14 May 1863

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William T. Sherman

General Grant, Commander of the Army and Department of the Tennessee, writes to General Sherman, Commander of the Fifteenth Corps, Army of the Tennessee. Instructs Sherman to designate a Brigade from his command to guard Jackson, Mississippi, and to collect Confederate property within the city. Orders Sherman to direct his troops to destroy bridges and roads leading into the city. Instructs troops travelling East of the river (possibly the Pearl River), should burn all Confederate cotton and stores they find. Includes a stain in the upper left corner.

GLC03313

20 June 1871

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Creswell re: recommending the removal of two postmasters

Written as President.

GLC03314

13 September 1779

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph Otis

Writen in secretarial hand and signed by Hancock as a Major General of Massachusetts militia to Otis as Brigadier General of the militia of the County of Barnstable, Massachusetts. From an order of the council wants a full return to be made of the name, rank, and place of abode of every officer in the brigade under Otis. Also wants to know what vacant offices are available and to put that information in a separate column. Asks for the information as soon as possible. Postscript asks that he forward the enclosed (not included here). Free frank is Hancock's signature.

GLC03315

14 March 1813

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Robert Andrews

Orders provisions from the assistant deputy quarter master for the march of troops from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, during the War of 1812. Signed as Major General.

GLC03316

01 August 1844

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Letter signed

Title: to John Y. Mason

Jackson argues that Tyler must withdraw his candidacy to allow the election of Polk and Dallas. If Tyler remains in the race he will split the Democratic vote, and allow Henry Clay to win election. Is confident that Polk can beat Clay, as long as Tyler does not run. Assures Mason that even though Tyler appointed him to his post, Tyler's resignation would not mean that Mason would have to retire. The letter is in the hand of Major Donelson, Jackson's nephew, but signed by Jackson, who says that he is too weak to write. Though Tyler had been elected as a Whig, he had been thrown out of the…

GLC03319

05 December 1810

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Jarvis re: Jefferson's pleasure at recent retirement

Written as retired President to Jarvis, American consul at Lisbon. Jefferson also thank Jarvis for Merino sheep and the wines he sent. Written in Monticello

GLC03320

03 February 1816

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas W. Maury re: the census, map-making, a mineralogical survey

Written in Monticello

GLC03321

14 June 1863

Kane, Thomas L., 1822-1883

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Biddle

Discusses his financial affairs, including patents, land sales, and the building of Pennsylvania railroads near his property. Written "Near Marvin."

GLC03322

30 January 1846

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John MacKay

Written as Captain of Topological Engineers working on the defenses of New York City harbor. Written in a playful manner typical of his other letters to MacKay, a close friend. Lee worries about MacKay's lingering illness and hopes the warm Gulf air may improve his health. He discussed at length a recent snowfall and the festive atmosphere of the city. He comments merrily on the ladies and a sleigh ride down Broadway in a large "omnibus" sled where he offered a woman his seat rather than his lap since, "it would not sound well if repeated in the latitude of Wash[ingto]n that I had been…

GLC03324

30 November 1859

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Col. Samuel Cooper

Written as Colonel. Cooper was Adjutant General. Written two days before John Brown's execution.

GLC03326

7 March 1781

Marion, Francis, 1732-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Saunders

Written by Marion as Brigadier General of militia and a well-known partisan to Saunders as a Royalist Captain in the British Army and commander of the garrison at Georgetown, South Carolina. Marion writes with anger that Captain John Postell was taken prisoner by Saunders. Postell was travelling under a flag of truce to work out details of prisoner exchange. Demands satisfaction and claims he will retaliate against any British prisoners of war. Also expresses dismay that Saunders is treating prisoners harshly. Says Captain Clark was held in circumstances where he could not stand up or stretch…

GLC03332.01

3 March 1781

Ervin, John, fl. 1781

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Saunders

Written by Ervin as a lieutenant colonel in Francis Marion's brigade of partisans to Captain Saunders, a royalist in command of the garrison at Georgetown, South Carolina. Ervin sent this note by Captain James Postell and Lieutenant William Futhey to ask for a prisoner exchange. Postell was subsequently taken prisoner despite the flag of truce because Saunders claimed he was in violation of a parole given him after the American defeat at Charleston in May 1780.

