The year was 1781. An eight-year fight for American independence neared its end. The Continental Army, led by George Washington, prepared to overwhelm the British army in Yorktown, Virginia. But Washington had no money. The American troops were underpaid and lacked sufficient food, clothing, and weapons. Some threatened to mutiny. Congress could not foot the bill. Victory was near, but the war effort desperately needed money to push through the final days.
This is when George Washington said, “send for Haym Salomon.” In a bid to sustain his troops to the final battle against British rule, Washington turned to this Jewish broker. Salomon managed to secure loans totaling $20,000 to support the Continental Army.[1] These forces, along with their French allies, defeated the British at the Battle of Yorktown. The United States was born.
Haym Salomon’s Background and Early Life
Haym Salomon was born in 1740 in Leszno (then known as Lissa), Poland. Growing up in a tight-knit Jewish community, Salomon received a solid education including religious studies, languages, and business skills. His linguistic skills, encompassing Polish, German, Spanish, and English, would later prove invaluable in his career—and efforts toward the patriot cause.[2]
In his early twenties, Salomon ventured across Europe, engaging in various business activities. His travels took him to several major European cities, where he honed his skills as a merchant and financier. These experiences not only broadened his business acumen but also exposed him to the political and social currents of the time, including the growing revolutionary sentiments against oppressive regimes.
By 1772, Salomon decided to seek new opportunities in the American colonies, where the burgeoning tensions with British rule resonated with his own experiences of persecution in Europe. He arrived in New York City, which was then a thriving commercial hub. Salomon quickly established himself as a successful merchant and financial broker, leveraging his European connections and linguistic skills. In 1777, he married Rachel Franks, whose brother served on George Washington’s staff as a lieutenant colonel.[3]
Salomon Joins the American Cause
The colonial Jewish community welcomed Salomon, and he became actively involved in its affairs. His reputation for integrity and financial expertise grew, and he began to integrate into the broader fabric of colonial society. It was in this period Salomon’s commitment to the cause of American independence began to crystallize. The oppression he witnessed and experienced in Europe fueled his support for the revolutionary ideals of liberty and self-determination.
Salomon’s involvement with the patriots began through his acquaintance, Alexander MacDougall, who led the New York Sons of Liberty. This group opposed British-imposed taxes like the Stamp Act and worked to undermine British rule.[4] Salomon joined their ranks, drawing on his financial acumen to aid the revolutionary cause. Salomon personally financed loans to the Continental Congress when the fledgling government was unable to secure funds elsewhere. His efforts helped maintain the army and the government during critical times.
Salomon’s Contributions to the American Cause
Eventually, the British arrested and imprisoned Salomon. Given his language skills, the British had him work as a translator for their Hessian mercenaries. Salomon encouraged these hired soldiers to join the American side instead. The British arrested Salomon a second time in 1778—this time for espionage. Salomon received a death sentence but managed to escape to Philadelphia, where he reestablished his business.[5]
Fluent in French, Salomon was chosen as an American representative to the French. Congress was hoping the French, a significant military power and historic enemy of Britain, would cast their lot with the Americans. Once the French did join the war against the British, Salomon became paymaster to the French who was working within the fledgling United States. Beginning in 1781, Salomon partnered closely with Robert Morris, then Superintendent of Finance for the United States.
Over the next few years, Salomon loaned this early American government an estimated $650,000.[6] This assistance was especially necessary toward the end of the war. The Continental Army desperately needed money for their pay and supplies in order to push through the conflict’s final days. Salomon’s contributions gave the army the financial boon it needed at just the right time—and the British surrendered in 1783. Despite Salomon’s financial success just a few years prior, Salomon died in 1785 in debtor’s prison. He was only forty-four.
Salomon’s Legacy
Though Haym Salomon is not among the most well-known figures from the American Revolution, many have kept his story alive. Especially in the twentieth century, monuments arose honoring Salomon’s contributions to the Revolutionary War. In December 1941, a mere one week after the United States joined World War II, The Great Triumvirate of Patriots Monument was dedicated in Chicago. This prominent statue depicts Haym Salomon and Robert Morris standing on either side of George Washington. Another statue honoring Salomon was dedicated in 1944 in Los Angeles.[7]
During World War II, a liberty ship was named in his honor. The American Communications Association, who suggested the name, explained, “at a time when all America is aghast at the revelation of the Nazis’ attempt to exterminate the Jewish people . . . [a ship with this name] will fling a challenge in the teeth of Nazi racial theorists.”[8]
In 1939, a short film—Sons of Liberty—highlights Salomon’s courageous contributions to the patriot cause.[9] A 1975 US postal stamp honored Salomon as a “financial hero . . . raising most of the money needed to finance the American Revolution and later to save the new nation from collapse.”[10] Around 1980, a grave marker mentioning Haym Salomon was finally placed in the cemetery of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia. Though Salomon was buried there in 1785, his family could not afford a tombstone. To this day, no one knows exactly where his remains lie.[11]
Conclusion
During the Revolutionary War, Salomon’s contributions were crucial to supporting the Continental Army. He worked closely with Robert Morris, the Superintendent of Finance, to secure loans and manage funds keeping the American forces operational. Salomon’s efforts included negotiating with the Americans’ French allies and loaning his own money to the cause.
Beyond his financial contributions, Salomon was a fervent advocate for the Jewish community in America. He worked tirelessly to promote religious freedom and the integration of Jewish people in American society, setting a precedent for future Jewish contributions and thriving in the United States. His financial strategies and practices laid the groundwork for the young nation’s economic systems. Although he himself died in debt, modern Americans have increasingly recognized and honored his legacy.
Published on July 3, 2024.
Header photo by Noah Wulf on Wikimedia Commons.
[1] James A. Percoco, “Haym Salomon: Revolutionary Financier,” American Battlefield Trust, accessed June 21, 2024, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/haym-salomon.
[2] Yosef Kaufmann, “Haym Salomon: the Man Who Financed the American Revolution: A Jewish American Hero,” Chabad, accessed June 12, 2024, https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5175340/jewish/Haym-Salomon-The-Man-Who-Financed-the-American-Revolution.htm.
[3] Michael Feldberg, “Haym Salomon: Revolutionary Broker,” My Jewish Learning, accessed June 12, 2024, https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/haym-salomon-revolutionary-broker/.
[4] “The Formation of the Sons of Liberty,” Massachusetts Institute of History, accessed June 13, 2024, https://www.masshist.org/revolution/sons_of_liberty.php.
[5] Feldberg, “Haym Salomon.”
[6] Percoco, “Haym Salomon.”
[7] Jerry Klinger, “Haym Salomon,” Jewish American Society for Historical Preservation, accessed June 21, 2024, 13, https://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/images/Midstream_-_Haym_Salomon.pdf.
[8] “Suggest War Freighter Be Named ‘haym Salomon,’” Jewish Telegraphic Agency Archive, January 11, 1943, https://www.jta.org/archive/suggest-war-freighter-be-named-haym-salomon.
[9] Sons of Liberty, directed by Michael Curtiz, featuring Claude Rains, (Warner Brothers, 1939), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usu1aAdZkrs.
[10] “10c Haym Salomon Single,” Smithsonian National Postal Museum, accessed June 21, 2024, https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_1980.2493.6024.
[11] Klinger, “Haym Salomon.”