeter printing a tangible artifact of revolutionary information flow.
Journey to the Privateer Dalton
The declaration entered the historical record after being taken from the American privateer vessel Dalton. The ship was captured by a British warship off the coast of Spain in December 1776. Although other valuable papers—such as the ship’s commission signed by Continental Congress President John Hancock—were forwarded to the Admiralty Court, the declaration was merely labelled “another document” and subsequently lost in the naval archives for over two centuries.
How the Privateer Acquired the Copy
Though the Dalton never docked in Exeter, Moore hypothesised that its captain, Eleazer Johnson, likely obtained a copy during a brief stop in nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where the ship took on additional crew. Johnson, a committed American, later declared his U.S. citizenship before a Plymouth court—a statement deemed treasonous by the Crown. Bevan, head of legal records, imagined Johnson reading the declaration aloud to his multinational crew, reinforcing their shared purpose amid the perils of privateering.
The Role of American Privateers
Congress had commissioned American privateers to “attack, seize and take the ships and other vessels belonging to the inhabitants of Great‑Britain.” The Dalton holds the distinction of being the first American privateer captured in European waters. Its capture provides a rare window into the maritime dimension of the Revolutionary War, where privately owned ships acted as extensions of the Continental Navy.
Crew Diversity and the Story of Daniel Cottle
The muster book of the Dalton reveals a crew of 120 men representing English, Irish, Scottish, French, Danish, and self‑identified American sailors. Among them was Daniel Cottle, recorded as a Black man. Moore noted that free Black individuals served on both sides of the Revolution, and Cottle’s presence suggests he was a free Black sailor from Newburyport, Massachusetts—the hometown of most of the Dalton’s crew. After capture, Cottle was transferred to a guard ship and imprisoned in Plymouth’s Old Mill; his subsequent fate remains unknown, offering a promising avenue for further research.
Archival and Historical Significance
Saul Nassé, chief executive of the National Archives and Keeper of Public Records, described the find as “a powerful reminder that the history of the American Revolution is fundamentally transatlantic.” Beyond its rarity, the document’s provenance—from an Exeter print shop to a privateer at sea, to its capture, and finally to its residence in the UK’s state archives—provides an exceptionally detailed chain of custody. Such provenance is rare and enriches our understanding of how revolutionary ideas circulated across the Atlantic world.
Conclusion: A Living Artifact of Revolution
The Exeter‑printed Declaration of Independence discovered by Michael Scurr is more than a surviving piece of paper; it is a narrative conduit linking print shops in New Hampshire, the daring exploits of American privateers, the multicultural makeup of Revolutionary crews, and the bureaucratic machinery of British naval archives. Its recent resurfacing underscores the enduring, interconnected legacy of the American Revolution and invites continued exploration of the countless untold stories hidden within archival collections.