April 21, 1865

Farmer, George E., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maggie

George E. Farmer gives a day by day account of the movements and engagements of his regiment during the Appomattox campaign. He reports that they left Petersburg on March 29, camped at Dinwiddie Courthouse, and fought a skirmish at Hatcher's Run. After fighting all day on the 30th, they were attacked in strong force on the 31st. He states that they fought in the Battle at Five Forks on the first of April and briefly describes the battle. He says they skirmished near Amelia Courthouse on April 4, then marched 25 miles to Jetersville. He reports fighting at Deatonsville on April 6, and…

GLC00808.02

12 July 1847

Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866

Document

Title: General orders: No. 211

Signed by H.L. Scott. Orders preparing troops for battle, including exercises, uniform, arms, appointments, and reviews.

GLC00911.06

August 19, 1775

Lake, Laban, 1750-1832

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Patience Lake

Laban Lake reports that he is doing well and hopes that she is too. He gives an account of firing of cannons from the fort which escalated to fighting. Part of the address is lost, but the first name appears to be Patience, the name of Lake's wife.

GLC01412.63.06

22 September 1743

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Newspaper

Title: Pennsylvania gazette. [No. 771 (September 22, 1743)]

Includes international news from various overseas newspapers, including extracts from letters regarding a recent battle between the British and French armies. Domestic news and classified ads inhabit pages 3 and 4. Section reserved for announcing the indentured servitude of residents and the return of runaway slaves.

GLC06670.033

25 October 1915

Echelon, Edward, fl. 1915

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alf Echelon

Writes to his brother about the Battle of Loos, 25 September to 19 October 1915, and its toll on the city. Discusses local news and mentions mutual friends.

GLC07810.104

8 November 1767-1785

Sylvester, Deborah, fl. 1760-1785

Diary

Title: [Deborah Sylvester's Journal]

Most entries are recorded in Scituate, Massachusetts. Records accounts and thoughts as well as biblical readings, sermons and family births and deaths. On 19 April 1775, states "the Regulars march out of Bouston and march to Lexington whare the massecre furst begun and Killd six men taking over peopel at [?] but thay mustered and rove thum back to Charleston thay killd...one black and sum befor thare wos 500 of the enemy wonded and Slain." On 20 April, she writes "all the towns mustered and march the 21 [?] Scituate companis march for Marshfield one turned back one kompanis the other march…

GLC01144.01

December 30, 1775

Noyes, John, 1740-1784

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Noyes

John Noyes writes to his wife in Newbury, Massachusetts that he is well and hopes she is too. He has not been paid yet. States the troops were going to take Bunker's Hill but the ice was not strong enough to bear them. Noyes was a soldier in the Continental army during the Revolutionary War.

GLC01450.056.05

circa November- December 1776

Noyes, John, 1740-1784

Autograph letter

Title: to Mary Noyes

John Noyes writes to his wife in Newbury, Massachusetts. He discusses battles or skirmishes in New York but it is not clear which ones because the letter is incomplete and not dated. He reports on how many wounded or killed on each side. States that deserters from the British army are coming to them every week. Relays that the British have landed near Throg's Neck and have advanced over the river at Dobb's Ferry. They moved again on November 12 and are expected to go to Kings Bridge where there might be a bloody battle since the Americans have a strong fort there with five months of…

GLC01450.056.09

28 November 1918

Flynn, Russell S., fl. 1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: to M.J. Flynn

Writes to his mother on Thanksgiving Day. Says that he is thankful to be alive as his company has lost 125 soldiers. Reports that he has not been paid in five months and could not afford to go into Lyon for the day. Written on a postcard of the Pont de la Guillotiere in Lyon.

GLC07810.014

August 23, 1779

Marchant, Henry, 1741-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Clarke

States he has received his letter and is concerned to hear that Marchant has not located two missing bundles of money yet. Advises that he will support his integrity in this matter should he be blamed for it or for another problem with counterfeit bills. Advises him to send copies of all the letters pertaining to the lost money and the counterfeit bills to William Ellery, a Continental Congressman from Rhode Island. Congratulates him on Major Henry Lee's brilliant attack on the British at Paulus Hook (August 19, 1779). Reports that he has heard things look well at Penobscot, (referring to the…

GLC01450.104.01

1835

Everett, Edward, 1794-1865

Pamphlet signed

Title: An address delivered at Lexington on the 19th (20th) of April, 1835

Second edition. Published by William W. Wheildon. Signed "John C. Lee, Esq.: With the respects of E. Everett." Everett, a Massachusetts Congressman, commemorates the heroic stand made by Massachusetts militiamen against advancing British forces on 19 April 1775. Includes names of soldiers who fought during the battle of Lexington and an appendix listing the order of services of the commemoration.

GLC03223.01

12 December 1918

Hopkins, Lawrence L., fl. 1918-1919

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. A.W. Hopkins

Writes a birthday note to his mother. Tells her that the skirmishes she reads about in the newspaper are over. He is excited about his Christmas package but wouldn't mind being en route to Ohio when it arrives in France. Written on a YMCA aerogramme. An aerogramme consists of a blank sheet of paper with folding instructions and adhesive flaps that becomes its own envelope, and carries prepaid postage at the international airmail letter rate.

GLC07810.036

7 November 1861

Sketch

Title: "Order of Battle and Plan of Attach, Port Royal"

Hand drawn ink sketch listing 17 ships and their positions, "Josiah Tattnall's Rebel squadron," the placement of Fort Beauregard and their 20 guns, the placement of Fort Walker and its 23 guns, and more.

