January 11, 1863

Austin, John E., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to H. H. Bun

Major Austin, Commander of Austin's Battalion Sharp Shooters (Confederate), discusses the Battle of Stones River, or Murfreesboro, with Bun, an acting assistant adjutant general. Mentions fighting with Breckinridge's Division (led by General John Cabell Breckinridge). Refers to receiving orders from General Daniel Weisiger Adams. Relates details of the battle, including flanking the enemy, based on the orders of Colonel Randall Lee Gibson, Colonel of the 13th Louisiana Volunteers. After forming position, he "opened fire upon the enemy who was about 40 paces of us- this staggered him a little…

GLC00027

January 11, 1862

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John L. Manning

Discusses prospects for a battle before the spring, and is doubtful one will occur. Discusses both their health. Discusses officers in and out of camp. Mentioned are Beauregard's chief of staff David R. Jones, staff member John S. Preston, Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, Confederate General Bushrod Rust Johnson, Confederate Brigadier General Edmund Kirby Smith, and Union General George McClellan. Beauregard was commanding general of the Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia, at the time of this letter.

GLC00028

1776-1781

Header Record

Title: Documents signed by Presidents of the Continental Congress authorizing privateers' capture of British vessels [Decimalized .01- .04]

GLC00038

April 3, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Document signed

Title: Instructions to the commanders of private ships or vessels of war, which shall have commissions or letters of marque and reprisal, authorizing them to make captures of British vessels and cargoes.

Printed as a broadside. Signed by Hancock as President of the Second Continental Congress. Contains eleven articles created by Congress authorizing private American ships to capture British vessels. Instructs American captains to bring captured goods, ships, and persons to court in the colonies following capture. Forbids torture of captured persons, demanding civilized conduct. Requires captains to transmit a written account of capture to Congress. Demands that one third, "at the least, of your whole Company shall be Land-Men." Forbids the ransom of prisoners.

GLC00038.01

circa November 1, 1777- December 9, 1778

Laurens, Henry, 1724-1792

Document signed

Title: Instructions to the commanders of private ships or vessels of war, which shall have commissions or letters of marque and reprisal, authorizing them to make captures of British vessesl and cargoes.

Broadside with printed date of 3 April 1776. Signed by Laurens as President of Congress (indicating that signature and printed date do not coincide). Contains eleven articles created by Congress authorizing private American ships to capture British vessels. Instructs American captains to bring captured goods, ships, and persons to court in the colonies following capture. Forbids torture of captured persons, demanding civilized conduct. Requires captains to transmit a written account of capture to Congress. Demands that one third, "at the least, of your whole Company shall be Land-Men…

GLC00038.02

circa December 10, 1778 - September 28, 1779

Jay, John, 1745-1829

Document signed

Title: Instructions to the commanders of private ships or vessels of war, which shall have commissions or letters of marque and reprisal, authorizing them to make captures of British vessels and cargoes.

Broadside with printed date of 3 April 1776. Signed by Jay as President of the Continental Congress (indicating that the signature and printed date do not coincide). Contains eleven articles created by Congress authorizing private American ships to capture British vessels. Instructs American captains to bring captured goods, ships, and persons to court in the colonies following capture. Forbids torture of captured persons, demanding civilized conduct. Requires captains to transmit a written account of capture to Congress. Demands that one third, "at the least, of your whole Company…

GLC00038.03

circa September 28, 1779 - June 6, 1781

Huntington, Samuel, 1731-1796

Document signed

Title: Instructions to the commanders of private ships or vessels of war, which shall have commissions or letters of marque and reprisal, authorizing them to make captures of British vessels and cargoes.

Broadside with printed date of 3 April 1776. Signed by Huntington as President of the Continental Congress (indicating that the signature and printed date do not coincide). Contains eleven articles created by Congress authorizing private American ships to capture British vessels. Instructs American captains to bring captured goods, ships, and persons to court in the colonies following capture. Forbids torture of captured persons, demanding civilized conduct. Requires captains to transmit a written account of capture to Congress. Demands that one third, "at the least, of your whole…

GLC00038.04

May 20, 1813

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Hancock Taylor

Expresses his disappointment that they have not yet taken offensive action against "some of the Indian Towns on the Wabash." Indicates that the rains had caused the delay. Discusses other news, including the appointment of Brigadier General Benjamin Howard to command in the Indiana Territory (and all the forces west of the Mississippi), General Green Clay's defeat at the siege of Fort Meigs, Commodore Isaac Chauncey and Brigadier-General Zebulon Pike's capture of York (the capital of upper Canada), and Pike's demise in an explosion. Notes that the Indians continue to steal horses, but no…

GLC00040

January 17, 1865

Header Record

Title: Collection of 3 documents related to the appointment of Robert E. Lee as commander in chief [Decimalized .01-.03]

GLC00041

February 24, 1865 - February 27, 1865

Ord, Edward Ortho Cresap, 1818-1883

Header Record

Title: Collection record for compatibility. [decimalized]

GLC00042

February 24, 1865

Ord, Edward Ortho Cresap, 1818-1883

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Longstreet

Requests a meeting to discuss the disposition of noncombatant traitors held captive by both forces.

