1866-1892

Melville, Herman, 1819-1891

Header Record

Title: [Collection of 2 documents pertaining to Herman Melville.] [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC00768

1866

Melville, Herman, 1819-1891

Book signed

Title: Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.

First edition of Melville's only book of poetry. Inscribed on inital blank facing the titlepage: "Major Edward Y. Lansing from H. Melville. As a souvenir of his soldier hospitality at the cavalry camp in the Virginia woods, April 1864." Also inscriped by Lansing in pencil on page 187 above the peom "The Scout toward Aldis": "Major Edwin Y. Lansing's cavalry camp in the Virginia woods, April 1864." In April, 1864 Melville and his brother obtained a pass to visit the front to search for their cousin, Colonel Henry Gansevoort. Melville met Lansing in a scouting party he and his brother…

GLC00768.01

1765

Great Britain. Acts.

Pamphlet

Title: Act for granting and applying certain Stamp Duties...in America...

The Stamp Act. Paginated 499-520 + unpaginated title page.

GLC00769

December 25, 1866

Cobb, Howell, 1815-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry L. Benning

Cobb, former President of the Confederate Provisional Congress, requests Supreme Court reports from Benning, Confederate General and former Georgia State Supreme Court Justice. Bitterly discusses legal property cases during reconstruction, claiming that Radicals in Congress are attempting to force the District Attorney "to account for their failure to prosecute such cases. I am inclined to the opinion that the Radicals have abandoned blood and turned their attention to plunder."

GLC00771

September 23, 1864

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Franklin Butler and George Gordon Meade

Grant, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army, writes to Generals Meade, Commander of the Army of the Potomac, and Butler, commander of Army of the James. Grant praises General Philip Henry Sheridan on his victory in the Battle of Fisher's Hill September 21-22, 1964. He writes "Order a salute of one hundred guns, shotted, at day light tomorrow morning in honor of Sheridan's second great victory." Letter written on Headquarters, Armies of the United States stationery.

GLC00772

October 5, 1780

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Schuyler

Hamilton begins a dramatic love letter to his fiancée with, " I have told you, and I told you truly that I love you too much . . . I meet you in every dream. . . I am to be thus monopolized by a little nut brown maid like you and from a Statesman and soldier metamorphosed into a puny lover." He continues on to say how much he misses her, but that he must remain until Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison returns. He states that he will not be delayed past November and assures her that he is doing everything in his power to return. He descriptively explains how much he loves and misses her…

GLC00773

February 1, 1805

Chase, Samuel, 1741-1811

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Tilghman

Samuel Chase informs that he has heard that one cannot be a director of the offices of discount without being a stockholder and he does not own stock. He mentions that he is happy to hear of the acquittal of the Pennsylvania judges, but is dismayed to find out that 13 members voted them guilty. He comments that "party-rage" prevails in the courts of justice.

GLC00775

13 April 1820

Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery

Document signed

Title: [Preamble and resolution]

Printed petition signed by William Rawle as President of the Abolition Society and [Benjamin] Williams as secretary. Sent to Jacob H. De Witt, member of the House of Representatives from the 7th District of New York. Petition states that the society unanimously passed a resolution for the exclusion of slavery from the Missouri Territory. Written during the Missouri Compromise debates. States "We deem this a proper occasion to declare, that with a deep conviction that slavery is inconsistent with moral principle, national interest, and above all, with the Christian dispensation." Says the…

GLC00777

1859-1917

Various

Header Record

Title: Commissions of Thomas and Philip Ward, including Lincoln [decimalized]

With corrections and additions in Harrison's hand.

GLC00778

11 June 1863

Mahan, D.H., fl. 1863

Document signed

Title: [Diploma of Thomas Ward from West Point]

Signed, amongst others, by D.H. Mahan.

GLC00778.03

December 18, 1785

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

The letter discusses a debt owed to him and his shortage of funds.

GLC00655.01

September 24, 1842

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George N. Briggs

John Quincy Adams declines an invitation to a Cattle Show and fair, citing age, and his inability to attend public functions, and previous engagements. He hopes to soon meet Briggs in Washington, D.C., "under better auspices than those which have overshadowed us since Captain Christopher Sly was installed at the white house," possibly referring to John Tyler. Briggs was a congressman from Massachusetts.

