1770-1821

Header Record

Title: Revolutionary War officers: 18 letters and documents [decimalized]

[decimalized 02497.01-02497.18]

GLC02497

6 April 1821

Adair, John, 1757-1840

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Horace Holley

Kentucky Governor Adair regrets that commitments make it impossible for him to attend an exhibition at Transylvania University on 7 April 1821 to which Holley, the university's president, had invited him.

GLC02497.01

18 October 1777

Clinton, James, 1736-1812

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Clinton

General Clinton replies to a letter from his brother George, who served as Governor of New York 1777-1795. Expresses regret regarding the 16 October British capture of Kingston, New York, then the capital. Referring to the Hudson River, states that British vessels had passed through the cheval de frise erected to block their advance. Encloses letters (not included) from Generals Dickinson and Wayne (possibly John Dickinson and Anthony Wayne). Reports that he requested Wayne's assistance in New York, as George had earlier ordered. Relates that he requested reinforcement from General…

GLC02497.03

28 July 1784

Elbert, Samuel, 1740-1788

Autograph document signed

Title: [Certificate for Sargent William Wash]

Written by Brigadier General Elbert to certify that Sargent William Wash served his term of three years in the Continental line of the state of Georgia. Says he served as quartermaster for one year and that he is entitled to the Continental and state bounty of land.

GLC02497.04

18 April 1791

Febiger, Christian, 1747-1796

Autograph document signed

Title: [Tax Receipt]

States Febiger recieved thirty four pounds sixteen schillings and six pence for taxes from 1789 from Jacob Arnold. This settles his account with Febiger

GLC02497.05

1 July 1776

Gansevoort, Peter, 1749-1812

Autograph document signed

Title: [Furlough pass]. Fort George.

Grants John Gravenbergh a fourteen day furlough. Written at Fort George as the commanding officer.

GLC02497.06

6 October 1788

Irvine, William, 1741-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Navigation of Pennsylvania Rivers] [Incomplete]

Irvine, a member of the Continental Congress and former Brigadier General in the Revolutionary War, writes to an unknown recipient. Refers to an enclosed sketch of the Allegheny River (not included with this document). Discusses navigation of the Allegheny, Susquehanna, and Tioga Rivers in Pennsylvania. Addresses possibilities for navigating French Creek and (Conewango?) Creek. Only the last page of this document survives.

GLC02497.08

3 December 1783

Jackson, Michael, 1734-1801

Autograph document signed

Title: [Provision return for a German deserter]

Order to issue four rations over four days to a German deserter. Verso states rations were received, and is signed by the deserter, whose signature is illegible. Signed by Jackson as Commandant of West Point.

GLC02497.09

31 August 1775

Macpherson, John, ?-1775

Autograph document signed

Title: [Discharge for James Arden]

There is "no further employ" for James Arden, a mason sent up from New York by Peter T. Curtenius "by Order of the Provincial Congress of New York." Therefore he is discharged, by order of General Montgomery. Written at "Head Quarters" Signed by Macpherson as Aide de Camp.

GLC02497.10

24 October 1785

Sullivan, John, 1740-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Circular letter written by Sullivan as Attorney General of New Hampshire (he signs it as Major General) to an unknown recipient. Gives a list of recommended colors for military uniforms.

GLC02497.16

11 October 1775

Ten Broeck, Abraham, 1734-1810

Autograph document signed

Title: [Abraham Ten Broeck's account]

Written by Ten Broeck as member of New York state Provincial Congress. Account with two line items, one for April 1775 and the other for May 1775 for a total of 1 pound, 16 shillings. A notation from 11 October 1775 says that he received the money from Leonard Gansevoort, Treasurer of the City and County of Albany.

GLC02497.17

2 January 1782

Van Cortlandt, Philip, 1749-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward Hand

Created at a military site formerly known as Pimpton, New York. General Cortlandt comments that a letter Brigadier General Hand directed to General George Clinton was not received until 1 January. Encloses a return of men (not included) belonging to two unspecified regiments of infantry for Hand, Adjutant General.

GLC02497.18

1765-1813

Header Record

Title: Revolutionary War military officers: 19 letters and documents [decimalized]

[decimalized 02498.01-02498.19]

GLC02498

31 March 1778

Bland, Theodorick, 1742-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Caswell

Written by Captain Bland to North Carolina Governor Caswell. Express letter encloses letters from Congress (not included here). Says he has tried his hardest to get them to Caswell as quickly as possible. Messenger is to receive 50 Continental dollars, and since he has no public money he hopes Caswell can pay him. Docket says Caswell received the packet of letters on 6 April 1778. Page with address leaf and docket are separate from body of letter.

