October 5, 1863

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry W. Halleck

Henry S. Hewit will report to Washington, as ordered, in accordance with a notice to delinquents. Defends Hewit's conduct, and says if he was delinquent it was due only to a misunderstanding, but states he will report to "the 'Military Commission'" anyway. Envelope addressed by Grant.

GLC00543

04 June 1862

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: to William A. Hammond

Asks United States Surgeon General William A. Hammond to address grievances of Mrs. Bradley, a nurse at Fort Monroe, Virginia. Written on recto is a letter by S. H. Sweetland to General John Ellis Wool, with note by Lieutenant Colonel D. Whipple, Chief of Staff at Ft. Monroe, dated 30 May 1862. Mrs. Bradley is possibly the Amy C. Bradley described in "Women's Work in the Civil War" (Philadelphia, 1867). Basler, Roy P. The Collected Works Of Abraham Lincoln, (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1953), Vol. V 1861 - 1862, p. 259

GLC00547

circa 1861-1865

unknown, fl. 1861-1865

Photograph

Title: [Oval salt print of unidentified member of the Union Forces]

One undated portrait of an unidentified member of the Union Forces. Identified on verso as "Col. Greene, A.Q.M."

GLC00555

circa 1862

Brady, Mathew B., 1823-1896

Photograph

Title: [Albumen portrait of Major General George Henry Thomas]

One undated photograph of Union Major General George Henry Thomas. See GLC05111.01.0051 for another profile view of Thomas.

GLC00556

1861-1865 ca.

Gardner, Alexander, 1821-1882

Photograph

Title: Group portrait of Civil War officers at the front by Gardner

19 men seated and standing in two rows in various poses.

GLC00557

28 November 1864

Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Braxton Bragg

Probably Wheeler's original draft of a telegram. Wheeler, commanding Cavalry Corps in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida writes to Bragg, commander of the Department of North Carolina. Reports on an engagement against the troops of General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick near Big Buckhead Church, noting that General Felix Huston Robertson was severely wounded. Writes "The enemy fought stubbornly and a considerable number of them were killed. We stampeded and came very near capturing Kilpatrick twice but having a fast horse he escaped bare headed, leaving his hat in our hands..."…

GLC00549

1861

Header Record

Title: Cartes de visite, including Grant, Sherman, Lincoln [Decimalized .01-.17]

All unsigned. Including McClellan, Scott (2), Meade, Grant (2), Fremont, Slocum, Thomas, Sherman (2), and Benham

GLC00559

1861

Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866

Photograph

Title: Carte de visite of Winfield Scott in dress uniform [Brady-Anthony]

Seated full length portrait of Scott in front of a window holding his sword upright. The photograph has been mounted upside down on the mount.

GLC00559.11

10 June 1862

Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866

Photograph

Title: Lieut. Gen. Winfield Scott [Chas. Fredericks & Co.] [carte de visite]

As noted on back by Fredericks, the picture was taken "at West Point, N.Y., June 10, 1862," after Scott had retired.

GLC00559.12

January 30, 1862

Payne, John A., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Journal of John A. Payne while serving on the USS Richmond]

Leather-covered ledger-paper notebook with 168 pages of entries followed by 15 blank pages. Inscribed "Jan. 18th 1862, John A. Payne / Portsmouth N.H." Begins on 30 January 1862, when Payne shipped out from New York on the USS Richmond for 3 years of service. Covers Payne's entire enlistment; includes a running tab of pay due and accounts for supplies; contains many references to ships encountered, as well as various admirals and generals. The "Richmond" ranged from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Pensacola, Florida, but appears to have been based in New Orleans. Among the entries: 7 May 1862…

GLC00497

December 9, 1861

Van Valkenburgh, David H., ?-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his father

