July 1, 1794

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Richard Dobbs Spaight, Jr.

Secretary of War Knox writes from the War Department to North Carolina's Governor Spaight regarding American regulations restricting the arming of U.S. vessels and those of belligerent nations. Discusses special cases in which American vessels could be armed, as long as they were not colluding to violate neutrality towards the British and French. Notes that such a decision must first be approved by the President of the United States. Marked "Registered" on docket page.

GLC01074

February 18, 1865

Breckinridge, John C. (John Cabell), 1821-1875

Letter signed

Title: to Jefferson Davis

Official report to the president, signed as Confederate secretary of war, tracing the state of the Confederacy's finances from 1861 to the present. He declares that the current abysmal state of the budget, and the consequent inability of the nation to meet its debts, is causing desertion and a decline in civilian morale. "I invite your attention to the condition of this Department in respect to its claim upon the Treasury, and the necessity for prompt attention to that claim...Of the requisitions for 1864 and 1865 there remains unpaid the sum of $161,322,573.45 and besides this the sum of $69…

GLC00915

January 25, 1865

Hill, Daniel H., 1821-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William J. Hardee

Handwritten telegram sent by Confederate General Hill stating that he needs two thousand arms, and that nine hundred men arrived from the west but one half of them have deserted.

GLC01002

1755-1763

Nourse, James, 1731-1784

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Horatio Gates

Discusses Major Gates' son, comments on the law requiring giving arms to the militia, and mentions Colonel George Washington twice.

GLC01450.264

May 21, 1775

Sullivan, James, 1744-1808

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Warren

Letter written by Sullivan as a member of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts to Warren as President of the Committee of Safety. Says this letter will be transmitted by Mr. Seammell, who he has recommended to be major of the York County Regiment. Says the regiment from Cumberland County will only have one gun for every three men and that they expect to be armed by the Province of Massachusetts. Says if the colony does not intend to arm those men, then Colonel March needs to be notified immediately. Claims it might be best if no men were brought from that part of the colony (which is…

GLC01450.146

March 8, 1777

Trumbull, Jonathan, Sr., 1710-1785

Letter signed

Title: to John Tyler

The Connecticut Governor orders Colonel Tyler of the Eighth Regiment of Connecticut Militia to draft one fourth of his regiment, outfit them with blankets, weapons, and others supplies, and send them to the "Forts at New London & Places adjacent." They are directed to duty under Major Nathan Sallup until April 15, 1777. He asks Tyler for a "return of your Doing & without Delay." An unrelated note on the verso says: "Fish hooks & lines."

GLC01450.153

21 May 1745

Tisdale, Henry, fl. 1740-1745

Manuscript document signed

Title: [List of supplies]

Mostly guns and food items listed.

GLC01450.175.01

June 13, 1746

Clinton, George, 1686-1761

Letter signed

Title: to Edward Collins

New York Governor Clinton writes to Major Collins to inform him that he disapproves of an enlistment scheme in Albany and has written "to Capt Marshall to put a stop to it, & discharge those Inlisted." Concludes: "I am surprizes that the Colonels shou'd suffer their Men to depart without proper Arms & Accoutrements, and I think that Colo Schuyler is in the right to provide them with what is necessary. A note by Clinton on the verso mentions a commission for Collins and the regulation of pay. Another note by Collins asks for blankets and guns.

GLC01450.176

1 June 1756

Bowen, Thomas, fl. 1756-1757

Printed document signed

Title: [Order to raise a company and inspect arms in in Rehoboth, Massachusetts]

Partially printed document ordering Captain Nathaniel Bliss to raise a company of soldiers and review the towns stock of munitions. He is also to make sure his men are equipped and the town Select Men informed if munitions are needed. An autograph signed note by Bliss on the verso attests to his compliance.

GLC01450.177

October 8, 1775

Paine, Samuel Royall, 1744-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Atlin

Hopes Atlin can get twelve or fourteen dollars by selling his sword, but would settle for ten. Says he has sent ink, paper, and powder, but has more. Says on Saturday evening "Wallis" fired "and put ten shot in the Hows on which is the chief damage he did."

GLC01450.185.02

10 February 1783

Sampson, Crocker, ?-1823

Autograph document signed

Title: [Additional charges against Thomas D. Freeman and James Sawyer]

Lieutenant Sampson sends Major Lemuel Trescott, both of the 7th Massachusetts Regiment, charging Lieutenant Freeman with "breaking his arrest by wearing or appearing in publick Company with a Sword or Hanger" and Ensign Sawyer with "endeavoring in an Underhanded Manner to draw me from my Quarters in order to assault & abuse me" and "kicking & abusing me in Capt. Allens Quarters when requested to attend there by Capt. Allen."

