15 April 1829

Van Buren, Martin, 1782-1862

Letter signed

Title: to Francisco Pacon

Written by Van Buren as Secretary of State. Acknowledges Pacon's letter of 11 April 1829 which provided "a List of all the Grants of Land, purporting to have been made in the Floridas, by the Government of His Catholic Majesty." This diplomatic letter deals with the messy entanglements and complications of territorial land issues between the United States and Spain in Florida. Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1819, but the transition was messy because the King of Spain always exercised the right of granting lands to whomever he pleased. The American plan was to sell the land in…

GLC04058

25 January 1777

Van Cortlandt, Philip, 1749-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Philip Schuyler

Encloses the preceedings of a court martial (not included). Reports that General Washington advanced on the enemy at New York City two days prior and that General Heath is laying siege at Fort Independence.

GLC04067

11 April 1806

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Mason

Asks General Mason to serve as one of three disinterested commissioners for the Cumberland Road, two of which should come from "this quarter." A post script indicates he was also asking Thomas Moore, who accepted. Mason apparently declined, since Eli Williams of Maryland became the second eastern commissioner (Joseph Kerr, the other commissioner, was from Ohio).

GLC04076

2 January 1832

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas L. McKenney

Adams offers advice on McKenney's work on American Indian tribes, "History of the Indian Tribes of North America." Adams, who had read the book's proofs, suggests defining terms like prairie for the European audience. Expresses his hopes that the book had gone into detail on the Shawnee prophet.

GLC04077

16 January 1904

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Typed letter signed

Title: to Paul H. Lacey

Discusses his desire for a Square Deal for all Americans. Severely faded. Typed on White House letterhead.

GLC04078

28 November 1863

Farragut, David Glasgow, 1801-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Faxon

Written by Rear Admiral Farragut to Faxon as the chief clerk of the Navy Department on stationery of Astor House. Says he saw Mr. Davis, a government paymaster, and told him to go to Washington to settle the matter of the prize money that was turned over to the paymaster of the "Pensacola."

GLC04083

January 17, 1862

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

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Grant endorsement on exchange of prisoners taken at Battle of Belmont]

Union Brigadier General Grant reports on Federal prisoners taken at Belmont on 7 November 1861. "Nothing special has been heard from Federal prisoners for some time. I believe they are yet in Memphis." Endorsement written on the verso of a 17 January 1862 letter from Nathaniel B. Baker to Major General Henry Halleck requesting information about the exchange of prisoners taken by the Confederates at the battle of Belmont. Asks specifically about Captain Crabb of the Iowa 7th Infantry or any other Iowa soldier or officer. Written on State of Iowa, Adjutant General's Office stationery.…

GLC04003

1792/04/14

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Document signed

Title: Act concerning consuls and vice consuls (France)

The act was intended to carry into effect the Convention between the US and the King of France.

GLC04005

circa 1833

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Temperance document]

Urges Americans, especially young men, to refrain from drinking alcohol. Signed by Andrew Jackson, James Madison, and John Quincy Adams. Docket on verso.

GLC04006.01

circa 1870

Book signed

Title: Book signed and carte de visite of General George Armstrong Custer [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC04007

1869

Lee, Henry, 1756-1818

Book signed

Title: Memoirs of the war in the southern department of the United States.

Signed "R E Lee" on the verso of the half-title page. With revision and a biography of the author by Robert E. Lee. Published by University Publishing Company, New York. Spine-title "Memoirs of the War of '76."

GLC04008

8 June 1785

Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803

Autograph manuscript

Title: A proclamation for the encouragement of piety, virtue, education & manners for the suppression of vice.

The closing text is in a scribal hand: "Given at the Council Chamber in Boston...by His Excellency's Command, with advice & consent of the Council...."

GLC04009

12 July 1847

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Pierce

Writes to his wife that he is glad he is given the opportunity to write before marching further inland. Discusses his duties and responsibilities. Describes his encounters with guerillas. Written as a brigadier general.

GLC04012

circa 1896

Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Appeal to women of all nations for aid to the Armenians].

Draft for an appeal for aid for the Armenian persecution of 1894-1897. States that Turkish authorities will not interfere and Clara Barton is at her post. Howe adopted this cause in 1894. Title from content of the appeal.

GLC04014

29 April 1885

Johnson, Badley T., 1829-1903

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Campbell Brown

Doubts that Beauregard ever had a "lost order" at First Manassas. Believes that there was never a missing battle plan, as some have asserted.

GLC04015

1864

Walker, John Burns, fl. 1862-1865

Print

Title: Andersonville Prison, Georgia

A colored, lithographic view of the prison and POWs, printed underneath is the description: "Numbers 1 and 2 comprise Andersonville Prison an area of 26 acres, nearly five acres of which was an uninhabitable swamp. In June, July and August. 1864, 33.000 Union Prisoners were crowded on the remaining 21 acres." Walker, the man who sketched the image, is identified as a Andersonville POW and member of Co. G of the 141st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Lithograph made by Thomas Sinclair of Philadelphia.