GLC00655.03

December 13, 1823

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John C. Calhoun

Andrew Jackson requests to the Secretary of War that he make sure that Rufus Bowyer be allowed to enter the military academy as a cadet. He recommends him based on his own merits, and those of his father, Colonel Bowyer. Docket labeled "Va. [77]."

GLC00655.04

October 2, 1844

Tyler, John, 1790-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Wilkins

John Tyler acknowledges the receipt of Pennsylvania Congressman Wilkins' letter and thanks him "for the Kindness furnished Mrs. Tyler to New York." He desires Wilkins quick return to Washington, D.C. so that he can expedite the removal of the Choctaw Indians, because Tyler fears "Mr. Crawford is inclined to present impediments, from a misapprehension of the true position of things."

GLC00655.07

January 5, 1861

Furniss, John P., fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Judge Haden

John P. Furniss asks for financial remittance due to his having taken "private classes to improve [himself] in particular branches of Medicine." He relates that two convicts hung the day before, and a friend of his took a part of one of the bodies for Furniss to dissect. Signed "Your friend & ward." Furniss was a Confederate doctor.

GLC00653.24.01

January 3, 1863

Lewis, Henry, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to cousin Charlie

Lewis describes the destruction in the town from artillery when Union forces occupied it. He mentions pickets and surveillance balloons, and talks about morale. Letter written from Camp Opposite Fredericksburg, in Virginia.

GLC00653.25

April 7, 1864

Cheney, Edward, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Roelzo J. Warren

From a soldier in the Vermont corps. Letter discusses the Rappahannock Wilderness campaign. Letter written while the solider was hospitalized. The letter has some military content and mentions General Ulysses S. Grant.

GLC00653.26

January 22, 1865

Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906

Letter signed

Title: to Daniel H. Hill

Major General Wheeler writes to General Hill about adjusting the speed of the courier line, his orders to General Ferguson, his troop and enemy movements, and the disposition of his troops to General Hill. With a long postscript addressing some possible strategies. Docketed on page four. Written from the "Head. Qu. Cav. Corps."

GLC00654

1785-1932

Header Record

Title: President's collection [decimalized]

[decimalized 00655.01-00655.20]

GLC00655

June 30, 1805

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Lee

Written to William Lee, who was serving as American consul at Bordeaux, France. Mentions that he arrived in Paris on June 20, 1805 after a 25 day trip and that he will soon proceed to London. He mentions the unsuccessful mission to Spain. In the autumn of 1804 he went to Madrid to assist Charles Cotesworth Pinckney in his efforts to secure the definition of the Louisiana boundaries and the acquisition of the Floridas. They negotiated with Don Pedro de Cevallos, the Spanish minister of foreign affairs, from January to May 1805, without success. This letter finds Monroe between missions. On his…

GLC00655.02

November 27, 1842

Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry D. Gilpin

The letter discusses electoral politics. Written from Martin Van Buren's estate, Lindenwald, in Kinderhook, New York.

GLC00655.05

October 1, 1836

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Gives the county official voting results for electoral candidates Martin Van Buren and Hugh L. White. The votes were 1695 to 1200 respectively.

GLC00655.06

July 9, 1826

Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841

Autograph letter signed

Title: to B. Tappin

William Henry Harrison asks Tappin to send more lime for use in the construction of an aqueduct for Harrison's distillery.

GLC00655.08

circa 1856

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George C. Whiting

Franklin Pierce discusses the pension for the widow of Navy Commander Samuel Larkin. He mentions testimony given on the cause of his death which showed that Larkin contracted the disease while on duty in Africa. Paper watermarked "Joynson/1856." Letter written during Pierce's presidency and docketed "President Pierce."

GLC00655.09

October 17, 1856

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Campbell

James Buchanan writes to U.S. Postmaster General Campbell regarding his decision to delay the appointment of a postmaster for Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for political reasons. Date "17" was overwritten on "16." Docketed as 16th. Written as a candidate in the 1856 presidential election from his estate, Wheatland, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

GLC00655.10