27 November 1861

Cushing, Edward H., 1829-1879

Newspaper

Title: The Tri-weekly telegraph. [Vol. 27, no. 106, whole no. 1403 (November 27, 1861)]

More information from Slidell and Mason, Davis's presidential message to the Confederate Congress, a list and explanation of Texas's finances, news from Mexico, report of the hanging of a Negro boy after murdering a baby and beating the plantation owner's wife, report of the Navy.

GLC05959.51.004

16 December 1861

Cushing, Edward H., 1829-1879

Newspaper

Title: The Tri-weekly telegraph. [Vol. 27, no. 114, whole no. 1411 (December 16, 1861)]

Military execution of a soldier. Report of the finance committee. Speech from General Paterson on Northern history and the war. Various letters. Lincoln's Message, Invasion via Mexico, Means of defense for Savannah.

GLC05959.51.010

2 August 1861

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister Mamie

Discusses the "[t]errible" battle of Bull Run and the poor conditions of camp life, including difficult marches and poor diet. Discusses the execution of a "Zouave" soldier in camp for the "crime of murder." Also makes reference to the politics of war and General Winfield Scott's famous anaconda plan. First page contains color imprint of soldier brandishing a sword in one hand and an American flag in the other.

GLC03523.18.01

February 2, 1863

Cushing, Edward H., 1829-1879

Newspaper

Title: The Tri-weekly telegraph. [Vol. 28, no. 138 (February 2, 1863)]

Battle of the Teche. Execution of Mexican bandit. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Naval fight off of Sabine. Editorial on recent reverses in the war.

GLC05959.51.056

February 13, 1863

Blum, L.V., fl. 1864-1866

Newspaper

Title: People's press. [Vol. 12, no. 41 (February 13, 1863)]

The Magruder Fleet, France & America. A report of the execution of 38 Native Americans in Minnesota includes details and description. A report of Yankee congressional decisions examines treatment of prisoners of war. A brief notice highlights a female soldier. A letter to the editor examines the confederate debt. An article details the navel engagement at Charleston.

GLC05959.27.04

6 August 1863

Pinckney, Henry Laurens, 1794-1863

Newspaper

Title: Charleston mercury. [Vol. 83, no. 11, 826 (August 6, 1863)]

Meade Crosses the Rappahannock into Culpepper County, A truce steamer arrives at Fort Morgan from New Orleans with Prisoners, Lincoln issues order, for every Yankee soldier killed, a rebel soldier is to be executed, Severe cavalry fight near Brandy Station, The late assault on Battery Wagner, Letter from General Cooper to General Lee. Letter from President Davis to General Lee, Capture of Morgan Confirmed, Advance of the Confederates into Kentucky under Colonel Pegram, From Morris Island - capture of a Yankee boat and its crew, Address of the President to the soldiers of the Confederate…

GLC05959.43.27

1865/07/22

Harper, James, 1795-1869

Newspaper

Title: Harper's weekly. [Vol. 9, no. 447 (July 22, 1865)]

Includes engravings of the execution of Lincoln conspirators, portraits of Lewis Payne, David Harold, J.W. Atzerodt, and Mary Surratt, and image of Surratt's home in Washington, D.C. Highlights the consecration of the Gettysburg monument of July 4, 1865. Inlcudes engravings of Major-General Howard, the Gettysburg battlefield, and laying of the cornerstone. All the Gettysburg monument and execution engravings are based on Alexander Gardner's photographs.

GLC08748.04

1865/04/28

Greeley, Horace, 1811-1872

Newspaper

Title: New-York semi-weekly tribune. [Vol. 20, no. 2079 (April 28, 1865)]

News of capture of John Wilkes Booth and David Herold. Booth was found and killed, Herold was arrested. Includes a commentary on the unnecessary shooting of Booth; it is felt by the general public that he should have been tried and hanged. Reports that Junius Brutus Booth was arrested under suspicion that he knew of his brother's plans to assassinate Lincoln. Also reports on the occupation of Raleigh by General Sherman. The paper is uncut.

GLC08428.10

1778/10/23

Bryan, George, 1731-1791

Document signed

Title: [Order to carry out a death sentence against two convicted criminals]

Order made under Bryan's authority and signed by "Jy Mattlock" as secretary. Orders Sheriff James Claypoole to carry out death sentences for Abraham Carlisle and John Roberts on 4 November 1778. Issued by the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "under the hand of the Honorable George Bryan Esquire Vice President." Features paper seal of the state of Pennsylvania.

GLC02503.04

1836/04/04

Houston, Sam, 1793-1863

Document signed

Title: Pardon petition endorsement for Priv. A. Scales, also signed by Amasa Turner

Signed by Houston as Commander in Chief of the army of Texas, granting pardon to Scales, who was under death sentence (for desertion?). The petition is signed by, among others, Amasa Turner, Lieutenant Millen, Deputy and W.W. Summers, Lieut. Pardon was requested because Scales was penitent and had faithfully performed his duty. Written at Camp West of Brasos.

GLC01860.13

1836/08/22

Milroy, Joseph H., fl. 1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: 2 letters appealing to Thomas Ward for reconciliation before execution

Milroy was to be shot by court martial and sought to reconcile himself to Ward. Both letters (each 2 p. + addr.) were written on the same day, in pencil.

GLC02145.34

1721/04/24

Manuscript document

Title: "Warrant to sell the Cochins Land"

The warrant authorizes the sale and disbursement of the land belonging to a certain Mrs. Cochin, who has been condemned for murder. Docketed on address leaf.

