10 September 1775

Ellsworth, Oliver, 1745-1807

Autograph document signed

Title: [Receipt for the payment of the select men of Salisbury]

To Connecticut Treasurer John Lawrence. Cosigned by Thomas Seymour. Requests payment from the Colony of Connecticut to Amos Alden (on behalf of the select men) for guns and bayonets to be used by Captain Isaac Bostwick's Company. Alden signs on verso, confirming receipt of the sum. Docket indicates that this receipt was audited 13 May 1776.

GLC01450.609.04

28 April 1862

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

He writes while squatting on the ground with his portfolio on his knees. Describes the soldier's life with the bulk of time spent in marching: "marching is what breaks the men down so much; they hate it worse than they do fighting." He prefers picket duty. He describes the battleground of Sharpsburg and the march to Williamsport. "The Mined balls, shells, and grape and canister make a fellow feel a little shaky." He also describes food.

GLC03523.23.02

10 May 1863

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

Recounts recent battles, during which their colonel was killed and 50 soldiers were killed and wounded, losing in total 107 of 350 in the regiment and 1100 of 2300 in the division. Believes that Fredericksburg cannot be taken: "Every strip of woods is intersected with rifle pits, and every brook fortified." The men are very discouraged and the rebel soldiers look healthy and have great faith in their generals. Describes Fredericksburg.

GLC03523.23.14

20 November 1864

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin A. Woolston

Addressed from "Camp Near Gen. Mead/ Headquarters in Front of Platersburg." Writes to his father in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Reports that it took 30 hours to get to City Point from Alexandria. States he is happy, "we set up on the top & feel as happy as a lord and am as well content as if were at home it is raining now but it dont faise us" Says he is not yet armed but their arms will be a saber carbine and a revolver. Comments, "...this squad will soon be mounted soon the cannon keep a constant cannonade the rebels and our pickets and ours goes pop pop all night at one…

GLC03523.26.03

1865

Mansfield, John W., fl. 1865

Sketchbook

Title: Book of Military Scraps by John W. Mansfield

Includes watercolor and pencil and ink drawings of: Sibley tents; Zouaves; shoulder straps by rank (in color); Fort Independence; Fort Winthrop; 'Instrument of Torture for Negroes;' several canon, mortars, and guns, including Winan's steam gun, 'Lincoln Gun at Fortress Monroe,' and Parrott Gun; flag of the Cumberland; a Berdan sharpshooter's rifle; Whitney Battery [Keokuk] 'sunk at the bombardment of Fort Sumpter'; Mississippi River gun boat; Privateer Savannah; 'Gun bent double by a cannon ball at Big Bethel'; U.S. Volunteer & Rebel; 'Field of Antietam'; 'A Skirmish at Yorktown'; Monitor…

GLC09041

February 1, 1863

Gorsuch, Joseph B., 1834-1908

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph and his wife

Written in the field near Vicksburg, on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River. Gorsuch, Captain of the 83rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, discusses recent Union attempts to take Vicksburg, Mississippi by way of a constructed canal. He writes: "You need not be troubled but what we will take Vicksburg, but I confess that I consider it very doubtful whether we will now. If we do take it, it will be by very hard fighting. The rebels appreciate the importance of this point as well as we do... I hope that our Generals will not waste any more valuable lives... Bayonet charges are very…

GLC00653.09.03

1862

Gottshall, Samuel G., 1841-1902

Diary

Title: [Diary of Samuel G. Gottshall]

Leather bound autograph manuscript signed. Describes activity at Fort Donelson (the Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from 11 February to 16 February 1862), Yorktown (Siege of Yorktown took place from 5 April to 4 May 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign), the Peninsula Campaign withdrawal (March through July 1862), Second Bull Run (28-30 August 1862), and South Mountain (Battle of South Mountain was fought on 14 September 1862), and being wounded by a cannonball. This cannonball is found in GLC04564.02. Writes of his recuperation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he spent the rest of…

GLC04564.03

13 July 1861

Leslie, Frank, 1821-1880

Newspaper

Title: [Clipping from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper regarding George Proctor Kane]

Clipping of a sketch depicting Boston soldiers searching for concealed weapons on the third floor of George Proctor Kane's police headquarters. Accompanies a note written by Isaac Ridgeway Trimble, colonel of engineers in Virginia's forces (Confederate), authorizing the delivery of ammunition to Kane, Marshal of Police for Baltimore, Maryland (refer to GLC08883.01). Verso of clipping contains advertisements for furniture, headache cures, and an English portable tent, among other items. Contains two pieces of mounting tape.

