December 28, 1861

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Montgomery Meigs

Lincoln is having Captain Asher R. Eddy relieved of duty as a Quarter Master in Springfield, Illinois because "a 'snarl' has somehow gotten up between him & [the State Government], which must be broken up." He asks Quartermaster General Meigs to replace Eddy and reassign him to an equally important post.

GLC01514

1867/04/19

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

Endorsement signed

Title: [Promotion request: presumably to Edwin Stanton]

A.N. Preston, acting assistant adjutant general of the District of Mississippi, details his qualifications for promotion; the top portion of his request is missing, so the addressee and date are unknown. Brevet Major General Thomas J. Wood adds his recommendation on January 10, 1867. W. T. Sherman recommends Preston's promotion on January 15. The request is signed and forwarded to the Secretary of War by Grant on April 19, 1867.

GLC01471

1862-1868

Header Record

Title: Items pertaining to James Sanks Brisbin. [Decimalized .01-.04 (20 items)]

GLC01504

August 11, 1862

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Captain Brisbin writes to his wife following the Battle of Malvern Hill, which he describes as "the memorable occasion when General [George] McClellan changed his base of operations from the York to the James River." Refers to Captain Kantz (possibly August V. Kantz), Captain Gregg, and [Lieutenant Kermin]. Describes the stench of rotting corpses and witnessing the death of a severely wounded soldier. Recounts delivering his Company to safety during a mission by ordering them to take off their blue shirts, exposing grey shirts underneath, thus disguising themselves as Confederate soldiers.…

GLC01504.01

1864-1868

Mills, Albert L., 1854-1916

Header Record

Title: [Collection of typed military transcripts regarding James Sanks Brisbin] [Decimalized .01-.17]

These records are typed and witnessed by Albert L. Mills, first Lieutenant and adjutant of the first cavalry. Includes information regarding General James Sanks Brisbin's service in the Civil War. Brisbin's leadership, possible promotion in rank, wounds obtained during battle, and success as a recruiter are discussed, among other topics. These documents are written by Brisbin and by various political and governmental officials. These typewritten copies date to circa 1887-1891 based on Mill's rank and assignment at the time.

GLC01504.02

1861-1864

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Header Record

Title: Letters from Brisbin to his wife Jane detailing Civil War battles [Decimalized .01-.06]

GLC01505

November 18, 1863

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Complains that he has not received a letter from Jane, his wife, in two weeks. States "If I thought you had been so careless as not to write in all that time I would feel like casting you off- but I think you certainly have written and your letters miscarried." Relates seeing Beaver, Captain Patterson, Bayard Edmunds and other members of the Centre Company. States that he will soon see Major Jack, and encloses a note (not included) from Colonel Murray. Instructs Jane to save the note, revealing that the Colonel owes him money. Informs Jane that her colt is being trained. States "I hope we…

GLC01505.03

March 4, 1864

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Informs Jane, his wife, that he is in great distress due to the fact that he has not received a letter from her in over a month. States "It is now a Month since I stood on the back platform of the car at Milesbury and saw your sweet form vanish from my sight ... it seemed after you were gone as if I had left the world and when I met the snow shoe Cars I could hardly help going back on them ... You are young and sometimes foolish but what you do is done in the innocence of your heart I know you would not wrong your poor husband for the world." Promises to send money, and instructs Jane to…

GLC01505.04

April 11, 1864

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Discusses the Battle of Sabine Crossroads with Jane, his wife. Writes, "We have had a great battle. Three days fighting. The 1st day we whipped them. The 2nd day they whipped us and the third day we whipped them. The fighting was dreadful and we have lost terribly. In the 2nd days fight, my horse had his head blown off by a shell and fell on me holding me fast. I came near being captured but got my leg out from under him and mounted on a rebel horse whose rider had been shot, I escaped from the field. I have the horse, saddle and bridle." States his company lost supplies and personal money in…

GLC01505.05

September 22, 1864

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Brisbin informs his wife, Jane, that his regiment arrived at Mount Sterling that day, and that they leave for the battle front (possibly referring to an advance on Saltville, Virginia) under General Stephen Gano Burbridge tomorrow. Writes, "The expedition has so far been badly managed and I fear will be a failure." Relates that General McClean (possibly Nathaniel Collins McLean) fares poorly. States "If I fall in the Expedition I have some money in Lilfords Bank" located in Lexington, Kentucky.

GLC01505.06

September 18, 1866

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Fitz-John Porter

Pierce, former President of the United States, discusses General Porter's court martial and conviction for his actions at the Battle of Second Manassas. Writes, "There are reasons why I am disinclined at at [sic] present to address any request to the President, altho' I concur with his views upon the issues which now particularly Engross the public mind." Transmits a "brief expression of my convictions with regard to yourself- your services and the infamous sentence with which these services have been rewarded" (document not present). Remarks that if Porter wishes, he may send the enclosed…

GLC01513

April 25, 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph note signed

Title: to unknown

Discharging a boy volunteer upon the refund of bounty money.

GLC01630

October 2, 1904

Mosby, John Singleton, 1833-1916

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gaston

Colonel Mosby, the former Confederate leader, describes a cordial meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt, the loss of his hat, boots, overcoat and cape in 1864, when captured by the 13th New York Cavalry, and the return of his hat. He discusses his desire for a photo of himself taken in December 1865. Letter written on Department of Justice stationary.

