April 21, 1864

Stuart, James, fl. 1862-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to: F. W. Stuart.

He is very tired because he has had a battalion drill for an hour every afternoon. Mentions the Fort Pillow massacre.

GLC06268.10

February 15, 1821

Robbins, Josiah, 1766-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Informs Hobart that he received his letter and the certificate, and that he followed through with his directions, which related to port collections. Also discusses an appointment for the post office. Notes that he perceives that Hobart (as a member of Congress) has not progressed much with the "Missouri Business," referring to the Missouri Compromise. States his own opinion on the matter: Missouri "had not ought to be admitted unless that article in he[r] Constitution which I think repugnant to the Constitution of the U States, should be expunged." The "article" Robbins mentioned was…

GLC06313.04.112

20 May 1862

Williams, George M., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions that the end of the war will "require strict economy and management in all affairs." Predicts that after the war is over, money will be harder to get and taxes will be "mountain high." He warns wife to treat servants kindly but to not "approach intimacy" as that would cause a loss of respect. As an example he provides his Cousin James who gets ill at the Penitentiary because he talks so often with convicts who no longer fear or respect him. He informs her that Mr. Shields has returned. He says that his health is improving with the only exception being his continuing side pain.

GLC06582.16

31 July 1862

Williams, George M., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

He writes that he spent the day with "C B****." He asks her to kiss the baby, encourage the servants, and to pray to God for his blessings. Explains that it would have been imprudent to mention names in his letters and thus give away valuable information if a letter should fall into enemy hands.

GLC06582.34

1860

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Pamphlet

Title: The Address of the Hon. Abraham Lincoln, in vindication of the policy of the framers of the Constitution and the Principles of the Republica Party, ...

Title continues, " ... Delivered at Cooper Institute, February 27th, 1860, issued by the Young Men's Republican Union, with notes by Charles C. Nott & Cephas Brainerd, Members of the Board of Control." Printed by George F. Nesbitt & Co., Printers and Stationers. Includes a list of the board members of the Young Men's Republican Union. In the speech, Lincoln addresses the most pressing issue of the day, slavery, and attacks the view put forth by Stephen Douglas and others that slavery was founded by the forefathers of the country. He examines the views of the 39 signers of the…

GLC05303.02

28 August 1955

X, Malcolm, 1925-1965

Typed letter signed

Title: To Elijah Muhammad

Muslim Temple activities in Harlem and Boson: "I have four brothers now working as assistents, alternating. This keeps from causing the people to be bored..."

GLC08053

December 22, 1862

Shifflet, Hillary, 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jemima Shifflet

Shifflet was unhappy to hear that his wife is "striping tobacco for I donte want you to hav to work for noboddy but your self." He has "but one oald shirt and hit [it] is full of holes and no socks a tall." He asks for descriptions of the children and about how things are going at home. He tried to get home for Christmas but he "will hav to take sowbelly and hav a crackers for my Chrismas dinner." He reports that "our men had a mity hard fight in virginia" and claims that "the war wood bin over if oald lincoln had let the negro question alone." He continues "if he [Lincoln] were "in hell…

GLC02174.06

February 13, 1863

Shifflet, Hillary, 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jemima Shifflet

Shifflet went out with a forage team today and they are "as tired as I am of the war." He declares that "this onholy war wood a bin over if oald Lincoln wood a let the negros alone I wish he had forty the blackest negroes in the South tide to him." He describes his shock at how the soldiers steal from local farmers and was especially upset when it happened to a "poor widow woman with fore little children…she beg[ged] them to not take her things for her little children wood starve if tha took her provishion but tha went ahead and took."

GLC02174.08

11 June 1863

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes to Martha about his contempt for deserters from his home town, the Hawesville Boys, who "have been treated so mean by their Officers yet I can't justify them in forsaking their Countrys Glorious cause because they were mistreated." Expresses his own pride at being a soldier. Discusses the respect between officers and soldiers in his company: "There is a strong warm attachment between Officers & men & a mutual pride in each class for the other." Sends news about the health of his own family and asks after Martha and her family; has sent Martha a flag and writes that it is "in…

GLC07006.01

26 July 1863

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Discusses the health of Martha's brother, Robert, who has been sent home from his regiment to recuperate. Talks about recent Union victories at the battles of Vicksburg and Port Hudson and predicts that "a few more blows...& the rebelion will be on a parr with our stock in the Bull Run fight." Writes about the effect of the climate on the good health of soldiers. Mentions that soldiers practicing guerrilla warfare are "scattered through the country, but they do more good than evil for they live off the citizens, who are professionaly Union men but practically trecherous cowards."…

GLC07006.02

13 September 1863

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes to Martha about hurting his hand by accidentally falling down six weeks prior to writing -- "it is still swelled some & quite weak." Discusses health of family members and friends; mentions the birth of a grandson. Writes that the mail service has been irregular because low river water prevents easy water travel. Brunt's camp has been "scouting after the Guerillas," recently capturing two guerrilla soldiers who "were pritty saucy at first." The guerrilla soldiers are being held hostage in retaliation for the capture of two Union soldiers. Tells a detailed story of a deserter…

GLC07006.03

2 November 1863

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Weir

Gives details of his movements over the past few days. Brunt has been ordered to "take charge of the Contraband Barracks," where he found and fed freed slaves. He describes the process of enlisting them as soldiers, "how theire eys brighten when they make theire mark to their signatures...No masters whip will ever legally gash theire backs again." Describes his joy at recruiting former slaves as "the privelige of taking one part of the south to whip the rest with yes to take the cause of the Rebellion to crush it with." Mentions the attempts of slave owners to buy back freed black…

GLC07006.04

2 December 1863

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes that his wife, Olive, has gone to Fort Donelson with two of his children. Has been appointed Captain of Company Division 16th Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry. Expresses his satisfaction at fighting alongside former slaves -- "iff it is glorious to enlist the oppressed it is certainly doubly so to be privelidged to lead them against their oppressors." Describes a school system he has instituted to give the black soldiers literacy skills so "they will be well prepared to appreciate the sweet boon of freedom" after the war. Plans to bring his wife to live with him in winter quarters.