GLC03107.01369

1702/03/27

Treat, Robert, fl. 1792-1801

Letter

Title: to John Nanfan and the council of New York re: suspension of execution

Robert Treat D: Governor and the Council of Connecticut request that New York postpone the execution of Coll. Bayard and Alderman Hutchins until the King's "pleasure" is known, or until the arrival of Lord Cornbury.

GLC03107.02068

1712/06/21

Livingston, John

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Livingston re: fear of attacks from French and Indians

John writes to inform his father that he is currently stationed with 600 men and officers, who are awaiting news from England regarding how they are to settle the garrison. The situation is tense due to the threat of a French and Indian attack, and he even notes that a few men have been shot for desertion. He also requests that his father assist him in purchasing the commissions of either Capt. [Wimes] of Ingolesbey if they are able to sell them.

GLC03107.00920

1927/07

Sacco-Vanzetti Defense Committee, 1921-1927

Broadside

Title: Justice the issue! Shall Sacco and Vanzetti be judicially murdered?

This document is a printed broadside put out by the Sacco-Vanzetti Defense Committee which attacks the exclusive judgment of Judge Webster Thayer and says in part: "The issue is not only for Massachusetts. It is for America. The world will judge American ideals of justice on this case." Dating based on mention of an execution date of 10 July, but they were actually executed on 23 August 1927. With imprint of Allied Printing Tades Council, Boston.

GLC05712.01

1927/08

Broadside

Title: [Broadside against the Sacco-Vanzetti execution]

This document is a printed broadside that quotes a columnist from the New York World and reads, "What more can these immigrants from Italy expect? it is not every prisoner who has a President of Harvard University throw on the switch for him." Sacco and Vanzetti were executed on 23 August 1927. The quoted man is Heywood Broun.

GLC05712.02

1882/06/01

Guiteau, Charles, 1841-1882

Book signed

Title: The Truth and Removal [assassination of Garfield]

Signed only weeks before he was hanged for the assassination of President Garfield. The title refers to the "removal" of Garfield from the presidency as part of a cosmic belief system which Guiteau explains in his book. Inscribed to Miss Maggie Mitchell.

GLC06095

1861/07/22-23

Kelly, James R., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Kelly

Discusses camp life, quality of troops, killing and captured rebels. His regiment has not received any mail since they came to Virginia on July 6th. He writes a description of the mountain and describes an alarm in camp. A group of "miserable Scamps" have been discharged in disgrace. [Apparently, Kelly wrote the circumstances for their disgrace in an earlier letter, not in the collection.] Continued on 7/23/1861. Scouts surprised a "Secessionist Camp" of "44 men armed & a lot of women." Thirty-four of the men were killed and Kelly expects the rest will be hanged.

GLC04197.02

1863/01/13

Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893

Document

Title: Confederate Congress Resolution no. 24, endorsing orders for Butler's hanging

Confederate resolution endorsing President Jefferson Davis's orders for the hanging of Benjamin Franklin "Beast" Butler (for his women around town order)

GLC07008.01

February 9, 1863

Gordon, Thomas M., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. Edward Brown

Gordon, a Confederate soldier, begins his letter by stating he greatly misses his home and friends. Says that he has been attending church and receiving some comfort from religion. Writes about a man from his regiment who deserted and is now sentenced to be executed by firing squad. States that he ministered to the soldier and read to him from the Bible. "Twelve men from the Regt. will be detailed to perform the execution ... I hope that I will not be one the number he has a wife and two children she came to see him a few days ago." Adds that the man wanted his wife to stay to see him…

GLC09004

1844/02/22

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin F. Butler

Thanks Butler, who in 1815 defended Jackson's actions at New Orleans. Says that no matter how the Senate rules he knows the measures he took were necessary and that "I acted in the defence of New Orleans with the purest principles of a patriot." Relates his poor health and confidence that Van Buren will be the Democratic Nominee for President. When Jackson was defending the city of New Orleans he imposed martial law, ignored habeas corpus, executed deserters, and suspended the state legislature, actions for which Judge Hall fined him $1,000. The Louisiana legislature chose to refund the…

GLC05271

1838/03/25

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas S. Jesup

In a private letter, General Taylor writes to his superior, General Jesup, about plans for suppressing the Seminole Indians in the second Seminole War. Commends Jesup's plan to "forward the Indians & Negroes in question to Tampa" and then on to Fort Pike, especially because it will halt "any improper interference on the part of whites." Mentions recent murders near Fort Lauderdale and agrees that the Seminoles were the perpetrators and suggests that "they ought to be put to death in some way as a terror to others of their nation." Notes learning that Jesup had ascertained "the exact…

GLC05284

1859/11/17

Brown, John, 1800-1859

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas B. Musgrave re: imprisonment

"I do not feel myself the least degraded by my imprisonment, my chain, or the near prospect of the gallows. Men cannot imprison, or chain, or hang the soul." With engraving, photograph, and collateral paperwork. Per Lee Shepard, Asst. Director for Manuscript and Archives at the Virginia Historical Society, the recipient of John Brown's letter is Thomas B. Musgrave rather than "F.B." Musgrave. Shepard writes (May 2001) that Musgrave "is identified as the son of a New England merchant and industrialist with whom Brown had dealings earlier in his life."

GLC07638.01

1859/11/24

Taliaferro, William Booth, 1822-1898

Autograph letter signed

Title: to "My Darling Wife" re: doubting reported plan to rescue Brown

Written while guarding John Brown in prison.

GLC07638.02

1770/05/02

Botetourt, Norborne B., fl. 1770

Document signed

Title: re: authorizing justices in Charlotte Co. to execute slaves for capital offenses

Authorizes justices in Charlotte County to execute slaves who commit capital offenses. With collateral newspaper article.

GLC07645