GLC01450.196

17 October 1781

Manuscript

Title: [Summary of troops and equipment surrendered to General Horatio Gates by General John Burgoyne]

An unknown person compiled statistics relative to Burgoyne's surrender to Gates after the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. The scrap of paper is dated in October 1781. Breaks down nationality of the captured soldiers, number of sick and wounded, types and number of artillery and small arms captured, etc. Also written on the sheet is a receipt for Daniel Epir to receive payment from Samuel Emory. On verso, in what appears to be an unrelated to the summary of captured troops, is a partial list of payments due to soldiers. They could be troops under Gates's command.

GLC01450.197.01

June 6, 1757

Leonard, Ephraim, 1730-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Hall

Pursuant to an order from the Council of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, Captain Hall is to immediately bring together all those on the training band lists, to furnish them with arms, "and for them to be in such a posture of defence as to be ready to march at a minutes warning for the defence of this Provance." Signed as colonel. A postscript states that a training day and view of arms and ammunition is to take place on June 20. Letter written in Bristol- Massachusetts Bay

GLC01450.204.02

5 January 1778

Ivers, Thomas, ?-1800

Document signed

Title: [Receipt for firearms]

States that he recieved fifteen pounds eleven schillings from Colonel Cogswell "for the use and damage of 58 Fire arms & Bayonetts." Written from the "War Office."

GLC01450.205.01

April 13, 1777

Elderklin, Vine, fl. 1776-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to the Selectmen of Coventry

Letter written by Elderkin as Captain in 7th Connecticut Regiment to the Selectmen of Coventry, Connecticut. Requests the selectmen furnish John Bill and Samuel Bardain, two soldiers in his company, with guns, bayonets, cartridge boxes, and blankets. Wants them to be equipped according to the Act of the Governor and Council of Safety. On the second page, two identical notes written in the same hand in Coventry on April 15, 1777 state that they were supplied. Bardain and Bill each signed one of the notes. Various figures are added up on the page as well. Elderkin resigned his commission on…

GLC01450.240

May 19, 1746

Skone, John, fl. 1746

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Vernon

Offering to Sam Vernon, and others in Newport, with tinware, brass, copper, muskets, blunderbusses, and furniture.

GLC01450.251

23 October 1740

Whipple, Joseph, 1687-1750

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Notice to issue arms to Captain George Wanton]

Sent to George Wanton, the general treasurer for Rhode Island.

GLC01450.281

29 May 1746

Wilors, John, fl. 1746

Document signed

Title: to Israel Clark

Requests that Clark, a member of a company of militia in Topsfield, Massachusetts, inspect the arms and ammunition of the men listed.

GLC01450.297

16 September 1776

Gilbert, Thomas, 1723-1788

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Instructions to Moses Hitchcock on arranging a Brookfield, Massachusetts town meeting]

Signed by the eight Select Men of Brookfield (two names illegible). Orders Hitchcock, as constable of Brookfield, to inform all the town's freeholders and those qualified to vote to meet on 30 September 1776. Provides instructions on the agenda, which will include Revolutionary War financing, the town budget, preparations for the small pox epidemic, taxation, and arms manufacturing. A note signed Hitchcock on the verso indicates his compliance.

GLC01450.447.02

June 1, 1813

Wadsworth, Decius, 1768-1821

Printed letter

Title: Circular concerning ordnance and ordnance stores

Issued by the Ordnance Department. Outlines how ordnance should be classed and prints a copy of the fifth section of ordnance regulations passed by the War Department on April 20, 1813, which pertained to making ordnance reports. Wadsworth was the commissary general of ordnance.

GLC01450.718.03

1792

New York Military Association

Document signed

Title: [Statement of organization and training for the New York City Military Association]

States "Whereas it is essentially necessary in all Free States, that the People should become perfectly acquainted with the use of Arms, and be regularly disciplined, in order the more effectually to defend their Liberty, Property, & Country, against any Power whatsoever, that may attempt to invade the same. And Whereas there is a Militia Law, now in Force for the salutary Purpose aforesaid. We the Subscribers, so voluntarily agree to form ourselves into a Body, immediately under the Denomination of the Military Association of the City of New York, for which Purpose we will provide…

GLC01450.543

24 September 1722

Cadogan, William, Earl, 1672-1726

Header Record

Title: British Ordnance Appointments [Decimalized .01-.02]

GLC01450.546

1775-1780

Header Record

Title: Receipts of payment from the State of Connecticut [Decimalized .01-.21]

Most of the receipts in this collection pertain to payment for post riding.

GLC01450.609

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

December 12, 1843

N. Starr, & Son, fl. 1843

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Talcott

N. Starr & Son, weapons repair or manufacturing firm write to Lieutenant Colonel George Talcott of the Ordnance Department regarding a rifle repair or supply contract. This letter discusses the reasons why they have been unable to fulfill their contract, including the Ordnance Department's order for an older rifle model. Letter written in response to orders received by an inspector at the N. Starr Company from Captain Thornton (possibly Naval Officer James Thornton).

GLC01450.707