5 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Continued on June 6. Camping in the shade and making "artificial shade" with pine and cedar branches; according to letter from relative Matilda, "Nelson was a prisoner in the hands of the rebels;" other news. "As for Marys letter I dont think 'pretty much' of her abolition doctring [sic], she thinks it would be a glorious thing to fight and die for abolition but I dont. It is a sure thing though that I have got to fight for it, and may die for it, but I shall consider the fight a compulsory one, and the death inglorious. Pshaw!" Doubts that there will be much draft resistance; health;…

GLC04558.096

9 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Writes of being by-passed for promotion and mentions talk of promotions being bought from the captain whom he describes as "very young... a little under 21 years old,... on the whole rather good looking, but... fopish, showey, conceited, and vain[;] [he] understands tactics and military movements very well... and has a good voice for giveing commands for which the boys all like him...." Mentions that this same captain has been courtmartialed twice for unknown offenses. Asks about news of a family friend at Port Hudson and "Vixburgh." Sends ten dollars.

GLC04558.097

14 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Asks her to write and apologizes for brevity; discusses preparations for a dance and picnic, including ladies from Norfolk whom he hopes will be respectable. Claims that "over five hundred" women in Norfolk are "registered as professionally bad" (i.e., prostitutes). Concerning a soldier who drowned trying to swim the river "Sixty rounds of ammunition and the accoutrements of a soldier makes [sic] a bad life preserver." Sends five dollars and wishes she could attend the dance next Wednesday.

GLC04558.098

18 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Continued on June 19. Yesterday's festival or dance was attended by 35 ladies "of the showey kind." Teasingly says his "gal" was not there and says he sat-out the dances. Describes dancing platform, etc. Asks about crops and livestock. Mentions Lee's invasion and jocularly advises wife to "grind up your 'old sythes and bush-hooks' to defend yourself." Mentions other men promoted who had "influential friends at home" Sending twenty dollars.

GLC04558.099

22 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Writes that they left their camp and all baggage behind; expects to head towards Richmond; mentions seeing Charlie Tillotson. With postscript dated Tuesday morning noting that no marching orders were received.

GLC04558.101

1802

Scott, John B., 1761-1814

Document signed

Title: [Indictment of Absalum in the Easter Plot]

Indictment of Absalum by Scott as Deputy Attorney for the Commonwealth in a court of Oyer and Terminer. Absalum, "a negro man slave of the estate of John Hilyard," is charged with conspiring to create an insurrection and plotting murder on 14 April 1802. "That the said Absalum...did feloniously consult and conspire to make insurrection... And...did feloniously, wickedly & maliciously plot the murder of sundry persons contrary to the act of Assembly intituled 'An Act to reduce into one the several Acts concerning Slaves, free Negroes and Mulattoes, and against the Peace & Dignity of…

GLC06338.01

1802

Scott, John B., 1761-1814

Document signed

Title: [Indictment of Frank in the Easter Plot]

Indictment of Frank by Scott as Deputy Attorney for the Commonwealth in a court of Oyer and Terminer. Frank, "a negro man slave the property of Archer Robertson," is charged with conspiring to create an insurrection and plotting murder on 10 April 1802. "That the said Frank...did feloniously consult and conspire to make insurrection... And...did feloniously, wickedly & maliciously plot the murder of Daniel Purkins...."

GLC06338.02

1802

Scott, John B., 1761-1814

Document signed

Title: [Indictment of Phiby in the Easter Plot]

One document dated 1802. Item is an indictment of Phiby written by John B. Scott, Deputy Attorney for the Commonwealth in a court of Oyer and Terminer. Phiby is identified as Black woman enslaved by Daniel Price. Document details that she has been charged with conspiring to murder Price and to organize an insurrection with other freedpeople, enslaved people and "mulattoes."

GLC06338.03

6 April 1802

Scott, John B., 1761-1814

Document signed

Title: [Indictment of Sancho in the Easter Plot]

One document dated 1802. Item is an indictment of Sancho written by John B. Scott, Deputy Attorney for the Commonwealth in a court of Oyer and Terminer. Sancho is identified as Black man enslaved by John Booker. Document details that he has been charged with conspiring to murder Daniel Dejarnett and to organize an insurrection with other freedpeople, enslaved people and "mulattoes."

