Under My Command

Heavy parchment, 8 inches by 4 inches, torn at bottom.

This certifies that James H Gano has this day appeared before me armed and equipped as required by by law and enlisted into a company of Light Infantry under my command
Plainfield Sept 13 1833
Dean Burgess, Capt

Found in "The American Museum or Repository of Ancient and Modern Fugitive Pieces, Prose and Poetical" edited and published by Mathew Carey, Philadelphia 1788.

Ed: I couldn't resist Googling these names. You will all be relieved to discover that Mr. James H. Gano, who was born in 1814, died many years later in 1904. Couldn't find much information about Mr. Burgess, unless the following passage from the Connecticut Geneaology site refers to him:

Military matters excited some attention. In 1799 the town voted to exempt from certain taxation all non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates who should equip themselves as to arms, clothing and accoutrements, and do military duty. Abel Andrus was at this time lieutenant colonel of the Twenty-first Regiment; Shubael Hutchins, first major; Reverend Joel Benedict, chaplain; Sessions Lester, quartermaster: George Middleton, paymaster; Doctor Johnson, of Westminster, surgeon; Daniel Gordon, surgeon's mate; Frederick Andrus, Aaron Crary, Samuel Douglas and Asa Burgess, captains of companies in the light infantry; Thomas and Daniel Wheeler and John Gordon, lieutenants and ensigns; Doctor Josiah Fuller, surgeon's mate of the cavalry regiment.

Of course this bookmark could be from an entirely different Plainfield. Either way, it is fun to think about.