Search | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Start New Search

Displaying results for Topic "Union Forces"

19461 search results

Filter:

Only return results with full-sized images

Sort by

Advanced search

Keyword

Author

Subjects

Place written

Year

Sub-era

7 March 1864

McPherson, James Birdseye, 1828-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William T. Sherman

Major General McPherson writes to Major General Sherman to report the success of an expedition to destroy Confederate railroads and equipment around Meridian, Mississippi. McPherson records the miles marched in this brief summary of operations under his command. Relates that a full report will follow.

GLC03551

12 April 1865

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

Manuscript document

Title: [Special Field Order no. 54]

Signed by Dodge, a Brigadier General as an official notice. Notifies the Union army that General Robert E. Lee has surrendered his entire army to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse. Ends with, "Glory to God . . A little more labor, a little more toil on our part, the great race is won and our Government stands regenerated after its four long years of bloody war."

GLC03553

17 August 1863

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Edwin DeLeon

Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of State, writes to DeLeon, a Confederate agent in Paris. Discusses previous correspondence from DeLeon, instructs him to write more often, and orders him "never to give your letters to private hands. Send them by the English mail to Major Norman Walker at Bermuda or to Mr. Heyliger at Nassau and they will reach me in thirty or fourty days without risk or trouble." States "In relation to your remarks about the withdrawal of our Commissioners from Europe, it is only necessary to say that there were other than diplomatic matters entrusted to them, which could…

GLC03563

June 1863 after

Header Record

Title: Cartes de visite of officers (mostly white) of 59th US Colored Infantry

After June 1863, when the regiment was organized in LaGrange, Tenn. The photographs were originally in a photo album. The 59th was originally called the 1st US Tennessee Vols. (African Descent) and 1st West Tenn. Inf. Regt (African Descent). Some of the photographs are signed with homes noted.

GLC03565

29 March 1865

Palmer, Joseph B., 1825-1890

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Report on battle of Bentonville, North Carolina]

Confederate Major General Palmer gives a detailed report of the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, which occurred on 19-21 March 1865. Describes his brigade's movements and tactics, and lists losses from his brigade including captured, wounded, and killed. "My losses during the fight were 13 killed, 113 wounded, & 53 captured, making in all 179. The enemy's loss I am satisfied was greater, especially in killed." Lists the names and rank of some of the casualties. Includes a one page statement entitled, "Statement of effective total of [General Carter L.] Stevenson's Division in…

GLC03580

1863-1865 ca.

Header Record

Title: Civil War - photographs including Gardner, Brady, Russell: Gettysburg, Antietam [word processed inventory available]

Photographs by Gardner (8 from Sketch Book and Incidents), George N. Barnard (3 from western campaigns: Chattanooga), Andrew J. Russell (1 Gen. Foster's Line) and 2 anonymous of Brattleboro, VT. There are also two unaccompanied text plates from Gardner's Incidents.

GLC03588

1861-1865 ca.

Photograph

Title: Album of 20 cartes de visite plus 6 of Lincoln and his cabinet

Cartes de visite by Brady, Anthony, Barr & Young, and J. Carbutt. Includes Lincoln's cabinet: Lincoln, Hannibal Hamlin, William H. Seward, Edwin Stanton, Salmon P. Chase, Edwin Bates, Gideon Welles, Montgomery Blair (Postmaster Gen.), Caleb B. Smith (Interior), Stephen A. Douglas, Edward Everett, Horace Greeley, Richard J. Ogelsby (Illinois Gov.), Gen. Joseph Hooker, Gen. George B. McClellan, Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, Gen. William S. Rosecrans, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Gen. John A. Logan, Gen. William T. Sherman. The album was assembled in the 1920s by Illinois rare book dealer Edward T.…

GLC03589

16 May 1876

Lee, Samuel Phillips, 1812-1897

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Maury re: pardon and restoring political rights to C.S. Naval Officers.

GLC03694

9 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Says there was a big fight at Newport News the day before. Says the "Merrimac" came down with the "Yorktown," "Jamestown," and other boats. Reports that "Merrimac ran into and sunk Cumberland killing half her crew, raked the Congress fore and aft till she struck her colors. Minnesota aground, but fought till dark and flies the colors this morning." Says the "Congress" is burned and her magazine blew up. Says the 20th and 99th New York were deployed as Confederate troops were reported landing above Newport News and advancing from Yorktown, but they did not come. Says "The Ericson battery [the…

