26 September 1864

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

Autograph document signed

Title: to William T. Sherman

In this telegram Stanton, Secretary of War, writes "The Richmond Enquirer of Saturday rejoices that 'Beauregard has been assigned to the Command of the Army in Georgia, that his star ever led to victory and his very name inspires confidence of success.' A report comes to the Navy Department via Memphis and Cairo that Mobile has surrendered. I do not credit it." Mentions Union General Philip Henry Sheridan's Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley.

GLC01583

January 1864

Sickles, Daniel Edgar, 1819-1914

Autograph letter signed

Title: to David Birney

Discusses a congressional investigation into General George G. Meade for disciplining officers who testified before the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War after Meade let Lee escape after Gettysburg. Tells Major General Birney to give his true opinion to Congress and that he will urge his contacts in the Congress and the Secretary of War to back off. Also mentions having dinner with President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, where he also met Henry Halleck and Meade. Meade was later exonerated and received a vote of thanks from Congress.

GLC01599

13 April 1861

Broadside

Title: [Broadside describing the Confederate attack of Fort Sumter, South Carolina]

Describing the first engagement of the Civil War, this broadside states "Washington in Danger! Rebel Victory! ... The Confederate Flag to Wave Over the Federal Capitol!" Includes various paragraphs regarding the Confederate victory. Contains reports on the engagement from Virginia, Rhode Island, Alabama, Massachusetts, New York, Georgia and South Carolina. Describes how President Abraham Lincoln heard news of the attack. A pencil note instructs "Keep Curio" and indicates origin in Marietta, Ohio. Docketed in pencil, possibly at a later date.

GLC01545.06

November 22, 1801

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James McHenry

A long letter, in which Lafayette discusses revolutionary France, his personal affairs and associations, and the light his personal correspondence with George Washington will cast on the memoirs of General Washington being written by Bushrod Washington. On revolutionary France and the war being waged by Napoleon, he writes: "I am among the few who persist to profess that the Liberal seeds which among so much weed have been sown upon European[,] and particularly upon French, ground cannot and shall not be ultimately lost." He discusses personal relationships with Lord Cornwallis and Napoleon.…

GLC01562

September 17, 1864

Drayton, Percival, 1812-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J. C. Palmer

Drayton served as captain of Admiral David Farragut's flagship, the sloop of war "Hartford," and also as fleet captain of the West Gulf Blockade Squadron. Tells Palmer, the fleet surgeon on board the "Pensacola," that he sent a box and small package by the "Sebago" for Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan. Wants Palmer to ask Buchanan when the 15 inch shot that almost penetrated the port side of the CSS "Tennessee" during the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864 was delivered. Both Buchanan and the "Tennessee" were captured during the battle -- Buchanan was wounded. Wants to know if anything…

GLC01545.07

4 July 1865

Geary, John White, 1819-1873

Document signed

Title: Order of the procession at the ceremonies of laying the corner stone of the monument in the Soldiers' National Cemetery, July 4, 1865.

Possibly the program of an 1865 celebration in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Ceremonies include speeches by President Andrew Johnson and Andrew Greg Curtin, Governor of Pennsylvania. Docketed by Major General Geary.

GLC01545.08

circa 1865

Pamphlet

Title: [List of forces and commanders involved in operations against Mobile, Alabama]

Full title is "Operations against Mobile, Ala.: Organization of the Union Forces (Commanded by Major-General Edward R. S. Canby) March-April, 1865." Contains a list of Union major generals, brigadier generals, colonels, captains, and other leaders who participated in the March-April 1865 Mobile Campaign under the command of Major General Canby. Lists all units, including the 96th and 97th United States Colored Troops. Includes a 5 cent Internal Revenue Certificate stamp, which was cancelled in 1866, on the last page.