GLC08883.02

16 September 1801

Towle, Simon, fl. 1801-1805

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Captain Hunter

Noted as a copy. Reports on conversation he had with an old acquaintance regarding the settlers' opinions about Knox's lands being surveyed. His friend says the settlers are determined to butcher the Ulmer's, Houston, and Wilson with bayonets. Also reports the settlers had 60 to 70 men out on Sunday and the settlers expect to receive information the next time Ulmer's party goes. Says the settlers swore revenge against Wilson who they say abused the prisoners. Reports on several incidences where the insurgent have threaten other settlers at gun point for not joining them. Appears to be…

GLC02437.07616

circa June 1785

Autograph document

Title: Dementions & cost of a 16 inch wall for a fore wall at the magazine at Springfield

Document states each side wall will be 116 feet long and the ends will be 52 feet wide. Provides costs for 70,560 bricks, sand, boards, timber, and the labor to lay the bricks. The total comes to £179.9.0. Though dated in pencil with the year 1779, this document is apparently an enclosure for GLC02437.03152, a letter to Henry Knox from June 1785. The letter was accompanied by several estimates for buildings and construction projects at the Springfield armory. One of the enclosures described in that letter matches the title of this document.

GLC02437.08362

July 11, 1778

Bryant, James, fl. 1777-1778

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Bill for William Knox]

Receipt for items bought from "W. & Jno. Molineux." Items purchased include knives, pocket books, clasps, and razors. Total came to £100.14.4.

GLC02437.08437

circa July 1786

Manuscript document

Title: [Speech of a Chief of the Chipewas]

Discusses finding a way to live peaceably with the settlers. States that they are very poor and asks for clothing, guns, and liquor. Copy, written in the hand of Robert Pemberton, War Department Secretary.

GLC02437.08166

circa 1780-1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: [Memoranda]

List of cannons and mortars that need to be transported from West Point to use against New York city. Includes the type of artillery and its poundage. Date previously inferred, written in pencil.

GLC02437.08302

28 October 1747

Shirley, William, 1694-1771

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Samuel Waldo

Discusses orders for a discharge of the majority of the troops under Waldo's command. States that he should only keep a few hundred that will be necessary for the defense of the garrison at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in Canada. Also mentions that he should have his junior officers collect all of the arms and accoutrements of the discharged soldiers and gives further instructions in regards to the discharged men.

GLC02437.08939

2 May 1863

McParlin, Thomas A., 1825-1897

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Report of Service as Medical Director of the Army of Virginia during the summer of 1862]

The report sent to General William A. Hammond on 2 May 1863 (see GLC02649.02). Written mostly in a narrative form the report, with some charts, maps and other media included, provides a detailed and dramatic history of medical procedures and services during the Civil War in the summer of 1862. Discusses medical organization, logistics, supplies, depots, and hospitals. Provides lists of men injured by category (deserter, discharged, returned to duty, on furlough, remaining, died) and charts with types of injuries (of eye, of ear, dysentery, etc.). There is one map, apparently drawn by…

GLC02649.01

8 June 1862

Dupont, Samuel F., 1803-1865

Letter signed

Title: to John B. Marchand

Copy of a circular letter from the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography ordering captains to "instruct the officers commanding Prize vessels to deliver to the ordnance officer of the nearest Navy Yard, all arms belonging to the service, immediately on their arrival." The circular letter was first sent to DuPont, who now sends a copy to Marchand, and orders him to distribute it "to the vessels in your Division." DuPont signs as Flag Officer Commanding of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. DuPont was a noted American naval officer. He figured prominently in the Mexican-American War and…

GLC02680.12

December 21, 1862

Dorr, James Colby, ?-1880

Document signed

Title: [Military discharge for Joseph Steele for disability]

Printed form filled out with the handwritten emendations of Dorr, discharging Steele from service due to a disability. Dorr was a surgeon on the United States Volunteers Medical Staff. Private Steele was a gunsmith with the 104th Rgt. NY Volunteers.

