Haym Salomon
How did Haym Salomon help the American Revolution
How did Haym Salomon help the American Revolution
Haym Salomon(7 Apr.1740~6 Jan.1785) was a Prime financier of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He joined the New Your Branch of the Sons of Liberty.
In 1772, New York was a thriving colonial city of some 14,000 souls. Haym soon started a brokerage company and was very successful. when word of the fighting at Lexington and Concord reached New York, Haym sided with the revolting Colonials and joined New York's active "Sons of Liberty".British General William Howe blamed the Sons of Liberty , before the British and citizens of New York City had put out all the fires, all known members of the Sons of Liberty found themselves in jail! Haym noticed that the Hessian soldiers that were serving as guards did not speak English, and the British did not speak German. He used his position to help prisoners of the British escape and encourage the Hessians to desert the war effort.
He let the British know he could speak German, without volunteering to be an interpreter. He did not want to be viewed as a British sympathizer. He was soon given the job and received better treatment, food and quarters.
During this time Salomon became a member of the American espionage ring. They operated in such secrecy that even today we know little of their activities, however, it appears that Salomon was responsible for encouraging more then 500 Hessian solders to desert to the American side! The British paroled him.two years later, he was again arrested, and this time taken to a prison called "Congress Hill". On August 11th, 1778, he was convicted of several capitol charges, all relating to his activities as a spy.
Haym Salomon had planned on this eventuality and had hidden some gold coins in his clothes. With them he bribed a guard, escaped and made his way to Philadelphia and safety.
In Philadelphia he reestablished hi s brokerage business from a coffee house and became known as a knowledgeable broker. In addition he was appointed by Congress as Postmaster to the French Army and Navy as well as to the Spanish, French and Dutch Ministers (Ambassadors). He did very well, and soon had created a new fortune.
In August of 1781, our Southern forces had trapped Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis in the little Virginia coastal town of Yorktown. George Washington and the main army and the Count de Rochambeau with his French army decided to march from the Hudson Highlands to Yorktown and deliver the final blow. But Washington's war chest was completely empty, as was that of Congress. When Morris told him there were no funds and no credit available, Washington gave him a simple but eloquent order: "Send for Haym Salomon". Haym again came through, and the $20.000 was raised. Washington conducted the Yorktown campaign, which proved to be the final battle of the Revolution.
Resources come from:
Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haym_Salomon
Sons of Liberty Chapter:http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/salomon.html