London: A “vanishingly rare” copy of the Declaration of Independence has been discovered in London after being found in archives containing documents from the British capture of an American privateer ship in 1776, as the United States marks its 250th anniversary.
The historic document, known for its call for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, had been listed in 18th-century records as simply “another document”. In May, volunteer Michael Scurr at Britain’s National Archives examined it more closely while working on a cataloguing project.
“Unearthing and handling such a significant historical document has been thrilling, particularly in this important anniversary year,” Scurr said.
The discovery was announced on Friday, a day before the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, when millions of Americans are expected to mark the occasion with cookouts and displays of the Stars and Stripes.
The document was printed in Exeter, New Hampshire, in mid-July 1776 and is the 11th surviving copy of the so-called “Exeter Declarations”. It is also the first known copy to be found outside the United States.
Rare copy of Declaration of Independence found by UK National Archives in papers of captured US ship https://t.co/lkJ3M3rhCD pic.twitter.com/oFHQsH34bF
— New York Post (@nypost) July 3, 2026
According to the report, Eleazer Johnson, captain of the Dalton ship, obtained a copy later that year before sailing across the Atlantic on a mission to capture British vessels, possibly hoping the declaration would inspire his crew.
On December 24, 1776, the Royal Navy captured the Dalton off the coast of Portugal and brought the ship and its contents to Plymouth in south-west England.
The National Archives said the document is the only known copy of the Declaration of Independence captured during military action.
Under British procedures at the time, naval captains were required to submit documents from captured ships to the authorities to claim prize money. With Britain capturing around 3,600 ships during the American Revolutionary War, the National Archives has preserved a vast collection of historical records.
“Thanks to the bureaucratic processes of war… we can present an unusually rich backstory that most surviving declarations do not have,” said Graham Moore, curator at the National Archives.