GLC02498.01

2 November 1780

Butler, Richard, 1743-1791

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Reed

Written by Colonel Butler as commander of the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment to Reed as President of Pennsylvania. Says he is writing on behalf of Ensign Nathaniel Smith of his regiment, who has served "with great propriety." Says that Smith has been entitled to a lieutenancy since 21 July 1780 and hopes Reed can move the process along. Claims that it might result in Smith leaving the army, which he doesn't want to happen. Written at Camp Totowa.

GLC02498.03

20 February 1765

Dayton, Elias, fl. 1774

Document signed

Title: [Certificate of service and of disability].

"This is to certify that the bearer, John Williams, has served in the New Jersey Regiment [illegible] the command of Col. McDonald and Serjent in Capn Draytons Company and in the service has lost the use of [illegible] thumb. Given under my hand and seal." Signed as Captain of the New Jersey Regiment. An important Revolutionary War military figure, Drayton was a member of the Continental Congress in 1787 and 1788.

GLC02498.04

1775-1783

Hand, Edward, 1744-1802

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Nevill

Discusses the loss of a flat bottom boat hired to transport Continental troops across the Allegany River and asks for an inquiry to determine who should pay for it.

GLC02498.05

2 August 1781

Mercer, John F., 1759-1821

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Nelson

Relays information about and an analysis of Lord Cornwallis's maneuvers to Virginia's Governor Nelson. Written shortly before the defeat of Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown. Mercer (who later became the governor of Maryland) was then an officer in the Continental Army.

GLC02498.08

23 July 1782

Pickens, Andrew, 1739-1817

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nathanael Greene

Written by Brigadier General Pickens, the well-known partisan fighter of South Carolina, to Major General Greene as commander of the Southern Department. Due to orders from Governor John Mathews, he is now occupying ground previously occupied by General Francis Marion. Apologizes that fewer men are in the brigade than expected. Says the harvest wasn't finished and troops wanted to stay behind because a group of Tories recently marched through the area. Expects these men to filter into the camp in a few days. Written from Bacon's Bridge, in Summerville, South Carolina.

GLC02498.09

10 February 1780

Poor, Enoch, 1736-1780

Letter signed

Title: to Mr. Osburn

Requests provisions "To Be Kept on Command in Woodbury."

GLC02498.10

13 July 1783

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stephen Van Rensselaer

Written by Schuyler as a New York state senator to Van Rensselaer as a wealthy landowner. Thanks him for his letter of 12 July and for dispatching the letters. Says the cotton and locks arrived after he had written his daughter Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Says he has nothing new to tell other than the "meeting" in Philadelphia, but since it is in the newspapers he will not repeat it. Probably in reference to the June 1783 incident when Congress was scared out of Philadelphia by a few hundred newly released soldiers and some civilians who threatened to rob the national bank and hold the…

GLC02498.11

24 August 1791

Scott, Charles, 1733-1813

Autograph letter signed

Title: to the Lieutenant of Mason

Written by Scott as a delegate to the Virginia House of Delegates and Brigadier General in Kentucky militia (he was breveted a major general at the end of the Revolution). Writes to the Lieutenant of militia at Mason, Kentucky saying that Major General Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory and commander of the U.S. Army, requests his attendance at Lexington on 2 September 1791 in order to work out a system of calling out the militia for the present campaign. St. Clair's expedition that fall was routed by the Miami Indians under Little Turtle on 4 November 1791. Asks him to…

GLC02498.12

22 April 1777

Sumner, Jethro, 1733-1785

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Caswell

Written by Colonel Sumner to North Carolina Governor Caswell. Encloses a list of officers, their ranks, and appointments as of the 16 April 1777. Also encloses a return of the 3rd Regiment and the names of officers he is taking northward (both lists are not included). Says the regiment has suffered by enlistment of soldiers in the service of South Carolina and Georgia as well as by desertion. Wants a system established that will deter civilians from harboring deserters. In the fall of 1777 Sumner took part in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown and wintered with his regiment at Valley…

GLC02498.13

23 April 1777-26 April 1777

Tallmadge, Benjamin, 1754-1835

Autograph document signed

Title: Regimental Orders

Writes that the primary purpose of punishment is to reform the offender. Orders that John Conolley, a prisoner, be freed but advises that others should not take advantage of this and be found guilty of the same misconduct. On verso is the first page of another regimental order dated 26 April 1777 concerning morning roll calls.

GLC02498.14

14 May 1775

Thomas, John, 1724-1776

Autograph document signed

Title: to the Committee of Safety of Massachusetts

Says agreeable to the resolves put forth by the Committee that he gave directions for Captain Davis to travel southward. Wants them to send whaling ships to Plymouth to help with its defenses. Thomas, who was eventually named a Major General, died on 2 June 1776 of Smallpox after leading his troops on the retreat from Montreal. Hard to read.

GLC02498.15