Courtesy of the Library of Congress
The Continental Army’s demands for supplies during war time left the entire State of Connecticut virtually impoverished by the end of the war. Prewar, Hartford had been a port and busy farming community and some financial recovery was taking place at the time the letter was written. Just a year earlier, Hartford was incorporated, separating town from countryside. The civic infrastructure created by incorporation allowed Hartford to redevelop its port and receive goods directly and thus more cheaply from Europe.