GLC02680.13

22 May 1777

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Colonel Jackson writes to Brigadier General Knox in Morristown, New Jersey. Chides Knox for not writing to him through the last post. Comments that Boston will choose representatives the same day he writes. Expresses relief that Henry's wife, Lucy, and their child recovered from a recent bout of smallpox. In closing, requests Knox to procure an order "for the Cloth & Arms & other necessary's for my Regt- dont forget I shall be ambitious to make as good an appearance in field..." Relates that in future letters, he will sign as "your friend," due to the danger of correspondence…

GLC02437.00600

23 June 1777

Sherwood, Justus, 1747-1798

Autograph document signed

Title: [Receipt for Elijah Grout and Robert Perry]

Related to GLC04764.07. Record of Captain Justus Sherwood for the payment of four guineas to Elijah Grout and Robert Perry for their expedition to the Connecticut River and four guineas to Jeptha Hawley for his party to go to Albany. Sherwood says he received the order to pay the money from Major Robert Kingston. Note at the bottom says the eight guineas were paid. Note on verso shows that this was money given before their respective expeditions. The note provides directions from Kingston (he initialed the end of the note) on how to "make a smoke" if they come across other British troops on…

GLC04764.09

circa 1945

Henley, Raymond D., fl. 1945-1953

Document

Title: [Miscellaneous World War II documents]

Documents of Raymond D. Henley, a marine in World War II. Includes his squad record which notes weapons used, has personal information about squad members, and lists men killed in action. Also contains a color certificate noting that Henley participated in "the ceremony at the surrender of Japanese military forces in the ara of Tsingtao, China, 25 October 1945." Other documents include a few telegrams, some envelopes, newspaper clippings, his driver's license, and other ephemera.

GLC06567.10

9 May 1812

Miller, James, ?-1851

Manuscript document

Title: [Statement of sales of the property of Captain William C. Baen]

Account of the sale of the goods and chattel of the deceased Baen. Lists shirts, stockings, vests, swords, etc., the amount sold for, and to whom they were sold. One listing is for a sword belt sold to William Henry Harrison (listed as Governor Harrison). Prepared by Miller as Baen's administrator.

GLC01450.716.01

September 11, 1814

Treadwell, John White, 1785-1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Oakes

Treadwell orders Captain Oakes of the first regiment of Massachusetts militia to appear with his company fully armed and with knapsacks and blankets at Washington Square at 8:00 AM on September 12, 1814. The United States was then engaged in The War of 1812.

GLC01450.720.09

September 15, 1814

Treadwell, John White, 1785-1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Oakes

Treadwell orders Captain Oakes of the first regiment of Massachusetts militia to appear with his company fully armed and with knapsacks and blankets at Washington Square at 8:00 AM on the following Monday. They will meet "for inspection which will be as particular as this crisis demands." The United States was then engaged in The War of 1812. Appears to be a successive draft of GLC01450.720.11.

GLC01450.720.10

September 15, 1814

Treadwell, John White, 1785-1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Oakes

Treadwell orders Captain Oakes of the first regiment of Massachusetts militia to appear with his company fully armed and with knapsacks and blankets at Washington Square at 8:00 AM on the following Monday. They will meet "for inspection which will be as particular as this crisis demands." The United States was then engaged in The War of 1812. Appears to be a draft of GLC01450.720.10.

GLC01450.720.11

29 April 1836

Parmer, Martin, 1778-1850

Autograph document signed

Title: [Receipt for gun and gun servicing for the Army of the Republic of Texas]

Written while a delegate from San Augustine to the Convention of 1836, Parmer indicates that he has received "of Seth Parker a gun" worth $12 and "services in repairing guns" worth $14.50 and asks that "the treasurer of said Republic...please pay...Parker on sight."

GLC06624.15