GLC01653

July 1, 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Holt

Lincoln writes to Judge Advocate General Holt concerning army contractor Daniel Wormer, who was paid but failed to deliver 1200 horses to the army. Lincoln asks Holt to get the record and report on it to him. Letter written on Executive Mansion stationary. Accompanied by a war-date carte de visite photograph of Lincoln (GLC01677.02).

GLC01677.01

December 26, 1864

Tower, Zealous Bates, 1819-1900

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frances Lucretia Thomas

Letter addressed to Mrs. Thomas (possibly Frances Thomas, formerly Kellogg), wife of Union General George H. Thomas. Tower, chief engineer of the defenses of Nashville, describes the December 15-16 Battle of Nashville. Thomas, commanding Union forces at Nashville against Confederate General John Bell Hood. Referring to Thomas, he writes "to inform you how beautifully matters have transpired here since you left & how glorious the Gen has demolished the Rebel Army of Hood who had the presumption to fancy it in his power to besiege Nashville..." Mentions Generals John McAllister Schofield (…

GLC01654

7 May 1863

Manuscript

Title: [Casualties of Battle of Chancellorsville May 2 & 3, 1863]

Field report listing soldiers killed, wounded, and missing from the First Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers Infantry in the Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia. Contains the name, rank, and company of each soldier. Lists nine men as being killed on either 2 or 3 May 1863, 44 wounded with remarks on the injury sustained, and 42 identified as missing. Created at camp near Falmouth, Virginia.

GLC01655

December 29, 1862

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Letter signed

Title: to Ambrose E. Burnside

Lee writes a letter to Burnside discussing the fate of Capt. E. P. Lawton. Captain Lawton, apparently a Confederate being held in Alexandria and probably mortally wounded, had asked to be visited by his wife. Lee's letter acknowledges receipt of Burnside's offer of conveyance for Mrs. Lawton.

GLC01663

circa 1862-1864

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [List of articles lost or destroyed, in the Public Service, at Nashville Tennessee]

Enumerates articles, such as axes, tin cups, tin plates, and forks and knives, which were lost in the public service. In a column marked "Circumstances and Cause," refers to a Voucher No. 1 and a Voucher No. 2, which are not present. Signed as military governor of Tennessee and Brigadier General, and countersigned by Quartermaster F.H. Rugar.

GLC01678

September 9, 1861

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J. Mora Gross

Sherman discusses cadet appointments to West Point for Mora's nephew (the Military Academy did not fill the slots left by seceding states with candidates from loyal states) and how his influence has lessened since commanding a defeated brigade at the battle of Bull Run. He also briefly alludes to his current help to Gen. Robert Anderson in Kentucky and his feeling that "[w]e are in for a long & bloody Civil War."

GLC01686

November 3, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louis Janin

Benjamin informs his friend Janin, who is in Paris, of the death of his son Eugene Janin at the battle of Antietam. "He fell in the battle of Sharpsburg...doing his duty to his country in the front ranks...He was wounded so severely...it was found impossible to convey him and he was left...with not a hope of recovery." Eugene is buried "with numbers of the other victims to the Carnage now which the insensate ferocity of the accursed and demoniac Yankees now wage against us." Letter written on "Confederate States of America, Department of State," stationary. Military records indicate that…

GLC01697

1864

Broadside

Title: Election news.

Election broadside announces Lincoln and Johnson elected, prints returns for many states, and states that Wayne County, Illinois, "stands firm."

GLC01698

1864

National Union Executive Committee

Broadside

Title: Is the War a Failure?

Pro-Lincoln,Union ticket election broadside defending the Civil War, which the Democratic Convention at Chicago called a failure. Reprints letters of Generals Ulysses S. Grant, Truman Seymour, William T. Sherman and John Adams Dix on the conduct of the war.

GLC01702

1864

War Democratic State Committee, 1864

Broadside

Title: Watch words for War Democrats!

Published by pro-war, pro-Union Democrats in New York. Quotes a speech made by Peter Cooper 20 years ago advocating Union principles. Reprints an article from a Catholic newspaper titled condemning slavery and an article from the impartial Boston Herald on the lack of freedom in the South.

GLC01703

June 13, 1861

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Simon Cameron

Lincoln writes to Secretary of War Cameron to allow Colonel William H. Emory's resignation to be withdrawn and to have him reinstated to Colonel 1st Cavalry. Emory was stationed in Indian territory. Lincoln bases his decision on Commanding General Irvin McDowell's affirmation of Emory's loyalty.

GLC01568

July 20, 1862

Hay, John, 1838-1905

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Jay

Letter written while serving as Assistant Secretary to President Abraham Lincoln to a family friend. Writes of General George McClellan and his failed Peninsula campaign, "...What a wretched conclusion of all our little General's boasting addresses and orders have we seen on the bloody banks of the Chickahominy! Sad as is the result to himself and the country..." Mentions General David Hunter's attempt to emancipate enslaved people, "How gloriously General Hunter has justified my statement that the future would prove his soundness in hatred of Slavery..." Hints of the coming of Lincoln's…

GLC01569