There is evidence the Exeter Declaration may have been read aloud aboard the Dalton, showing the Declaration’s role as a rallying symbol even at sea during the Revolution.

The find coincides with the 250th anniversary of American independence, fueling ongoing research and the search for new Revolutionary-era artifacts.

Archivists and US historians stress the document’s value as a tangible link to the era and as a lens into the broader context of the American Revolution beyond battles on land.

The Dalton crew was multinational; a crew member identified as a Black man, Daniel Cottle, was captured and brought to England, with his story awaiting further research.

National Archives researchers confirmed the document’s origin and noted its significance as an independence copy found aboard a captured ship, illustrating how Continental Congress actions extended to the sea.

A vanishingly rare 1776 Exeter copy of the American Declaration of Independence, printed in Exeter, New Hampshire between mid-July and the 19th, is the only known copy identified outside the United States and one of eleven worldwide.

British National Archives volunteer Michael Scurr uncovered the Exeter printing while cataloguing 18th-century Royal Navy correspondence, marking a historic discovery.

The find was announced on July 3, 2026, highlighting its status as the sole non-U.S. copy among the eleven known, and underscoring its global significance.

The document was seized by the Royal Navy when capturing the American privateer Dalton near Christmas 1776, and it was found among papers in Royal Navy captain’s files.

The Dalton, authorized by the Continental Congress and captained by Eliezer Johnson, was captured off Portugal on Christmas Eve 1776; the copy was tucked away in naval archives for centuries.

The discovery centers on materials from the American privateer Dalton, captured by a British warship off Spain in December 1776, forgotten in naval archives for over two centuries.

Experts say the find underscores how privateers and naval actions helped spread the Revolution’s message globally, reinforcing a broader American ideal beyond immediate grievances.