GLC03681.01

10 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter

Title: to his mother

Not signed by Asa Smith. Says they are to remain there because of the "Monitor" and that if they can get through tonight they will be secure. Describes the sinking of the "Cumberland" and the burning of the "Congress" by the "Merrimac." Says the broadside from the Union ships "glanced off without doing much of any damaged and this seemed to satisfy them that our vessels could not hurt them." Says the "Cumberland" went down gloriously, firing her aft guns as the bow went under. Report that "During the evening or camp was full of sailors, and they were the hardest looking set of men I ever saw…

GLC03681.02

11 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Continuation of his letter from GLC03861.02 - he numbers the pages 5-8. Goes on to describe the situation involving the Confederate attack near Newport News, as well as the action of the CSS "Merrimac" and USS "Monitor." Says the 20th and 99th New York infantry were sent to deal with a supposed Confederate attack near Newport News. Says "few eyes were closed that night as it was known that troops were advancing from Yorktown and a fight was expected in the morning, very little was said, but many an oath of revenge was registered." Says half the regiment wrote home last night because they…

GLC03681.03

15 June 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter

Title: to Mrs. Smith [incomplete]

Written to his mother on patriotic stationery reporting on his movements from the time of leaving camp until his arrival at the site of the Battle of Fair Oaks.

GLC03683

July 1863

Corbin, Elbert, 1836-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Emily Corbin [Incomplete]

Lists some of the men and their injuries, all of which came from the 1st Regiment, Light Artillery, N. Y. S. Volunteers (Pettit's Battery). Also lists supplies lost, repairs made, patching up a Lieutenant Sheldon, and being left there "in care of the Boys." Mentions that General Alexander Hays has taken command of their corps and would not keep volunteer officers on his staff. Discusses "dressing our Boys wounds then...assisting to cut out Balls and dress the wounded Rebels." Comments that he "can do up wounds from shot or shell or Bullits quite like an M.D." and further claims that…

GLC03685

10 August 1862

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Discussing troop movement and requesting transportation for squad losing their team. Written at "Camp at Green Meadows."

GLC03687

12 September 1864

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

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Multiple endorsements on a letter to General William D. Whipple]

Endorsed 12 September by Sherman, who orders the recipient to report to Major General Howard (Oliver Otis Howard). Endorsed 28 August 1864 by General George Henry Thomas, who forwards the document to Sherman; endorsed and forwarded 25 August 1864 by General Jefferson Columbus Davis; endorsed and forwarded 24 August 1864 by General James D. Morgan; endorsed and forwarded 23 August 1864 by John Grant Mitchell, Colonel Commanding. Contains the endorsements of General Thomas E. G. Ransom and [Sam Lesaggart?], Assistant Adjutant General, regarding the relief of Lieutenant [Beens?]. Endorsed by…

GLC03688

February 22, 1862

Polk, Leonidas, 1806-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ulysses S. Grant

Polk, Confederate Major General Commanding, writes to Union General Grant requesting that families of officers captured at Fort Donelson, including General Simon Buckner be allowed to visit. Mentions that the Confederate forces allowed the families of Union officers to visit after the Battle of Belmont.

GLC03690

3 May 1865

Hunter, William W., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Parole permitting William L. Maury to return home]

Signed by Hunter, a captain in the U.S. Army.

GLC03693.01

25 May 1865

Scoville, C.E., fl. 1865

Document signed

Title: [Certifying oath of allegiance taken by William L. Maury]

GLC03693.02

1861

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Asa Smith, K company, 16th regiment, Massachusetts, infantry] [decimalized]

The Asa D. Smith collection of Civil War correspondence includes letters written to his family in Massachusetts. Smith writes most of his letters from Camp Hamilton in Hampton, Virginia, with a few from Suffolk, Virginia as the regiment moves into battle in June of 1862. His letters describe camp life and second-hand stories of fighting around the Newport News, Virginia area. Smith himself does not enter battle until June 18, 1862, ten days after the last letter in the collection. His letters do not describe particular battles, but he does include details of smaller guerrilla skirmishes (#2,…

GLC03696

01 April 1861

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edward D. Townsend re: reports for duty before being offered command of army

Written as Colonel in the 1st Cavalry. Lee was informally offered command of all US armies but refused in order to defend Virginia. He resigned on the 20th (that document is reproduced in Freeman's biography of Lee).

GLC03717

22 May 1863

Townsend, E. D. (Edward Davis), 1817-1893

Printed document signed

Title: [General Orders No. 143 regarding the organization of African American troops]

Establishes a bureau for organizing and recruiting African American troops. Issued by Townsend as Assistant Adjutant General based upon the orders of Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. Excerpts include: "III. Boards will be convened at such posts as may be decided upon by the War Department to examine applicants for commissions to command colored troops, who, on application to the Adjutant General, may receive authority to present themselves to the board for examination. IV. No persons shall be allowed to recruit for colored troops except specially authorized by the War Department; and no…

GLC03721.01