GLC00042.01

February 27, 1865

Ord, Edward Ortho Cresap, 1818-1883

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Longstreet

Responds to a request for a meeting with Ulysses S. Grant. Explains that he must forward Longstreet's letter to General Grant.

GLC00042.02

1794-1879

Various

Header Record

Title: Collection of 25 documents relating to presidential pardons (collection #1). See decimalized entries. [Decimalized .01-.25]

GLC00043

May 19, 1800

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Pardon of George Rice for piracy].

Countersigned by Acting Secretary of State Charles Lee. Rice had been convicted of piracy aboard the ship Unicorn in Maryland in 1797. Pardoned by Adams because circumstances had shown that a pardon could be extended in a way that was consistent with the public good.

GLC00043.01

December 18, 1794

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Document signed

Title: [Decision in the cases of Munnikhuysen and Sadler, owners of the schooner Martha].

Signed by Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury. Munnikhuysen and Sadler were convicted of violating "...'An Act concerning Spirits distilled within the United States' and 'An Act for enrolling & licensing Ships or Vessels employed in the Coasting trade & fisheries and for regulating the same'..." Penalites and forfetiures remitted, as the violations were unintentional, but ordered to pay costs.

GLC00043.25

June 28,1879

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Samuel Cooper.

Convicted of embezzlement from the mails; pardoned since he behaved well, the crime was a first offense and he was a good Union soldier. (c/s Wm. M. Evans) One black and white bust engraving of Rutherford Birchard Hayes included (GLC00043.23.02).

GLC00043.23.01

December 15, 1793

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances "Fanny" Basset Washington re: adding another story to home

Written from Philadelphia. Frances Basset Washington was niece by marriage and a favorite of George Washington's wife ("Your Aunt"); she died of tuberculosis, just as her husband, George Augustine, did.

GLC00077

March 25, 1808

Clinton, George, 1739-1812

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Theodorus Bailey

George Clinton in his letter, cynically assesses the recent unproductive negotiations with a British envoy, citing that the United States was not redressed for wrongs committed and the British gained time to shore up their defenses. He critically examines the Embargo Act of 1807 but asserts that he is not opposed to it. He anticipates further aggression, which later erupted in the War of 1812. Clinton was then vice president and Bailey was a senator from New York.

GLC00087.01

February 10, 1832

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lewis Cass

Writes to Secretary of War Cass regarding giving generals John Eaton and John Coffee the authority "to conclude with the Choctaws an agreement for such portion of the 17 million of acres conveyed to them as will suit the Chickasaws to settle on." Also discusses the need for a congressional re-appropriation of an 1830 appropriation of $500,000 for Indian removal. Warns that if not done, "our humane plan is blown up, & our hands tied." Suggests getting the money into the hands of source agents if Congress does not act. In a post script, mentions certainty that "the Chickasaws will now make…

GLC00089.01

15 May 1854

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of Denny O' Sullivan].

GLC00091.01

December 26, 1867

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: Authority to affix the seal to pardon of Clarence J. Hurt & J.A. Felts.

GLC00091.02

March 30, 1847

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Letter signed

Title: to Robert Dodge

Granting Dodge a courier's passport for France. Apologizes for being unable to grant the pass originally asked for, but Dodge's intentions did not comply with the uses of that particular document.

GLC00091.03

circa 1792

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Madison

President Washington transmits dispatches to Madison from Gouverneur Morris, United States Minister to France. States that Morris' dispatches "unfold ... the disposition of the British Ministry."

GLC00092.01

1809-1811

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Portion of ship passport printed in both English and Dutch]

Also signed by Robert Smith as Secretary of State. Used to certify that a vessel was owned solely by citizens of the United States. Blanks not filled. Date inferred from Smith tenure in office.

GLC00092.02

13 May 1846

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

Document signed

Title: [Authorization to affix the Seal of the United States to a proclamation of war with Mexico]

Authorization to affix the seal of the United States to Congress' declaration of war. Partially printed document.

GLC00093