Written at Camp Barry near Washington D.C. References his father's earlier letter. Says he has not written often because he knows the letters he writes to his wife are read by everyone. He is glad to hear that his father might visit Washington. He wishes he could have seen some of the reviews, but says he will see some if he comes as 100,000 troops are to winter in the vicinity of Washington. Says he has "seen McClellan he is a noble looking man but seems young for the responsibilities that rest upon his shoulders, but they all think him competent to fill the place." Says the city has…

GLC00686.06

March 15, 1862

Van Valkenburgh, David H., ?-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by David to his mother. Says he has not written lately because he knows the letters to his wife were "Common property with you all." Adds that he has marching orders and wanted to write "for when next and in what shape I shall turn up the fates alone Can decide." Says he has been assigned to a group of four batteries under General Silas Casey's division (IV corps). Mentions that he is good health and that a few days of marching will not do him any harm. Will leave everything except essentials with his brother Robert. Makes several references to General George McClellan and events in…

GLC00686.07

June 4, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Edward Porter, fl. 1865-1908

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by Captain Edward Van Valkenburgh of the 107th New York regiment to his mother. He has not heard from her directly in some time, but has heard through his brother Robert that she is in good health. Says he has not written in a long time, but knows she heard of his whereabouts through his letters to Rosa (perhaps Edward's wife). He reports that he seldom has the time to write to anyone. He hopes he will be out of the army in two weeks: "We have been at work very hard both night and day since the review, making out our final roll and discharges preparatory to being mustered out of the…

GLC00686.18

18 April 1865

Johnson, Joseph E., 1807-1891

Manuscript document

Title: [Draft of the surrender agreement between Union General William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston]

Copy made, certified, and signed by Colonel Alexander Robert Chisolm, Confederate General Pierre T. Beauregard's aide-de-camp. Details the terms of the surrender of the Army of Tennessee.

GLC00689

1 October 1861

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Printed document

Title: [Leaflet encouraging women to contribute their patriotic efforts to the Civil War as members of the United States Sanitary Commission]

Includes a statement issued by Frederick Law Olmstead, Secretary of the Commission, encouraging patriotic donations. Contains a letter from Lincoln stating that "The Sanitary Commission is doing a work of great humanity." Includes a statement issued by directors of the Commission (including Commission President Henry W. Bellows) to the women of America describing the organization as "a volunteer and unpaid bureau of the War Department of the government." Bellows encourages the formation of more benevolent societies in the United States created to collect items for military donation.…

GLC00700

1845-1909

Van Valkenburgh Family

Header Record

Title: [Letters and photographs of the Van Valkenburgh family of New York] [decimalized .01-.37]

Correspondence from the Van Valkenburgh family, who lived mostly in upstate New York. Of the five brothers in the family, three joined the Union cause and another joined the Confederates. One member of the family, Frank, became a lawyer in Wisconsin (see GLC06253 for additional materials). Robert was a Union officer and Congressman from New York. The bulk of the collection dates from 1865. Some of the collection's key materials revolve around Gerrit, the brother who lived in Arkansas as an attorney and joined the Confederate cause as a member of Fagan's Arkansas Cavalry (Gerrit lived near…

GLC00686

May 5, 1864

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by Gerrit, a transplanted Northerner fighting for the South, to his mother Mary. Begins by asking "Can the years that have passed since I saw you last - can the position that I have taken in this Civil War, have alienated me entirely from your love[?]" Says he has only heard from her once in 4 years and that only a short note on a letter she wrote to his brother Frank. Says those words have made him suffer more than the entire war. Asks to be forgiven for not being able to think as she did. Says he did what he thought was right.