GLC01545.12

April 1862

Farragut, David Glasgow, 1801-1870

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Battle plan and ship register for assault on New Orleans]

Document created during the battle for Forts Jackson and St. Philip, which took place 16-23 April 1862. One side has a list of ships involved in the attack -- the first and second divisions of ships and their captains as well as the first and second divisions of gunboats and their captains. Verso has a hand drawn map of the battle plan to attack Forts Jackson and St. Philip along the Mississippi River. Note below the map says most of the squadron is anchored on the left bank of the river and gives plan of attack after barricades in the river are breached. Farragut noted the breaching of the…

GLC01550

July 13, 1863

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Letter signed

Title: to John Daniel Imboden

Lee outlines his plans for the safe retreat of the Army of Northern Virginia 10 days after their defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg. He gives instructions to Brigadier General Imboden to cross the Potamac and proceed to Cherry Creek to ascertain whether or not the enemy troops are waiting. He instructs him to do all in his power to repress the advances of the enemy and defend the Confederate trains nearby so the army could retreat. Imboden did as he was told and Lee safely crossed the Potomac River the same night this letter was written. He was able to retreat because Union General George…

GLC01566

February 26, 1783

Brewster, Caleb, 1747-1827

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Recounts and describes a gunboat fight with an enemy ship, which they boarded.

GLC02437.01954

19 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Indicates that he has received an inaccurate (imprecise) report of the (captured) cannons and mortars at the lines during the siege of Yorktown, which he blames on the confusion there. Thought the report would still be useful, knowing Colonel Tench Tilghman's destination. Has not yet received word of the artillery captured at Gloucester. Tilghman, an aide-de-camp and military secretary to Washington, was on his way to Philadelphia to announce the formal surrender of Lord Cornwallis, which happened that day. See GLC02437.01245 for a related item.

GLC02437.01241

29 October 1781

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript letter

Title: to Thomas S. Lee

Asks Governor of Maryland Lee to intervene on the behalf of Captain Thomas Shilds, who Henry Knox ordered to gather supplies for the siege of Yorktown. Shilds was authorized to impress material and he confiscated wooden planks from a man named William Adams, who consequently brought a suit against Shilds. Clerical copy in the hand of Samuel Shaw and signed by him for Washington. See GLC02437.01200 for a related document.

GLC02437.01273

19-26 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: [Ordnance taken at York and Gloucester]

List of ordnance, arms and military stores "taken in the Enemies posts of" York and Gloucester. This "summary return" likely dates between October 19 and October 26, 1781. On the 26th, Washington drafted a letter to Congress (the final is addressed October 27) enclosing a number of final returns (which he had just received) of material captured at Yorktown, including one for arms, ordnance and military supplies. This summary appears to include estimates of captured arms and ordnance based on early assessments, before detailed inventories had been made. As such, it probably dates to within a…

GLC02437.01316

circa 26 October 1781

Frothingham, Richard, 1748-1819

Manuscript document

Title: [Return of Ordnance & Military Stores Taken at York & Gloucester in Virginia by the Surrender of the British Army]

This is a copy, in the hand of Samuel Shaw, of a "Return of Ordnance & Military Stores Taken at York & Gloucester in Virginia by the Surrender of the British Army," which Washington enclosed in his letter to Congress of October 27-29, 1781. (See Papers of the Continental Congress, NARA M247, Item 152, Vol. 10, pp. 336+. Note that their copy appears to be missing the final page(s). An additional copy, transcribed by Congress, is in the Papers as well.) Based on the content of Washington's letter, an October 26th draft of which is in the George Washington Papers at the Library of…

GLC02437.10031

2 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Board of War & Ordnance

Reports that Colonel Robert Harrison will wait for the Board to send a supply of musket ammunition for the Southern Army commanded by General Nathanael Greene. Explains that the frequent activity has depleted stores and the free navigation of the Chesapeake Bay provides an opportunity for delivery. Asks that stores from Williamsburg, Virginia also be forwarded. Reports that they invested Yorktown on 28 September 1781 and that General Cornwallis' evacuated his outer works the following day. The Continental Army hopes to open its batteries in three days.

