1777 Revolutionary War Cannon Payment Order — Six Fieldpieces from the Brig Minerva — Signed Ezekiel Williams

Original Revolutionary War manuscript payment order dated Hartford, Connecticut, May 20, 1777, signed “Ez Williams” as a member of Connecticut’s Committee of the Pay Table.

Addressed to State Treasurer John Lawrence, the order authorizes payment of sixty pounds lawful money to the selectmen of New Haven for fitting up and furnishing six fieldpieces left there by the brig Minerva, including their carriages and associated equipment.

The document connects directly with the Council of Safety’s December 13, 1776 authorization to equip these six cannon with suitable field carriages, at a cost not exceeding ten pounds each. This subsequent sixty-pound payment provides a tangible record of Connecticut’s efforts to prepare artillery for wartime service.

Its combination of a named vessel, six cannon, and the practical work of mounting and equipping artillery gives this manuscript particular interest for collectors of Revolutionary military and naval history.

One sheet, with contemporary payment docketing and endorsements on the reverse. Historical folds, light toning and scattered spotting, ink show-through, and minor marginal wear. Bold principal handwriting and a clear Ezekiel Williams signature.