April 30, 1757

Labare, D., fl. 1757

Letter signed

Title: to unknown

GLC01450.323

March 8, 1762

Thurston, Samuel, fl. 1762

Autograph letter signed

Title: to uncle

Letter regarding Spanish hostilities against American ships. Reused by recipient, containing three retained drafts of Edward Thurston (uncle) written on the inner pages to other people, Newport, 1762.

GLC01450.412.06

January 28, 1777

Bradson, John, fl. 1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Esek Hopkins

Bradford discusses a matter involving Mr. Southouse. States "I think tho he had been a Revenue officer (wch I find he is not) I shou'd thought my self Justifiable to have given him what he Claimd being no more than his furniture as its Characteristic for Americans to be generous; Which from the new Connection I have had the pleasure to have with you." Requests Hopkins, Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy 1775-1778, to intervene on behalf of Southouse. Mentions Captain Hoysted Hacker. In a postscript, states "I find your officers have been misinform'd regarding the money said to on…

GLC01450.412.07

December 26, 1782

Moore, David, fl. 1782

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Cox

Travel to Baltimore disrupted by "the enemy." His boat was forced to return to Petersburg because the British controlled "the bay." Is informed that a ship bound for France carrying her nephew was lost, and hopes she has heard from him. Has directed Captain Skinner, a travelling companion, to stay at her house as a favor.

GLC01450.412.14

13 November 1782

Drake, William, fl. 1782

Manuscript signed

Title: [Private signals for British vessels to identify one another at sea by day and night]

Provides very specific instructions for identification procedures. Written on board the H.M.S. Perseus. Written to Captain George Darby, commander of the sloop Pylades. Based on the command of Admiral Leonard Horner.

GLC01450.412.16

April 19, 1782

Grasse, François Joseph Paul de Grasse, Comte de, 1722-1788

Letter signed

Title: to Robert Montague [in French]

Grasse thanks the captain of the Flora for his kind actions on behalf of Mr. de Reali and Mr. de Carouge. Also thanks him for provisions. Letter written on board his ship Ville de Paris after being captured by the British. After being captured on April 12, 1782 at the Battle of the Saintes the ship was towed to Jamaica and then England. Montague was the captain of the British frigate Flora which was stationed in Jamaica.

GLC01450.428

10 September 1706

George, Prince, consort of Anne, Queen of Great Britain, 1653-1708

Document signed

Title: [Commission of Robert Chadwicke to first Lieutenant of the ship "Chichester"].

Printed document with blanks filled in by hand. Prince George of Denmark was also Admiral of England.

GLC01450.437

21 April 1762

Pocock, George, fl. 1762

Document signed

Title: Instructions [signals]

Written during the war with Cuba. Signal instructions for the Squadron under the command of Sir George Pocock, Admiral of the Blue Squadron of his Majesty's Fleet. Addressed "To the Master of the Prince George Transport, By Command of the Admiral." Note reads "Dated on board his Majesty's Ship Namur in Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes the 21st April 1762." Multiple lines of text crossed out and amended with handwritten notes. Features wax seal.

GLC01450.450

February 22, 1755

Anson, George, fl. 1755-1756

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of William Parry as captain of the British ship "Kingston"]

Signed by Anson, Duncannon, and W. Ellis. Clevland signed under "By Command of their Lordships." With seal of the Great Britain navy.

GLC01450.547

January 16, 1759

Keppel, Augustus, Viscount, 1725-1786

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of John Knowles to lieutenant on a bomb vessel]

Countersigned by George Rogers. Appoints Knowles Lieutenant on the bomb vessel, the Furnace. Keppel was the Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels.

GLC01450.548

20 September 1759

Brodrick, Thomas, fl. 1759

Document signed

Title: [Appointment of John Chubb as second lieutenant of His Majesty's ship the Conqueror]

Also signed "by command of the Admiral," Robert Hardy. Signed as Vice Admiral of the Blue and Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Ship and Vessels in the Mediterranean. Broderick had been one of the officers at the court marshal of Admiral John Byng in 1757.

GLC01450.549

October 26, 1782

Allen, Jeremiah, fl. 1782

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sam White

Allen has been "employ'd delivering letters, seeing plays operas &c" in Paris. Also reports "there are a number of English gentleman here, but for what purpose I know not." Asks White concerning his financial affairs in Nantes. Hears that "our Captain Barry has taken a number of prizes." Letter addressed to White at the house of "Mr. Williams" in Nantes. Seal in very good condition.

GLC01450.562

March 17, 1777

Butts, Thomas, fl. 1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his cousin

Butts is glad to be back in England, where thinking is not a crime worthy of tar and feathering. Butts left Gravesend, New York on the ship "Thomas" on July 17, 1776. Gives account of his attempted voyage to England. Says they had an uneventful journey until the 9th week, when they met a 70 ton sloop that easily caught up to them because of the bad sailing condition of the "Thomas." The sloop raised the Union Jack and said they were sailing from Virginia under the orders of Lord Dunmore to stop Americans from fishing on the banks. They wanted the Captain, a man named Bell, to take his boat…

GLC01450.613

May 25, 1779

Wharton, James, 1732-1782

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Taylor

Wharton sends copies of letters he wrote Taylor on April 9, 1779 and May 17, 1779, to which Taylor has not responded. Wharton urgently requested ammunition for frigates. Taylor worked with Hugh Hughes' ironworks in New Jersey.