GLC08382

29 May 1780

De Kalb, Johann, 1721-1780

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louis-Casimir

Re: arriving late to assist General Lincoln at Charleston due to a lack of troops and supplies. In French. To Louis-Casimir, Baron de Holtendorff.

GLC08388

circa 1917

Martin, Vigier, fl. 1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Thanks an American for his generosity after the death of her husband during the Battle of Verdun. Describes the hardships of a war widow and her orphaned children while praising the Americans and the hope they bring. The abbreviation "Vve" before the wife's name marks that she is a widow.

GLC07810.080

December 10, 1779

Wadsworth, Benjamin, 1750-1826

Autograph letter

Title: to James Lovell

Recipient inferred from content and because the collection is described as letters to or from Lovell, a Continental Congressman from Massachusetts. Wadsworth, pastor of the First Church at Danvers, thanks Lovell for his last letter. Congratulates him on being reelected to his seat in Congress and praises his work. Speaks of two young gentlemen who have been assigned to parishes. Mentions the difficulty of regulating the price of materials. States he was sad to hear of the American defeat at Savannah (September 3 - October 28, 1779) but realizes that disappointments must be expected in war.…

GLC01450.020.03

23 October 1862

Farragut, David Glasgow, 1801-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gen. Benjamin Butler

"I am now determined to go ahead upon the forts at Mobile, I am only held by the Courts & Boards of examination but will never be in any better condition for the attack than at present, for they are taking away my officers every mail & I will soon be paralyzed for want of officers to govern the vessels. How long will your expedition be gone to Opolusa for. I am becoming very impatient, & will have to go it alone . . . "

GLC08372

12 April 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter

Title: to R. West

Might be an incomplete letter. Says the recent attack on Charleston was unsuccessful. Describes the battle in detail. Says "The result of this action is mortifying, but as I never felt very sanguine of it's success I can't say I am disheartened."

GLC03836.46

4 May 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary West

Writes to his sister. Says nothing has occurred since the battle at Charleston except their capture of a schooner at Bull's Bay. In frustration says "I have now given up all hope of the Ladona ever doing anything. She is now so covered with grass and barnacles, as to reduce her speed, never great, to five knots an hour, under the most favorable circumstances, and when the wind is ahead, to three." Says the per annum pay of the crew of the ship is $88,000 and that the money might as well be thrown overboard. Says they have given up chasing steamers and only make captures "by vessels running…

GLC03836.47

9 July 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Signed twice by West. Was given command of the "Ladona" 3 or 4 days previously, as Captain Calhoun was told to take command of the "Weehawken" very suddenly. Was happy for his captain's new opportunity, but sorry to see him leave the "Ladona." Says the crew gave Calhoun three cheers and that some even wept. Received orders the next day to go to Port Royal to tow an ironclad to Charleston. Head winds kept him from towing the ironclad and instead he delivered supplies to the blockading fleet. Says an attack on Charleston probably commenced today, but that this time it will be a siege. Says "…

GLC03836.51

13 July 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says he arrived at Charleston on 11 July and that the attack on the city started on the 10th. Reports Union forces have taken all of Morris Island except Fort Wagner. Describes the situation around Fort Wagner. Says the navy might have to land some of the crews from the ships to take part in the assault on the fort. Says he heard about Lee's defeat at Gettysburg and the fall of Vicksburg and that she "must have celebrated the fourth of July with somewhat different feelings from those of last year." Wants to know who General Meade is and goes on to say "he seems to be the right man for the…

GLC03836.52

1 August 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Weir

Mentions that Weir had gout. Weir had sent West a letter relaying a gloomy political scene in the North, and West responds saying "having passed the largest part of my life afloat, I am not much of a judge of the political feelings of people at home, but I cant for a moment believe that the masses at the North are sunk to the degradation you intimate. I have always thought that we are a people who are the easiest cast down by want of immediate success, and unduly elated by the first symptoms of it." Referencing the New York draft riot he says they were lucky it "occurred while everybody was…

GLC03836.54

8 August 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Weir

References Weir's letter of 24 July. Says he just arrived in Charleston from Bull's Bay and that he is going to Edisto to coal. His one month of command has ended as Acting Lieutenant Broadhead has taken over. He likes Broadhead, saying he is young and had served in the navy before the war. Says Fort Wagner still holds out and "by this time must be an iron mine, from the number of shells thrown into it." Says he heard the admiral will bring all the ships close in for a major attack soon. Written while aboard the USS "Montauk".

GLC03836.55

December 7, 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary West

References receiving her latest letter. Says "For the first time since I have been in the service I feel thoroughly discontented. I fancied in coming here I was at length going to see active service but find just the reverse." Says they witnessed the sinking of the USS "Weehawken" in bad weather. Says four engineering officers and 29 men, half the crew, died in the sinking. No cause is known yet because of poor communication during the storms. Heard about General Braxton Bragg's defeat in the Confederate newspapers. Says the Union ships fired their guns in a salute. A court of inquiry found…

GLC03836.60

2 March 1864

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriet Moore

References receiving her latest letter. Speaks cynically about the situation off the South Carolina coast, saying "It really seems as if there was a fatality about all our operations. here, every thing being put off too long. Everybody knows now that Charleston could have been easily taken after the fall of Port Royal yet no move was made to do so until 16 months afterwards." Says there were many lost opportunities. Says he kept Christmas and New Years by having elaborate dinners, which he was not able to enjoy because of poor health. Makes reference to the sinking of the USS "Housatonic"…

GLC03836.61