GLC00686.10

June 10, 1864

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by Gerrit to his mother Mary. References her letter from May 22, 1864. He is very happy about his mother's letter and says he has thought about her often. He says there is a big difference between them and that he is "a Southerner in word in thought & act." He believes that the Confederates were not as wanton as Northern papers make them out to be. He argues that he did not enter the war blindly, but made a well-thought choice to join the South. He goes into detail about his decision making process. He says he does not blame anyone for wanting to join the Federal army, so people…

GLC00686.11

June 10, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Date written in pencil at the top of recto as "June 10 1865?" Content of GLC00686.22 and GLC00686.24 suggest this date might be accurate. Signed twice by Frank, once in pen and once in pencil. Written aboard a ship on his way to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to assist his twin brother Gerrit, who was in trouble with the law. Mailed letter from Memphis. Says he has not stopped thinking about her and their son. Says "Our Crew of say 50 men are mostly negroes, and such a crowd you never saw." Mentions that the former enslaved people are toting their plunder onboard. Describes ship, passengers, and…

GLC00686.19

July 3, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J. Van Valkenburgh

On Waldo, Ody & Van law firm stationery. Written by Frank to his father in Michigan. Says he received his father's letter from June 28, 1865 with the $50 for Libbie. Says they fed 850 returned soldiers last night and are consequently tired. Sends along family news. Says his father will probably have visitors soon. Wants his mother and father to visit. Mentions that Gerrit, his twin brother, is in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and has been sick.

GLC00686.22

October 22, 1905

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Typed letter

Title: to Edward Porter Van Valkenburgh

Written on stationary of the law office of Frank B. Van Valkenburgh. Provides some family history for his brother Captain Edward Porter Van Valkenburgh. Gives a run down of Edward's Civil War service: enrolled September 18, 1861. Made a 1st Lieutenant in Co. A of 107th New York on May 6, 1863. Mustered out of that company as a captain on June 5, 1865. Makes reference to an enclosed medal from the Grand Army of the Republic (not included). Hopes his brother enjoys the honor.

GLC00686.28

April 18, 1865

Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph Wheeler writes that he arrived at camp and found half of his command had left during the night because they believed the entire army was to be surrendered. His men informed him they heard this from high ranking officers as well as from Union forces who said they were not to fire on the Confederate troops as Union General William T. Sherman was negotiating a surrender. He informs that he sent out officers to get the men back, and indicates that they may have to move because there is no food to forage. He comments that, "I would rather ten thousand times to have been Killed than to have…

GLC00688

10 September 1864

Sandoz, Joel H., fl. 1840-1864

Newspaper

Title: The Opelousas courier. [Vol. 12, no. 15 (September 10, 1864)]

Notice of special orders from the Enrolling Office in the Parish of St. Landry requiring all African American men between the ages of 18 and 50 to report themselves immediately for military enrollment. Planters and enslavers who have not "reported their quota of negroes (between the ages of 18 and 45) for enrollment, will be promptly reported to Hd. Qrs. Bureau of Conscription." Proclamation by Louisiana Governor Henry Watkins Allen discussing a vacancy in the Confederate Congress. War reports, mentioning the activities of Lincoln, General Nathan Bedford Forrest, General Stephen Gano…

GLC00694

December 5, 1863

Davis, Robert S., 1832-?

Printed document

Title: [General orders No. 46 concerning the recruitment of non-white troops]

States "The recruitment of colored troops has become the settled purpose of the Government. It is therefore the duty of every officer and soldier to aid in carrying out that purpose, by every proper means, irrespective of personal predilection." Instructs recruitment to proceed "so that as few of the negros as possible shall become chargeable either upon the bounty of Government or the charities of the benevolent, and at the same time to do justice to those who shall enlist ... " Discusses the possibility of equal pay for white and non-white troops. Issued by Davis as Major and Assistant…

GLC00698

1864

National Union Free Convention

Broadside

Title: President Lincoln and General Grant on Peace and War.

Promotes the Union cause. Reprints an interview with Lincoln titled "Mr. Lincoln's view of Democratic strategy," and a letter of General Grant dated 16 August 1864 to E.B. Washburne. Grant's letter informs that the Confederacy is very weak and losing men each day. Also printed is the verses to a song, "On the Chicago Surrender." Same broadside as GLC05556.

GLC00702