Post Dispatch Rider, 1776

On July 26, 1775, members of the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and agreed to appoint a Postmaster General for the colonies, based in Philadelphia, and to create a line of posts from Falmouth, Maine, to Savannah, Georgia. With that, the United States Postal Service was born. Its operation, independent from the British Crown, assured the secure transfer of messages and opened lines of American communication that played a vital role in the battle for independence. The origins of the post are thus tied closely to national identity and the Founding Fathers. In his murals, Harding shows historically based scenes of two Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, interacting with the post in key ways.

During the Revolutionary War (1775–83), American generals relied on dispatch riders to bring important messages to the battlefield, including news from the Continental Congress as well as crucial information on the movement of British troops. The job of the dispatch rider was honorable but dangerous, often requiring travel through enemy territory with sensitive information. The mural on the right features General George Washington receiving a dispatch. This central scene is surrounded by other vignettes of the war. At the upper left, soldiers on horseback and on foot proceed over a bridge. Beneath them, men (including one in a coonskin cap) wrangle horses. Behind Washington stand four soldiers, one injured, one trumpeting, and all wearing various hats and helmets. At the lower right, a man cleans the barrel of a canon. The attire and activities depicted are based on Harding's reading of George Washington's writings and military documents from the Revolutionary era.