GLC06338.04

1802

Scott, John B., 1761-1814

Document signed

Title: [Indictment of Jim in the Easter Plot]

Indictment of Jim by Scott as Deputy Attorney for the Commonwealth in a court of Oyer and Terminer. Jim, "a negro man slave the property of James Booker," is charged with conspiring to create an insurrection and plotting murder on 6 April 1802. "That the said Jim..did feloniously consult and conspire to make insurrection... And...did feloniously, wickedly & maliciously plot the death of James Booker...."

GLC06338.05

1802

Scott, John B., 1761-1814

Document signed

Title: [Indictment of Abram in the Easter Plot]

Indictment of Abram by Scott as Deputy Attorney for the Commonwealth in a court of Oyer and Terminer. Abram, "a negro man slave the property of William Smith," is charged with conspiring to create an insurrection and plotting murder on [7 ?] March 1802. "That the said Abram..did feloniously and wickedly consult advise and conspire to make insurrection... And...did wickedly maliciously & feloniously plot the murder of his said master Wm Smith...."

GLC06338.06

18 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the Halifax County jailer to hold three slaves convicted of participating in the Easter Plot]

Spragins orders the Halifax County jail keeper to receive into custody "the body of" Absolam, belonging to John Hillard (in GLC 6336.01 "Absalum" belonging to John "Hilyard"), Bob, belonging to Peter Barksdale, and Martin, belonging to Henry Bass. Docket indicates this is a mittimus (a type of warrant). Spragins was a justice of the peace. "...charged and convicted before me with consulting and conspireing to rebel and make insurrection and you the said Jailor are hereby required to...them safely keep till they shall be thence discharged by due course of Law."

GLC06338.07

17 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the sheriff of Halifax County to summon county justices for a trial of slaves involved in the Easter Plot]

Writ of summons signed by Spragins and Dejurnatt (some ancestral records cite "Dejarnett," among various other spellings). Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 23 April trial of "Sanco [Sancho] a Negro Man Slave now in possession of Richard Booker, Frank the property of Archer Robertson[,] Jim the property of James Booker and Phebey a Negro Woman Slave the property of Daniel Price." Notes that these four slaves were committed to county jail that day as per warrant.

GLC06338.08

17 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the jailer of Halifax County to receive Abram, a slave, into custody until 23 April]

Spragins and Dejurnatt order the Halifax County jail keeper to receive into custody "Abram a Negro Man Slave the property of William Smith...he being a Witness in behalf of the Commonwealth" against Sanc[h]o, Frank, Jim and Phebey. A note at bottom specifies that "It is necessary that the above Witness be kept Separate from the persons he is a witness against." A note on verso states: "Sank [Sancho?] said he wd kill Danl Dijarnatt & take his wife. / Frank said he would take Danl. Perkins wife / Jim - [unclear if the latter is a signature or an unfinished sentence]." Docket indicates this…

GLC06338.09

17 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the Halifax County jailer to receive the slaves Sancho, Frank, Jim, and Phebey into custody]

Spragins orders the Halifax County jail keeper to receive into custody "the body of Sancho a man slave now in the possession of Richard Booker of the s[ai]d County and said to be the property of John Booker of Amelia County Frank a negro man slave the property of Archer Robertson, Jim a man slave the property of James Booker and Phebey a negroe woman slave the property of David Price....and them safely keep till they shall be thence discharged by due course of Law." Docket indicates this is a mittimus (a type of warrant). Spragins was a justice of the peace. Also signed by [James?]…

GLC06338.10

18 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the sheriff to call county justices for a trial of the slaves Bob, Absalum, and Martin]

Writ of summons, signed by Spragins, Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 26 April trial of "Bob a Negro Man Slave the property of Peter Barksdale, Absalum a Negro Man Slave belonging to the Esta. of John Hilyard, Martin a Negroe Man Slave the property of Henry Bass...." Notes that these three slaves were committed to county jail that day as per warrant. A docket lists three personal names, at least one of which, "Abny's Ned," appears to be that of a slave.

