February 17, 1862

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William to his brother Asa. Says he has sent Asa three letters since his last letter of 14 January, even though he has not received any of them. Reports that "the army are alive with joy and excitement here over with the good news from the West[.]" Says they might see some fighting "as soon as the going will permit." Says he just got back from parade where they heard a report read by the adjutant and a short speech from the brigadier general. Met a soldier from Natick, Massachusetts named Beals who says his brother hauled coal in Natick. Asks if he knows the person. Says they are…

GLC03742.06

February 19, 1862

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William to his brother Asa. References receiving Asa's letter. Hopes the mud is no deeper than it is where he is. Says he almost got stuck with a team of 6 horses at Arlington. Says "25 negroes went out beyond our camp to cut wood for the Government. Says his whole brigade was summoned to the parade ground to hear the news of the fall of Fort Donnelson and they "made the hill and wood ring with our shouts[.] Our band leader is under arrest for refusing to lead the band in the national airs at that time." Says there is an Englishman currier in camp who wants to know if Asa knows an…

GLC03742.07

February 5- February 8,1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

The first part of this letter (5 February) is written while still onboard the Sentinel while the second part (8 February) is written after the Battle of Roanoke. Reports that the 8th Regiment sustained no loses. Coit was not very engaged in this fight and writes only of musket balls being fired over the heads of his regiment after going ashore. Discusses the color guard's flag being flown over the conquered rebel fort. A note at the end says "Oh if I could see you all to night I can now assure you that there is no fun in fighting…"

GLC03603.076

February 10, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Written on board the ship "the Sentinal." Comments that there are so many rumors about the battle that he would be glad to receive General Burnside's report when it appears in the newspaper. Gives more details about the battle and says "it was rather exciting stepping on hostile shores for the first time." Writes that there are 2000 rebel soldiers taken prisoner and that the Union now has control over the whole island.

GLC03603.078

February 28, 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Responds to 5 letters he has received from his family and reacts to news about his Uncle George's illness. Writes about taking a soldier from another company as his orderly until he is fully recovered. Mentions promotions within the regiment and again requests newspaper accounts of the battle of Roanoke. Written from Joshua Johnson's house on Roanoke Island.

GLC03603.080

February 7, 1865

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to uncle

Written to his uncle James Brown. Mentions business between his father and uncle. Discusses the fighting of the 5th corps, the prospect of peace, and conditions of settlement.

GLC03523.18.47

February 8, 1865

Morey, Charles C., fl. 1830-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Describes hard fighting of the 5th corps "on the left." Reports the promotion of "several officers," which means he will not have to fight so often. Enclosures include photographs and a newspaper clipping of a poem entitled "Sheridan's Ride."

GLC03523.18.48

11 September

Autograph document

Title: [Envelope addressed to Henry B. Noyes and Mr. Phelps]

Envelope addressed to Henry B. Noyes and Mr. Phelps, Esquire. The address is in Chicago, Illinois, and a $.02 stamp of Washington's profile is included on the envelope.

GLC02150.46

February 9, 1939

Newspaper clipping

Title: [Article about the Noyes family]

Newspaper article from the Westerly Sun. It talks about the Noyes family and their influence in the area, especially in terms of property holding. The history dates back to Reverend James Noyes, who was the first pastor of the First Church of Christ in Stonington. It goes on to talk about his grandson, Thomas Noyes, who served in the American Revolution and later married his cousin Mary.

GLC02150.48

February 28, 1862

Greene, Evvert, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dr. Rose

Discusses troop movements, Lincoln controlling trains, and expectations for a difficult war. Says that he does not know what plans are, but that Union forces are advancing, and seem to be concentrating for an upcoming attack. Feels "the time has now come to strike between now and the first of may you can expect to hear of fighting on a large scale." Notes "The president has taken possession of the Railroads that run from Washington and know Passengers are allowed to travel on them for several days." Expects "harder fighting than the most of the people think and probably it will take…

GLC03616

February 28, 1836

Smith, Henry W., 1836-1869

Broadside

Title: Texas expects every man to do his duty... [calling for reinforcements at Alamo]

GLC03230.01

February 28, 1836

Travis, William B., fl. 1835

Broadside

Title: to the citizens of Texas: "Victory Or death" [Alamo]

Travis' broadside reprints his appeal for reinforcements at the Alamo. Streeter Texas 48: 132-32A, 145, 148.