GLC02437.01204

2 October 1781

Biddle, Clement, 1740-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Assures Knox that he will not publish his correspondence and asks him to write often about the operation in Virginia. Reports that the British "suffered much more severely in the Action off Cape Henry than you seem to have expected," referring to the Second Battle of the Virginia Capes. Mentions the actions of several naval vessels. Reports that British troops have landed on Staten Island and impressed many wagons. There are rumors of the British coming to burn Philadelphia and the militia is preparing. The remainder of the Pennsylvania line is in Philadelphia and plans to march 600 men…

GLC02437.01205

5 October 1781

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the Companies of Artillery attached to the Brigade of the Line.

Chart enumerating numbers of men in various companies. Created during the siege of Yorktown.

GLC02437.01208

6 October 1781

Peters, Richard, fl. 1732-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Responds to Knox's request for armaments with assurances that the Board of War & Ordnance is working expeditiously to fulfill his request. Explains recent activities of Samuel Hodgdon, the commissary general of military stores appointed by the Board. Knox needed the ordnance for the siege of Yorktown. Peters was the Secretary of the Board of War & Ordnance.

GLC02437.01209

11 October 1781

Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the Ammunition expended at the grand Battery October 10th & 11th 1781.

Lists quantities of ammunition used at the Continental Army's grand Battery, redoubt, and left battery under Colonel Edward Carrington's command during the siege of Yorktown on 10 October 1781 and 11 October 1781. Directed to Samuel Shaw, aide de camp of General Henry Knox.

GLC02437.01218

10 October 1781

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of stores expended at the Grand Battery on the 9th and 10th Instant.

Lists quantities of ammunition used at the Continental Army's battery under Colonel John Lamb's command during the siege of Yorktown on 9 and 10 October 1781. Reported to Henry Knox. Labeled "9 & 10" on page two in a different hand.

GLC02437.01219

12 October 1781

Stevens, Ebenezer, 1751-1823

Autograph document signed

Title: Report of Ammunition expended in the different Batteries the 11th & 12th Oct. 1781.

List quantities of ordnance used at the Grand Battery, the Mortar Battery, and the Left Battery at the siege of Yorktown. Stevens served under the Marquis de Lafayette in Virginia, and for a part of the time commanded the artillery at Yorktown.

GLC02437.01222

12-13 October 1781

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph document signed

Title: A Return of ordnance stores Expended in the differen Batteries on the lines Before York, from the 12th to the 13 of Oct. Inst.

Lists quantities of stores used in the first and second batteries, from 12 to 13 October and 16 to 17 October respectively, under Major Bauman during the siege of Yorktown. Bauman commanded an artillery corps that was a part of Colonel John Lamb's Second Regiment of Continental Artillery.

GLC02437.01224

15 October 1781

Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810

Autograph document signed

Title: Report of the Stores expended in the Grand Battery, Oct. 15. 1781 under the Command of Capt. Stevens.

Lists quantities of stores used and on hand at the Grand Battery and Redoubt under the command of Colonel Ebenezer Stevens, at the Left Battery under the command of Captain Lt. Thompson and by 10" mortars commanded by Capt. Gvion, during the siege of Yorktown. A note at the end by Carrington cites the taking of the British forces' left and right redoubts by Lafayette and French forces.

GLC02437.01228

17 October 1781

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph document signed

Title: A Report of ordnance Ammunition Expended during my Command on the different Batteries in the lines, between the 16 & 17 Oct. inst.

Lists quantities of stores used in the first and second batteries under Major Bauman during the siege of Yorktown. Reports the death of Peter Peiner. Bauman commanded an artillery corps that was a part of Colonel John Lamb's Second Regiment of Continental Artillery.

GLC02437.01232

18 October 1781

Frothingham, Richard, 1748-1819

Autograph document signed

Title: Invoice of Stores at Trebell's Landing.

Lists quantities of ordnance intended for the siege of Yorktown. Frothingham was a Deputy and Principal Field Commissary of Military Stores in Knox's artillery train. Notes appear on the list that associate the items with instructions in a letter created the same day. The notes are in the same hand as the unidentified author of that letter (see GLC02437.01237).

GLC02437.01238