24 July 1776

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Letter

Title: to Nathaniel Barber

A secretarial copy of Continental Congressman Adams's response to Barber as Deputy Commissary in the Department of the Commissary General of Military Stores. References Barber's letter of 15 July 1776 in which he asked to be given pay at the rank of captain. Says the best way to succeed would be to go through Generals Artemas Ward or George Washington. Not knowing the nature of his duties, he would not help Barber by bringing it up in Congress. Says success is likely if he goes through the chain of command.

GLC04538

circa 1840

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript

Title: [Forgery of a George Washington check]

Written to Mr. M. Pringle for the sum of $287.50. This document is considered to be a forgery created by Robert Spring, a prolific forger of Washington documents.

GLC04541

May 1835

Knapp, Alfred, fl. 1835

Broadside

Title: An Act for the Government and regulation of seamen [for "Lady Washington"]

Printed official act by the United States Congress outlining restrictions and regulations which will apply to Seamen in the Merchants' Service. Authored by Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg as Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Adams as Vice President of the U.S. and President of the Senate, George Washington as President, and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. Enacted January 4, 1790 and printed by Joseph H. Buckingham, sold by John G. Tilton in Newburyport. On verso, printed and handwritten agreement between Alfred Knapp, master of the brig "Lady Washington" of Newburyport, and…

GLC04543

11 May 1920

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Document signed

Title: [Presidential sentence commutation for Richard E. Polen, who was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon 7 December 1912]

Richard Polen was convicted in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia and sentenced to ten years in the State penitentiary at Baltimore, Maryland. The judgment was affirmed by the Court of Appeals and Polen began serving his sentence November 21, 1913. Wilson commuted his sentence to expire at once, no explanation given. Countersigned by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Printed document with blanks filled in with type.

GLC04544

1831

Warner, Samuel, fl. 1831

Book

Title: Authentic and impartial narrative of the tragical scene which was witnessed in Southampton County (Virginia) on Monday the 22d of August last...

(title continues)... when fifty-five of its inhabitants (mostly women and children) were inhumanly massacred by the blacks! Communicated by those who were eye witnesses of the bloody scene, and confirmed by the confessions of several of the blacks while under Sentence of Death. Printed for Warner & West. Includes fold-out leaf opposite title page with the woodcut "Horrid Massacre in Virginia." Foldout measures 19.8 x 27.3 cm. The Southampton Insurrection is also known as Nat Turner's Rebellion.

GLC04548

22 April 1919

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation of the sentence of Otto Bruno Reichelt, convicted of violating the Espionage Act on 4 October 1918]

Reichelt was convicted in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, for violation of the Espionage Act of June 15, 1917, and sentenced to eight years in the State Penitentiary at Baltimore, Maryland. Wilson commuted his sentence to end at once, no reason given for clemency. Countersigned by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. Printed document with blanks filled in with type.

GLC04549

19 July 1860

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of John Day for manslaughter in July 1852].

Countersigned by Acting Secretary of State William Henry Trescot. Day was convicted in July, 1852. Buchanan pardoned Day near the end of his sentence for his valuable assistance to the wardens in maintaining order in the penitentiary. Day's service was attested to by Warden C. P. Sengstack, previous wardens I.B. Ellis and Thomas Thornley, and on the report of District Attorney Robert Ould. 2 black and white bust engravings of James Buchanan included.

GLC04550

1865

Various

Photograph

Title: [Carte de visite vignette of General Robert E. Lee & a card with hand printed flags]

Signed on mount. The gilt bordered has been retouched at upper right. Depicts General Robert E. Lee in a suit and tie posing for the camera. Includes a cancelled postage stamp on the verso. The card depicts two CSA National hand printed flags (apparently from a frame).

GLC04518

25 March 1863

Beall, Lloyd James, 1808-1887

Letter signed

Title: to Francis T. Stribling

Written in a clerical hand and signed by Colonel Beall as commander of the Confederate Marine Corps to Dr. Stribling as superintendent of the insane asylum at Staunton, Virginia. Has been directed by the Secretary of the Navy to inquire if a marine inflicted with insanity can be accommodated at Staunton.

GLC04519

circa 1864

Sanders, Jacob, fl. 1864

Manuscript document

Title: [Clothing receipt roll for Company F, 26th Regiment, United States Colored Troops]

Sergeant Jacob Sanders signs as a witness. Includes the names of soldiers in Company F, led by Captain George England. Each soldier signs with an "x" between the first and last name. Table printed on verso outlines the Secretary of War's recommended allowace of clothing to each soldier per year.

GLC04520

1857-1880

Ivy, Edward, 1857-1880

Header Record

Title: Reconstruction archive: CSA parole & oath, Bailey Family contracts with freedmen [Decimalized .01-.16]

The collection includes a Georgia parole for the soldier (sometimes "Edwin") of New Orleans (#1), an agreement dated 5/22/1865 to register his plantation while abiding by the laws now protecting freedmen (#7); oaths of allegiance and amnesty (#2-4, 8), and three contracts between the Bailey Family (in Arkansas) with freeman Alie Bailey and other freed slaves (#8-10), as well as personal papers. The contracts offer different compensation (one freeman was single).