GLC03332.02

27 September 1782

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Franklin

Informs Franklin that Congress has instructed him to try to borrow four million dollars from the French King, and discusses how Franklin might attain it. Says Congress wishes Franklin to assure the King that Americans once shared the "English Prejudice against all things french" but that "by degrees almost every Trace of it has been effaced." Worries the French may reply "the nation which will not help itself does not merit the Aid of others." Tells Franklin to remind them it would be foolish to invest so much in the colonies only to abandon them so close to being successful. Relates how…

GLC03333

28 July 1872

Mosby, John S., 1833-1916

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Turner

Mosby misspells Greeley's name.

GLC03334

17 July 1816

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Autograph document signed

Title: [Check for $50 to William A. Colman drawn on the Bank of Columbia]

Signed by President Madison. Verso signed by Colman noting his receipt of the payment. One bust engraving of James Madison included.

GLC03338.01

6 September 1846

Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794-1876

Letter signed

Title: [In Spanish]

Signed as General and President of Mexico.

GLC03340

9 January 1876

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Conness

Commander in Chief of the Army Sherman writes to Conness about the quarrel he had with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton over the terms of Confederate General Joseph Johnston's surrender in 1865. Sherman suggests that he may have acted wrongly. " ... I do not profess to be infallible, or more than mortal. I have made some fearful mistakes in life which in a retrospect would be corrected, among them in regard to Mr. Stanton." Admits that he felt Stanton was trying to destroy him, " ... because he supposed I was not acting in full harmony on the then policy with the Negros - And failing…

GLC03341.01

4 February 1876

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Conness

Commander in Chief of the Army Sherman writes to Conness recounting information that he has learned about Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. He comments on Stanton's maneuvering to boost General Joseph Hooker and "pull me down." Sherman remarks, "There is one fact that has since come to my Knowledge, which I long suspected, that there existed a Combination to sweep me into oblivion before the War closed." Mentions revising his memoirs to include this information, "I would not have put in the Memoirs any of that, only I thought to have avoided it would have been a confession of Wrong - I…

GLC03341.02

11 February 1876

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Conness

Commander in Chief of the Army Sherman writes to Conness discussing his memoirs. Mentions that although his Memoirs are subject to criticism, he felt he had to express his opinions. Despite the criticisms, he states, " ... I am sure I am not jealous or malicious, and I feel the greatest possible love for my old Comrades in Arms ... " Except General Joseph Hooker, about whom he expresses his feeling that Hooker constantly finds fault in others. Remarks that he does have a high opinion of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton's administration, but that both Stanton and General Henry Halleck…

GLC03341.03

01 July 1881

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881

Book signed

Title: Inaugural Address of James A. Garfield / Mar. 4, 1881 [inscribed to Mrs. Blaine]

Inscribed to Mrs. Blaine by Garfield the day before he was shot by Guiteau.

GLC03558

8 May 1792

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Document signed

Title: [An Act for regulating Processes in the Courts of the United States, and providing Compensations for the Officers of the said Courts, and for Jurors and Witnesses]

Printed document signed by Jefferson as Secretary of State. Also signed in type by Jonathan Trumbull as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Henry Lee as President pro tempore of the Senate, and approved by George Washington as President. Decided at the first session of the second Congress held at Philadelphia, 24 October 1791. Establishes regulations for Court processes.

GLC03561

4 October 1859

Douglas, Stephen Arnold, 1813-1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Davis

Expresses gratification for the support received in Pennsylvania, the rest of the Union, and the South for his 1860 Democratic presidential bid against Abraham Lincoln. "I am under especial [sic] obligation to you and other friends in Pennsylvania for the energy and zeal with which you have sustained me in the great struggle to maintain the principles of self government. We are sure to achieve a glorious victory just as certain as our cause is just and the people are capable of understanding and defending their rights." Marked private.

GLC03569

28 April 1883

Morgan, John T., fl. 1883

Autograph letter signed

Title: to E. D. Goodwin re: his vehement opposition to new tariff

Written as Senator from Alabama. John Tyler Morgan argues against organized labor's support for a high protective tariff.

GLC03577

19 October 1868

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: Affix seal to ratification of Treaty with China.

This treaty, the Burlingham Treaty of 1868, amended the Reed Treaty of 1858 by allowing free immigration. That flow of people allowed the rapid expansion of western railroads through cheap labor. (Eventually, it also provoked a racial backlash on the west coast.)

GLC03578

02 January 1912

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation of sentence of Robert Sawyer, convicted of murder and sentenced to death, 10 November 1905]

Sawyer had been convicted of murder on the high seas in the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He was originally sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Taft commuted his sentence so it would expire immediately. No reason was given for commutation. Countersigned by J.A. Fowler as Acting Attorney General. This is a printed document with blanks filled in by hand. Accompanied by red paper seal.

GLC03579.01