GLC06338.11

19 April 1802

Faulkner, William, 1774-1822

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the county sheriff t to gather justices for an "examination of the fact" regarding the slave Samuel]

Writ of summons signed by Faulkner, a justice of the peace. Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 26 April "Examination of the fact" regarding the slave Samuel, property of George Carrington. Notes that Samuel was committed to county jail that day as per warrant. Docket on verso lists several names, including Racheal Coats, Hiram Whitney, Samuel Patterson, Bob Jabell, James Vaughan, Wades Bob, Grishams Tom, and Beasleys Tom. Based on their names, it appears that the latter three individuals may have been slaves.

GLC06338.12

19 April 1802

Faulkner, William, 1774-1822

Document signed

Title: [Arrest warrant for the slave Samuel for his role in the Easter Plot]

Arrest warrant signed by Faulkner, a justice of the peace for Halifax County. George Carrington, having supplied information under oath that Samuel, one of his slaves, "ploted & conspired the murder" of Carrington and others persons, Faulkner orders the sheriff to bring Samuel before a justice of the peace "to answer the Premises and further to be dealt with according to Law." A docket lists several personal names.

GLC06338.13

26 April 1802

Thompson, William, fl. 1802

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the Sheriff of Halifax County to gather justices for a trial of the slave Abram, for his role in the Easter Plot]

Writ of summons signed by Thompson, a justice of the peace. Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 1 May trial of the slave Abram, property of William Smith. Notes that Abram was committed to county jail that day as per warrant.

GLC06338.14

26 April 1802

Thompson, William, fl. 1802

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the Sheriff of Halifax County to hold Robin, a slave, until 1 May trial, and to summon two witnesses]

Warrant signed by Thompson, a justice of the peace, ordering the sheriff to safely keep Robin until the trial of Abram; both men are the property of William Smith. Abram is to be tried at the County Court of Halifax of Oyer and Terminer for his role in the Easter Plot. Thompson signs an additional two orders on verso; one directing the sheriff to summon Daniel Perkins as a witness on behalf of "the within named prisoner"; the other directing him to summon Samuel Hubboards as a witness for the "within named Abraham." An additional note, signed by [illegible]Edwards, deputy of W. Bennett (…

GLC06338.15

26 April 1802

Thompson, William, fl. 1802

Document signed

Title: [Warrant for the Sheriff of Halifax County to hold Abram, convicted of participating in the Easter Plot]

Thompson, a justice of the peace, orders the Halifax County jailer to receive into custody Abram, a slave belonging to William Smith, who has been convicted of "advising, consulting & conpsiring to rebel and make insurrection." Docket indicates this is a mittimus (a type of warrant).

GLC06338.16

20 August 1867

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Captain J. W. Francis

A passionate letter in which Tobias refuses to comply with General Sheridan's orders to act as a commissioner of elections. He claims that supporters of negro voting rights are violating the U.S. Constitution, which he believes supports a "white mans government." He argues that social peace either excludes suffrage for blacks or severely restricts it. He fears giving political power to Black people and that white people would become inferior. "I must respectfully decline to change all my school boy lessons & to adopt a faith which Consigns the land of Washington & Jefferson [3]…

GLC04501.099

3 August 1822

Hagner, Peter, 1772-1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Indicates that pension monies ($240) owed to Nabby Gardner, the widow of Zachary Gardner, will be paid. Written from the Third Auditor's office of the Treasury Department.

GLC06313.04.188

9 August 1863

Williams, William A., fl. 1863

Printed document signed

Title: [Confederate oath of allegiance]

Printed oath with Williams' name filled in, pledging to "serve them honestly and faithfully against their enemies." On the verso is a printed pass permitting Williams to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina.

GLC00496.254.01

24 July 1863

Clabaugh, Fentin, fl. 1863

Printed document signed

Title: [Confederate permission for William A. Williams to visit Richmond, Virginia]

Printed with Williams' name filled in. Issued by the Provost Marshal's Office. Clabaugh signed for Joseph G. Lockhart, Captain and Provost Marshal.

GLC00496.254.02