GLC07006.05

23 December 1863

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Brunt tells Martha how much he enjoys receiving her letters, "for they are full of pure lofty Patriotism." One again, mentions his devotion to the cause of the Union and the emancipated slaves under his command: "I tell them that true manhood lies in the mental worth not in the color of the skin nor in the stature or size of the frame." Writes that his wife is happy at the camp. Expresses his intense anger with draft dodgers and hopes that they "may Each be afficted [sic] with whatever desease they seek to counterfeit." Written at Fort Donelson.

GLC07006.06

17 May 1864

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes that his regiment has been stationed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the "Topographical Engineer department." Responds to news that some of his correspondence has been lost en route to Martha. Tells about a trip in March to return his wife and children to their home. Replies to news of Martha's loneliness at home "in the society of secesh sympathizers."

GLC07006.07

3 July 1864

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes that he has been sent to Clarkesville again in order to command the "Contraband Camp." Describes the work he has been doing to get the camp of "900 Men Women & Children" running smoothly, and the compliments he has received from his superiors for his hard work. Martha is leaving Hawesville soon, and Brunt asks her to "please write as soon as you receive this & I will send you my Photograph." Describes the arrival of a Kentucky slave owner at his camp who offers Brunt $250 dollars in bribe money for the return of his family's slaves. Brunt has the man arrested. "Our camp is…

GLC07006.08

17 September 1864

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Awaits the return of his wife and children to camp. The repair of the direct road to Nashville, Tennessee may make Brunt's camp into a supply station. The camp is connected by boat, train and road. Happily reports that he has gotten two black women jobs as school teachers. Proudly copies two letters from his commanding colonel, both of which praise Brunt highly for his hard work.

GLC07006.09

1864

Brunt, Olive, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes of living at camp with her husband - "it is so much like Old kentuck." Mentions that it has been a long time since she has been home in Kentucky and asks after various friends. Describes the area around Fort Donelson as a scene of destruction, with "notheing [sic] but old shells of the best houses left now," but finds her own home, with its river view of "steamboats and gunboats" very beautiful. Written at Fort Donelson

GLC07006.10

4 November 1864

Brunt, Olive, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Olive writes to Martha for her husband, "but I cannot write to you as he would." Writes of how much she misses her home and friends in Kentucky, but enjoys her work at the Contraband Camp. She and one other woman mend the clothing of the entire camp and want "to make this camp a selfe suporting Camp rais the provisions on the farm and get the cloths by exchanging our labor for cotton." Mentions that there are fifteen teachers in the school. The black soldiers have been turned out of their homes to house Confederate refugees, which Olive says she will try not to mind "as long as they don't…

GLC07006.11

1861-1865

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Writes Martha about a pledge he has refused to sign - "the tobacco part is all I object to." Reasons that tobacco is necessary for soldiers. Stresses how busy and complicated camp life is. Mentions Robert, who is being discharged from the army after three years of service. Writes about a sixteen year-old boy in his camp who has earned money to care for his family and works as a fifer in one of the black soldiers' regiments.

GLC07006.12

1861-1865

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha and Robert Weir

Most of Brunt's letter to Martha is missing. Writes to Robert that "things look rather gloomy for us at preasant [sic] but Clouds & sunshine must alternately follow each other." Mentions that he has little time to read the news. Describes a test he has prepared for the black soldiers under his command, in which he will stage a fake attack on his company in order to prove that they are able to "stand fire." Asks Robert to write a testimonial of William's Union loyalty while living in Kentucky, but "please do it in a way so that it will not create a suspicion of my asking it."

GLC07006.14

30 June 1853

Stevens, Aaron D., 1831-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Describes time at Fort Massachusetts in the New Mexico Territory. Tells of joining the dragoons and their confrontations with Native Americans, including Navajos ("Navhoes") and the Utah nation.

GLC07231.01

10 March 1853

Stevens, Aaron D., 1831-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Tells news of life as dragoon, and boredom of time at Fort Massachusetts. Mentions the possibility of tracking Utah Indians to Salt Lake, possibility of returning east, of traveling to California. Discusses brother Lemuel's decision to become a whaler.

GLC07231.02

January 25, 1855

Stevens, Aaron D., 1831-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister, Lyddia M. Pierce

Misses family and reminiscences about childhood. Mentions news of cousin marrying Charles Whipple. Discusses possibility of coming home or of moving west. Written at Cantonment Burgwin.

GLC07231.03

28 August 1856

Stevens, Aaron D., 1831-1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his brother Henry

Discusses conflict over slavery in Kansas, describing it as a "struggle against every species of oppression" (namely slavery). Foresees the probability of violence between 2000 "invaders" and 700 freemen. Laments the interception of mail from Kansas by pro-slavery Missourians who "let nothing pass in the shape of letters that doesn't exactly suit their fancy." Written from Headquarters 2 Regiment Kansas Volunteers.

GLC07231.04