GLC03230.02

1844/02/22

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin F. Butler

Thanks Butler, who in 1815 defended Jackson's actions at New Orleans. Says that no matter how the Senate rules he knows the measures he took were necessary and that "I acted in the defence of New Orleans with the purest principles of a patriot." Relates his poor health and confidence that Van Buren will be the Democratic Nominee for President. When Jackson was defending the city of New Orleans he imposed martial law, ignored habeas corpus, executed deserters, and suspended the state legislature, actions for which Judge Hall fined him $1,000. The Louisiana legislature chose to refund the…

GLC05271

1818/06/18

Stevens, Thomas Holdup, ?-1841

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Affidavit on the Battle of Lake Erie]

Also signed by Holmes Weaver. Deposition describing the naval actions at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, focusing on Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and Captain Jesse D. Elliot. Claims that on the 10th of September, 1813, Elliot "did not do his duty" and Perry attempted to "screen Capt. Elliot from the injurious impressions made by his conduct." With a certification of oath by Justice of the Peace Weaver. At the Battle of Lake Erie, Stevens commanded the sloop Trippe.

GLC05225.01

1818/06

Champlin, Stephen, 1789-1870

Manuscript document

Title: [Affidavit on the Battle of Lake Erie]

Deposition describing the naval actions on 10 September 1813 at the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, focusing on Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and Captain Jesse D. Elliot. Claims that Elliot "did not do his duty in the action on that day" but because Perry "desired to screen him, they forbone to make any remarks publickly upon his conduct." Also claims that Elliot fraudulently claimed rights to prize money from the battle and since continued to misrepresent his action at Lake Erie. Date inferred from a similar affidavit (see GLC05225.01). Champlin commanded the sloop…

GLC05225.02

1815/02/18

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles Everett

Announces the arrival of the Treaty of Ghent in Washington, D.C., which ended the War of 1812, and favorably assesses it as "perfectly honorable to the UStates." Also comments that the Battle of New Orleans "gives its men a splendour which will make the epoch memorable in our history." Monroe was then secretary of state. Dr. Everett was a physician and a state politician in Virginia. Letter includes an address and free frank in Monroe's own hand.

GLC05568

1813 ca.

Broadside

Title: Perry's Victory [Battle of Lake Erie, poem illustrated with woodcut]

Sold by J.G. Hunt "South Side City Wharf." Celebrating Oliver H. Perry's naval victory on Lake Erie, Sept. 10.

GLC05511

1781/10/26

Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis, 1738-1805

Broadside

Title: Important Intelligence! [announcing the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown]

"A gentleman who arrived this morning, from Providence, has favoured us with the following Importance Intelligence! [....] This Moment an Express arrived... announcing the glorious Intelligence of the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and his Army..." Small broadside printed by M. Willis, Boston.

GLC05504

1861/05-1864

Jackson, Richard H., fl. 1861-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Richard H. Jackson, I company, 9th regiment, New York, infantry] [Decimalized .001- .516]

Letters of Richard H. Jackson, Lieutenant in the 9th NY regiment, Hawkins Zouaves, during the period of his service in the Union Army and his subsequent employment as a government clerk attached to the army's subsistence department. 185 letters written to his father in New York City which reveal in detail his two year army enlistment, from his first encampment at Riker's Island in May of 1861 to May of 1863 in Head & Morris Island, South Carolina where Jackson witnesses and reports on the Army and Naval operations against Charleston. Also included: 92 wartime letters written to Jackson…

GLC07705

1862/09/12

Everett, Edward, 1794-1865

Autograph manuscript

Title: Speech at the Tremont Temple

"The immediate cause of the present war is that your president would not sell them Fort Sumter... it is as true of Nations as of Individuals, that nothing so surely invites further agression, as to yield to unjust demands."

GLC07707

1865/04/07

Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869

Broadside

Title: Expositor Extra!

"Sheridan attacks Lee and routs him! Gen. Ewell captured.... Lee's army has surrendered." With pencil note on verso: "I tore this from a hook in Adrian post office...heaven send the news are true. Charles M. Walker."

GLC07714

1861/09/17

Taylor, Walter Herron, 1838-1916

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sally Tompkins re: battle at Richmond Mountain

"[T]he expedition not wholly baren of good results. We captured all their pickets...the plan was well arranged (and that is all my Genl [Lee] had to do with it) but...the assault was not made."

GLC07646

1862/04/24

Burnside, Ambrose Everett, 1824-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J.G. Parke re: orders to "open attack at once" on Beaufort, N.C.

GLC07760

1870 ca.

Photograph signed

Title: [Vignette bust portrait of John William Hoffman in uniform]

Carte de visite-sized engraving of officer in 56th Penn., the infantry unit credited with firing the first volley in the Battle of Gettysburg.

GLC07788

1862/02/17

Morris, Joseph W., fl. 1862-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to: Wilmor W. Morris.

Joseph had not heard from Wilmor in over a month. Many people in the neighborhood have been getting married, though no one in his family has, and he imagines that "God's command to Noah 'to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth' is about being speedily fulfilled." He believes that "our recent glorious victories at Somerset, Fort Henry, and Roanoke Island" must make the "soldiers about Washington feel in fighting mood just now." He expects that Wilmor and his company must be "eager to make a dash at the Rebels and gain a little glory too."

GLC06451.025