GLC04017

1780/06/21

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Letter signed

Title: to unknown re: gathering powder & lead for expedition against Indians

The document has water damage with losses to the text at center left, and with two small losses in the closing.

GLC04018

22 April 1865

Lee, Fitzhugh, 1835-1905

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Walter Taylor

Submits a report of the operations of his command, the Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia from 28 March to 9 April 1865, the days leading up to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Detailed account of troop movements, skirmishes with Union forces, and the number of captured, wounded, and killed. Reports being joined by the divisions of Generals William Henry Fitz Lee and Thomas L. Rosser. Indicates that they attacked Sheridan's cavalry at Five Forks. Describes events leading up to the army withdrawing from Petersburg. Praises commanding generals W. H. F. Lee, Rosser, Thomas T. Munford,…

GLC04019

2 January 1865

Lee, Mary Custis, 1835-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. M. E. Boswell

Thanks her for her New Year's present which was some sort of cooked fowl. Remarks, "General Lee is in town and if he leaves before we can enjoy it together I shall insist upon his taking it to camp." Comments on "the dear old church where we and our forefathers have so long worshiped" in Alexandria. States that Lee is anxious to have every man in the field. Discusses the liberal contributions made for the soldiers. Asks her to come visit if ever in Richmond and give her address as Franklin Street between 7th and 8th. Addressed to Boswell at the Wilderness, Columbia, Fluvanna County,…

GLC04020

28 November 1865

Semmes, Raphael, 1809-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John M. Kell

Kell was first officer of the Alabama from 1862 to 1864. Writes to Kell to answer his question about taking the pardon, to thank him for naming his first-born son after him, and to tell him of the disposition of prize money from the ship. Semmes states that he had not been offered a pardon, did not mean to ask for one, and would refuse one if it were offered to him.

GLC04021

circa 1880

Kell, John McIntosh, 1823-1900

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Account of battle between C.S.S. Alabama and U.S.S. Kearsarge]

Writes about the battle between the C.S.S. Alabama and U.S.S. Kearsarge, which "took place in the English Channel, about seven miles distant from the port of Cherbourg, France on the 19th day of June 1864." On first and second pages, gives details about the building of the Alabama and its capabilities as "a complete Steamer & Sailing ship" with eight guns. On the third page, describes the Alabama's captain, "the Gallant Semmes, Brainy in intellect, Wiry in build & indefatigable in work." Lists the rest of the crew. From the fifth to the eighth page, describes the action…

GLC04022

30 May 1860

Semmes, Paul Jones, 1815-1863

Broadside

Title: [Confederate dueling challenge to James T. Hay]

Printed broadside put out by Semmes concerning a controversy between himself and Hay, the editor of the Southern Spy. Semmes calls James T. Hay a "grand liar." He argues "I do not profess to be a 'bully,' as he has pleased to call me; but at the same time, I do not intend to be frightened by an expression of my opinion, by that potent Engine - of wind, and Cowardice." He ends by stating, "Indeed to notice him farther, would but disgrace; unless he offers an insult in person - which he will not dare to attempt."

GLC04023

11 April 1864

Taylor, Richard, 1826-1879

Manuscript letter

Title: [Soldiers of the Army of Western Louisiana!]

Congratulatory special order to his troops after two victorious battles. Praises his men extensively for their valor at the Battle of Mansfield, Louisiana on 8 April, and Pleasant Hill, Louisiana on 9 April. Lists prisoners taken and equipment captured. Rallies the men to stay strong as there is still more work to be done.

GLC04024

30 April 1865

Johnston, Joseph Egleston, 1807-1891

Manuscript document

Title: to Joseph E. Brown

Announces to Brown, the Governor of Georgia, the surrender of the last Confederate troops to Union General William T. Sherman. The surrender terminated hostilities in North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Johnston states, "I made this convention to spare the blood of the gallant little army committed to me, to prevent further sufferings of our people by the devastation and ruin inevitable from the march of invading armies, and to avoid the crime of waging a hopeless war."

GLC04025

1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Document

Title: [Regulations from Confederate War Department]

Printed circular leaflet describing regulations put forth by the Secretary of War Benjamin. Divided into five sections for a total of 17 regulations. First sections deals with "Rules of Organization," describing size of military units and types of officers and staff. Second deals with "Terms of Acceptance," including what equipment will be provided for each soldier. Third deals with "Acceptance and Muster into Service," including what will happen to new recruits. It claims "no recruit will be accepted for less period than the war." Fourth deals with "Supplies and Allowances," including…

GLC04026