15 December 1862

Goold, James, 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John S. Goold

Writes to his father describing the beginning of the battle at Fredericksburg, 11-15 December 1862: "The first gun was fired about 5 o'clock A.M., and the firing was kept up with but little intermission until after dark. At times the firing was so sharp that it was one continued roar." Details the battle on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, noting the fighting on Friday was not nearly as bad as Thursday or Saturday. States that "The rebels have fortified these hills as strongly as possible. I have been told that they have 50 batteries there, and I should not wonder if they did, as we can see a…

GLC03523.05.04

18 December 1862

Goold, James, 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John S. Goold

Writes to his father "by candlelight" because he was so busy during the day and states "I don't like to spare time to write." Informs that he has just come off guard and that they are camped at same place they were before the Battle of Fredericksburg. Details duties, including assembling a big wall of pine boughs to help protect the tent area from wind. Letter written in graphite on blue paper.

GLC03523.05.05

January 10, 1863

Goold, James, 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John S. Goold

Writes to his father about guard duty and thinks that the worst part is how it disrupts sleep. Wishes he had more newspapers to read, although he is "very much obliged to you for sending me a box, whether it ever reaches me or not. I am much obliged to Johnny [his brother] for sending me such a large proportion of his apples..." Comments that "Theodore [his brother] had better stay in Phil. as long as he can, and never mind whether he is reduced or not so long as he is not reduced for misconduct." Letter written in graphite.

GLC03523.05.06

January 13, 1863

Goold, Theodore, 1844-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John S. Goold

Tells his father that he "is well at the present with the exception of a slight cold" and that he is standing guard in place of someone who is sick. He may get the job of carrying the mail, which he states "would be good exercise for me and make me strong. "Asks his father to let him know if he thinks he could get a furlough after he gets paid, so that he could come home for thirty days. Tells him that when he gets to the regiment that he will send home a box of clothes, a sword bayonet, and his revolver. Asks his father to send him postage stamps and tells him to let Johnie, his brother,…

GLC03523.05.07

21 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Adams

A detailed account of the siege of Yorktown. Affirms the correctness of Adams' ideas about a need to conduct a major attack against the British in the southern states. Announces the recent surrender of Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown. Explains the "harmonious concurrence of circumstances" that made the victory possible, mentioning the fleet from the West Indies commanded by Admiral Comte de Grasse, the American and French troops marching down from the Hudson River, and a fleet from Rhode Island under the command of Compte de Barras. Provides a chronological explanation of the…

GLC02437.01252

21 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Jay

Later copy of GLC02437.01253. Indicates that French ships are about to dispatch with official accounts of the Battle of Yorktown. Knox feels he should tell Jay what has occurred because an official account from Congress may not be immediately forthcoming. Although the British had less forces in America than in 1776 or 1777, the Continental Army was compelled to attack Yorktown or consider the southern states lost. The Comte de Grasse was of similar opinion, and plans to attack New York were abandoned in favor of a siege of Yorktown. A detailed, chronological explanation of the Allied…

GLC02437.01254

21 April 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Discusses Washington's negotiation with the state of Virginia to obtain cannon from them for the United States. Writes that he would have written to General Benjamin Lincoln earlier to discuss what to do with the cannon, but thought he would be leaving soon from Elizabeth Town and could explain better in person; he did not expect such a long delay. Also comments on the upcoming campaign and the ideal size and placement of artillery weapons, and refers to Colonel John Crane.

GLC02437.01394

7 April 1856

Morehead, C.S., 1802-1868

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Kentucky, in relation to the Missouri Compromise, Kansas-Nebraska Act, &c.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 90 (34th Congress, 1st session). Morehead, Governor of Kentucky, attests these resolutions were adopted by the general assembly of Kentucky in December 1855. Reprinted by Congress April 1856. Kentucky resolves to "maintain the existing laws upon the subject of slavery" and opposes repeal of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

GLC08452.01

6 May 1856

Chase, Salmon P. (Salmon Portland), 1808-1873

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Ohio, in reference to the affairs of Kansas.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 100 (34th Congress, 1st session). Chase, Governor of Ohio, asserts these resolutions were passed by the legislature of Ohio in April 1856. Reprinted by Congress May 1856. Ohio resolves "That the cause of the people of Kansas, engaged in defending themselves against lawless violence and in asserting their inherent right of self-government, be, and hereby is, earnestly commended to the warm sympathies of the people of Ohio."

GLC08452.02

13 May 1856

Willard, Charles W., 1827-1880

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Vermont, in relation to Kansas.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 103 (34th Congress, 1st session). Willard, Secretary of State for Vermont, certifies these as a true copy of resolutions passed by Vermont in December 1855. Reprinted by Congress in May 1856. "Resolved, that the fugitive slave act of 1850 is contrary to the spirit of the Constitution of the United States..."

GLC08452.03

14 June 1856

Gardner, Henry J. (Henry Joseph), 1819-1892

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Massachusetts, in relation to the Territory of Kansas.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 120 (34th Congress, 1st session). Gardner, Governor of Massachusetts, approved these resolutions 3 June 1856. Reprinted by Congress 14 June 1856. "...the inhabitants of Kansas are justifiable in declining to recognise the code of laws which was forced upon the Territory by the act of a body of men calling themselves a legislature..."