GLC01450.620

1778

Goodwin, Nathaniel, 1748-1819

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Diary kept in "Bickerstaff's New-England Almanack"]

Goodwin, a Major in Colonel Jacob Gerrish's regiment, writes "while at Boston" across the title page of the almanac. Includes entries from other locations. Contains 22 pages of printed text, 7 pages of handwritten text. Relates traveling to Bedford and Salem. Mentions the Lucy, possibly a ship. Discusses the weather and a French naval fleet. Writes that Major General Horatio Gates assumed command of the Eastern Department (November 1778). In December, states that his entire detachment was discharged from duty based on Gates's orders. Bickerstaff's New England Almanack was published in…

GLC01450.629

1775-1776

Header Record

Title: Correspondence related to Melzar Cudworth, an impressed seaman [Decimalized .01-.05]

GLC01450.630

circa 1783

Header Record

Title: Certificate of discharge for Jonathan Mury and anchor button [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC01450.655

1 April 1813

Snyder, Simon, 1759-1819

Document signed

Title: [Copy of an act to suspend the opening of certain streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the War of 1812]

Suspends an act issued on 1 April 1811 authorizing the opening of streets through the Navy Yard in the Philadelphia districts of Moyamensing and Passyunk. The suspension will last for either six years or until the construction of war ships for the War of 1812 have been completed, launched, and equipped. Issued by Snyder as Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with paper state seal. Accompanied by a certification by Pennsylvania Secretary of State N.B. Boileau that this is a true copy and a certification that Boileau is indeed the Secretary of State.l.

GLC01450.700

April 26, 1806

Kiteridge, Peter, 1750-?

Letter signed

Title: to Gentlemen

Statement by Peter Kiteridge to Medfield's selectmen for financial assistance. One document written by Peter Kiteridge dated April 26, 1806. Details that he was born to African parents in Boston. Kiteridge at the time of this document is a freeman, and requests financial assistance from the Medfield's selectmen. Provides information between the time that he was enslaved, to serving in the military and later as a sailor. Requests assistance from Medfield's Selectmen in supporting his wife and four children, claiming that none of the children are old enough to aid him in supporting the family…

GLC01450.702

June 21, 1813

Hodgon, Silvanus, fl. 1813-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nathan Hodgdon

Informs his uncle that he has been aboard the frigate Macedonian for two months, which he reports is blockaded in by seven British ships. Asks him to send a letter to his mother and to give his love to friends and family. Also notes that his captain, Capt. Jones, is preparing for a meeting with a British captain.

GLC01450.705.01

June 18, 1813

Roby, Henry, fl. 1810-1820

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Abiel Wood

The top half of the first page records three diary-like entries for June 16-18, 1813. They discuss the weather, farming, and local naval activities in the War of 1812, including reports of "a heavy cannonading." The bottom half takes the form of a letter dated June 18, 1813. It discusses hauling a load of rocks, tending to the potatoes, and the town's reaction to the cannonading heard two days before. The townspeople called a meeting and discussed building and arming a battery. Notes that when "the true result of the firing is heard their fears will subside[.]" Also claims that "one half the…

GLC01450.711

June 29, 1812

Brown, Jacob, 1775-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Christopher P. Bellinger

Near the beginning of the War of 1812, Brown advises Colonel Bellinger that they should be more prepared before they attack the vessels Bellinger mentioned previously. Concludes with an exhortation: "Let us do my dear Coll. what our Country expects of us - be prepard [sic] to defend our Country at any moment."

GLC01450.718.08

circa 1786-1805

Painting

Title: [Watercolor depicting a naval engagement between French and British ships]

Portrays an engagement between the ships La Blanche and La Pare. Shows sailors from both sides engaged in battle and falling into the water. Artist's name is obscured, possibly due to water damage. Other writing on the document is also lost due to water damage. Dates are inferred from information pertaining to two British ships named Blanche; one was built in 1786 and wrecked in 1799, and the other was created in 1800 and captured by the French in 1805.

GLC01450.800

2 March 1783

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the possible use of two gun-boats for the "wood service." Describes that they are, as of yet, not fit for use as they "have very little rigging & no sails, except square-sails just sufficient to enable them to move with the wind & tide in their favour." States that to make them sea-worthy enough for Knox's purpose would incur a larger expense than it would warrant. "On public service" written on address leaf with no signature.

GLC02437.01970

24 August 1798

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ebenezer Pemberton

Discusses his nephews, Thomas and Francis Flucker's accounts and the fact that Francis wants to go to sea.

GLC02437.07167