GLC04522

1812

Seymour, Samuel, fl. 1812

Print

Title: Brilliant Naval Victory [engraving of the USS Constitution]

title continues: "With the U. States Frigate Constitution of 44 Guns, Cap'n. Hull, & the English Frigate Guerriere of 38 Guns, Cap'n. L'acres, in which action Cap'n. Hull lost 7 men killed, & 7 wounded, & his B. M.'s ship was sunk; besides her loss of 15 men killed, 62 wounded, & 24 missing; August 20, 1812. After closing the action was 30 minu[te]s." Depicts one ship flying 4 American flags, surrounded by smaller boats filled with soldiers, and another ship engulfed in flame, smoke billowing above it. Hand colored. Published by J. Pierre & F. Kearney in Philadelphia,…

GLC04523

1733

Popple, Henry, fl. 1773

Map

Title: A Map of the British Empire in America... [index sheet, with 20 plates]

Large engraved map composed in sheets. Streeter Sale 676.

GLC04526

circa 1840

Huntington, E., fl. 1840

Print

Title: [Engraved copy of the Declaration of Independence]

Printed by E. Huntington.

GLC04530

13 July 1863

Tolman, Benjamin, fl. 1863

Broadside

Title: By Order of Abraham Lincoln... A draft [Dedham, Mass.]

Broadside announcing the institution of a draft in Dedham, Massachusetts, signed at the court house in Concord, Mass. by members of the Board of Enrolment: S. Benton Thompson, Addison G. Fay, and David S. Fogg. Insertions made in black crayon. Printed by Benjamin Tolman in Concord, Mass.

GLC04531

February 13, 1864

Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864

Letter signed

Title: to John Cabell Breckinridge

Confederate General Morgan expresses approval that Breckinridge will take charge of a Department in South Western Virginia. Writes "am satisfied that you will get recruits from our Old State," (possibly referring to Kentucky, though Morgan was not born there). Reports that his soldiers "are all, as you are aware, fine soldiers, and very anxious to go into Kentucky where they can certainly serve The Confederacy best, as they will, by the invasion of that State, withdraw ten times their number from the Federal Army at Chattanooga..." Relates that the railroad from Danville, Kentucky to…

GLC04534

25 March 1862

Halleck, H.W. (Henry Wager), 1815-1872

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edwin M. Stanton

Written by General Halleck as commander of the Department of the Mississippi to Stanton as Secretary of War. Has heard that the rebels are building one or more riverboats "clad in rail road iron like the Merrimac." Says if it is true they can wreak havoc on Union forces on the river. Wants any heavy guns at Pittsburgh sent down the Ohio River to Cairo or Columbus. Reports he has written to ask if Commander Foote can convert his ships to ironclads. Says authority to construct a river "Monitor" should be given. Expresses that delay could be fatal. Marked "in cipher."

GLC04536

February 5, 1862

Halleck, H.W. (Henry Wager), 1815-1872

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas A. Scott

Asks that all possible reinforcements be sent to Cairo to assist "as I wish to cut the enemy's line before Beauregard arrives. Noted "in cypher."

GLC04537

23 November 1779

Morris, Robert, 1734-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jonathan Hudson & Co.

No Free Frank. Contests Hudson & Co.'s claim of losses, discusses debts, and comments on the plummeting value of Continental currency. One full length seated black and white engraving of Robert Morris included.

GLC04540

1783

Book

Title: The Dealer's companion and trader's assistant

GLC04542

18 October 1863

Longstreet, James, 1821-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Daniel Harvey Hill

General Longstreet writes, "Your note of today is received. I am surprised and grieved to learn that you have been relieved from duty with this Army. We have stood side by side in so many severely contested battlefields that I have learned to lean upon you with great confidence... I am yet full of faith that a kind and infinitely merciful Providence will not abandon us. And that we shall, after all, be successful."

GLC04545.02

24 December 1886

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Letter

Title: to Daniel Harvey Hill

Written from Beauvoir, the estate of former Confederate President Davis. Written and signed in the hand of Davis's wife, Varina. Davis relates, "I truly regret that you should have misconstrued my action in relieving you from duty with the army of Tennessee as a condemnation of your conduct in the battle of Chickamauga. That was not the question upon which I had to act... I assigned you to duty with the Army of Tennessee without an application from the commander of that Army... The relations which I found existing between yourself and the Commander of the Army of Tennessee, made it…

GLC04545.03

circa 25 May 1863

Hill, Daniel H., 1821-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isabella Morrison Hill

At the time he wrote this letter, Hill was in command of the Department of North Carolina. He expresses his disappointment over an embarrassing incident during the actions around Kinston, in the southeastern part of the state. Date inferred from content. Hill relates that his troops at Kinston recently suffered a surprise attack, during which 150 of his men were captured before Confederates fired a shot. Hill signs as "Husband." Says "...A Regt. was most disgracefully surprised on the 22d," he writes, "& without firing a shot had 150 men captured. The day was intensely hot, but I got…

GLC04545.04

circa 1900

Various

Header Record

Title: [Collection of 25 documents related to the Boxer Rebellion archive. Decimalized: .01-.24, .31].

The postal marks on the envelopes in this collection are very rare and valuable. Mail was handled through the Monocacy. Collateral in Oversize pamphlet - size 2.

GLC04546

February 13, 1900

Brown, Walter T., fl. 1900-1901

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. S. W. K. Brown

German vessel smuggling amunition in japanese waters. Written aboard the U.S.S. Monocacy

GLC04546.001