GLC08452.04

14 June 1856

Bartlett, John Russell, 1805-1886

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Rhode Island, concerning the recent occurrences in Congress and in Kansas.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 119. (34th Congress, 1st session). Bartlett, Secretary of State for Rhode Island, certifies these to be a true copy of resolutions passed in by the Rhode Island Legislature in May. Reprinted by Congress June 1856. Condemns Senator Preston Brooks's attack on Charles Sumner in May 1856 and violence recently inflicted on residents of Kansas by border ruffians.

GLC08452.05

20 June 1856

Wells, Samuel, 1801-1868

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of Maine in relation to the extension of slavery, Kansas, and secret political associations.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 122 (34th Congress, 1st session). Wells, Governor of Maine, approved the resolutions in April 1856. Reprinted by Congress in June 1856. "...the people of Kansas Territory... are entitled to protection against interference from any quarter, intended to thwart or prevent the actual settlers in said Territory from the full and complete exercise of the right of suffrage..."

GLC08452.06

18 February 1857

Bingham, Kinsley Scott, 1808-1861

Pamphlet

Title: Resolutions of the Legislature of the State of Michigan, in relation to Kansas affair.

House of Representatives mis. doc. no. 49 (34th Congress, 3rd session). Bingham, Governor of Michigan, approved these measures 10 February 1857. Reprinted by Congress 18 February. "Resolved... that our senators in Congress be instructed, and our representatives requested, to use their best exertions to procure the passage of an act of Congress declaring the Kansas code (so called) null and void..."

GLC08452.08

6 August 1781

Barras, Paul, vicomte de, 1755-1829

Printed document signed

Title: [Certificate of pay] [In French]

Certificate to pay Mr. De Valnais, possibly Joseph Dupas de Valnais, a French consul in America. Signed by the Comte de Barras, and [Graucheau], major of the squadron under Barras. On verso, Valnais signs a note, transferring the money to William Knox. Possibly serves as payment for provisions and supplies.

GLC02437.01122

9 October 1781

Hunter, James, fl. 1781

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Contemporary copy of GLC02437.01216. In response to Knox's letter ordering Hunter to send iron and ordnance to James River (GLC02437.01193), Hunter explains how he has complied and what problems he has encountered. Also mentions naval engagements involving Dutch ships. The Continental Army was then executing the siege of Yorktown.

GLC02437.01217

26 October 1781

Jones, Thomas, fl. 1777-1782

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of Military Stores in the Magazine at Williamsburg.

Lists quanties of ordnance. Compiled shortly after the siege of Yorktown. Jones was a Deputy Field Commissary of Military Stores under the command of Colonel Edward Carrington.

GLC02437.01267

28 October 1781

Custine, Adam Philip, Count de, 1740-1793

Autograph document signed

Title: to Henry Knox [Request for supplies].

Signed in text. Duplicate of GLC02437.01268 with an additional note discussing swords and bayonets dated 29 October 1781. Asks Knox to exchange three drums and provide a fourth, and exchange cartridge boxes also. Also mentions that the Major [François-Louis Teissèdre de] Fleury "paid his respects to the general." Colonel Custine led the Régiment de Saintonge, which was selected in 1780 by the Count de Rochambeau to participate in the French expeditionary force to America that aided in the siege of Yorktown. This copy has an additional note discussing swords and bayonets dated 29 October…

GLC02437.01269

6 December 1782

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Contract between the U.S. Treasury and Comfort, Richard, and Joshua Sands of New York for acquiring rations for West Point soldiers]

Agreement between Morris, acting as Superintendent of the Finances of the United States (appointed by Congress), and Comfort Sands, Richard Sands and Joshua Sands of New York that the Sandses will "furnish and deliver" to West Point and other nearby posts a number of rations of provisions to be determined weekly by the Secretary of War. Provisions include flour, beef or pork, whiskey or rum, salt, and vinegar. Contemporary clerical copy created for Knox's file. Signer of the U.S. Constitution.

GLC02437.01301

23 December 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Writes to respond to General Benjamin Lincoln's request of his opinon on where to store 4,000 barrels of public powder now in Boston. Declares that West Point is so important that they should do everything possible to provide ample supplies. Thinks 1,000 barrels should be sent to West Point as soon as the snow allows transportation. Also thinks that 1,000 barrels should be deposited at Springfield, and that the remaining 2,000 should be split between Reading, Easton and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Through this arrangement "if either of the two objects proposed for the operations of the…

GLC02437.01309

1781

Bliss, Luke, 1738-1811

Manuscript document

Title: Mem. of some Articles in Ordn: Store at Springfield in care of Luke Bliss Esq. C.M.S.

List of stores in possession of Luke Bliss, Commissary of Military Stores. Date added later in pencil.

GLC02437.01320

January 19, 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written to General Benjamin Lincoln as Secretary at War. Calculations and notes regarding necessary ordnance and ammunition for the siege of New York. Discusses strategy relating to placement of cannon and batteries.

GLC02437.01336

January 31, 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: An estimate of timber, wanted for the ordnance department in the field

Estimate of timber wanted for the ordnance department. Docket mentions that it was sent to the War Office.

GLC02437.01344

February 13, 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: An estimate of horses and waggonrey for the field artillery

Estimate of horses and wagons for the next campaign, addressed to Colonel Timothy Pickering. Enclosed with GLC02437.01352.

GLC02437.01353

22 March 1782

United States. Continental Congress.

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Promotion of Henry Knox to Major General]

Signed by Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress, and labeled an "Extract from the Minutes." Resolution of the United States in Congress assembled to promote Brigadier General Henry Knox to the rank of Major General. See GLC02437.01371 for a related document.

GLC02437.01375