January 3, 1865

Kell, John McIntosh, 1823-1900

Document signed

Title: [Navy Department invoice of stores]

Receipt for "a Tin basin & pitcher" signed by York and Kell.

GLC00684.14

March 24, 1865

Lee, Sydney Smith, 1802-1869

Letter signed

Title: to John McIntosh Kell

Lee grants Kell leave until the first of May, "when you will report in writing to this Office the condition of your health." Letter forwarded by Surgeon James Harrison. Letter written on stationery of the C.S. Navy's Office of Orders and Detail.

GLC00684.15

February 4, 1869

Semmes, Raphael, 1809-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John McIntosh Kell

Raphael Semmes writes that, while in Baltimore, he has inscribed a copy of his book and ordered the publishers to send it to Kell's "little son, my namesake." He fondly inquires after Kell's family. Raphael Semmes, commander of the famous raider CSS Alabama was promoted to admiral in the Confederate Navy in 1865, and briefly served as a brigadier general in the army following the fall of Richmond.

GLC00684.16

October 20, 1899

Galt, Francis L., 1831-1915

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John McIntosh Kell

Francis L. Galt writes to congratulate Kell on his daughter's marriage and to request help in finding his own son a job in business. He mentions "the Charleston Reunion last spring" and a circular he has received from one of the men who attended, who intends to compile a history of Confederate naval narratives. He writes that "living here on the frontier of the National Capital we have been regaled with the excitement of the Dewey celebrations lately" and comments on the "decay of republican institutions." He mentions the Transvaal War and his memories of "our stay among the Boers...and our…

GLC00684.20

1845-1909

Van Valkenburgh Family

Header Record

Title: [Letters and photographs of the Van Valkenburgh family of New York] [decimalized .01-.37]

Correspondence from the Van Valkenburgh family, who lived mostly in upstate New York. Of the five brothers in the family, three joined the Union cause and another joined the Confederates. One member of the family, Frank, became a lawyer in Wisconsin (see GLC06253 for additional materials). Robert was a Union officer and Congressman from New York. The bulk of the collection dates from 1865. Some of the collection's key materials revolve around Gerrit, the brother who lived in Arkansas as an attorney and joined the Confederate cause as a member of Fagan's Arkansas Cavalry (Gerrit lived near…

GLC00686

March 14, 1861

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mollie Van Valkenburgh

Written by Gerrit to his sister Mollie. Attempts to justify his decision, as a transplanted Northerner, to side with the South. Mixes support for his adopted home with love for the family he left in the North. He references her letter of from February 12 and says he will answer it now even though she takes six months to respond to him. Says he is at Warren, Arkansas attending court and collecting money. He reports that people in Warren are getting over the political excitement which has been the absorbing topic of conversation. He claims they are ending the talk and preparing for war. He says…

GLC00686.05

October 28, 1862

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his brother

Two handwritten copies of the same letter in the file. Says it has been a long time since he wrote, but not because he has not thought of his family in the North. He claims that "although we now belong to sections of our country which are engaged in an unnatural and unholy warfare Yet I cannot say that I love your or my friends less than I did when we were Members of the same great family." He wonders when they will be reunited. He says the last letter he received from his family was from July 1861. He says he shed blood for the South and that he is "now in the army fighting for liberty - for…

GLC00686.08

May 5, 1864

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by Gerrit, a transplanted Northerner fighting for the South, to his mother Mary. Begins by asking "Can the years that have passed since I saw you last - can the position that I have taken in this Civil War, have alienated me entirely from your love[?]" Says he has only heard from her once in 4 years and that only a short note on a letter she wrote to his brother Frank. Says those words have made him suffer more than the entire war. Asks to be forgiven for not being able to think as she did. Says he did what he thought was right.

GLC00686.10

June 10, 1864

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by Gerrit to his mother Mary. References her letter from May 22, 1864. He is very happy about his mother's letter and says he has thought about her often. He says there is a big difference between them and that he is "a Southerner in word in thought & act." He believes that the Confederates were not as wanton as Northern papers make them out to be. He argues that he did not enter the war blindly, but made a well-thought choice to join the South. He goes into detail about his decision making process. He says he does not blame anyone for wanting to join the Federal army, so people…

GLC00686.11

January 11, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his brother

Written by Gerrit as a Confederate prisoner of war. References his brother's letter from December 23, 1864. He is glad because the letter was "the first word of tiding I have had from you in answer to my letter & I began to fear that your displeasure at my course had led you to think that I was not worthy of a word from your pen." He reports that a Miss [Hill] gave him $211 and brought photographs of his family. Says she was the only lady he has spoken to since being captured. Says he arrived at Johnson's Island on December 28, 1864. Declares that his Christmas and New Years were not…

GLC00686.12

January 13, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Gerrit writes to his mother as a prisoner of war in Ohio. He says it has been a long time since he heard from her and that he has wanted to write to her earlier, but was travelling around so much he was unable to tell her where to reply until now. He reports that he arrived at Johnson's Island after stints as a prisoner in Kansas and Camp [Merlow]. He explains that his current situation is better: "Here we are as well treated as could be expected - have good fare - comfortable bunks & as much exercise as we desire." He has met a number of New York men in the prison as well as some…

GLC00686.13

January 26, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Gerrit writes as a prisoner of war in Ohio to his mother. He references his mother's letter from January 11, 1865, and says the other letters mentioned in the January 11th letter never reached him. He declares that "It is a source of sorrow to me, that I am opposed in principle to the balance of our family - but I am honest in my belief - act in strict accordance therewith - and hope & believe, that if I am wrong, I will be forgiven." He reports that letters from other family members have been sharp and that "most of the letters I have had from the north, seem to be written under the…

GLC00686.14

January 29, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Kate Van Naven

Gerrit S. Van Valkenburgh writes as a prisoner of war in Ohio to his sister, Kate, in Wisconsin. He seeks some sort of reconciliation with his family. He begins by asking "Can you take me by the hand, and greet me as a Brother? or will that world Rebel - Traitor, come to your lips before the [other one]?" Says he has not heard from her in a long time, and asks for an update from her. He adds that he is glad that all the husbands of his sisters have decided to stay home rather than fight. He saw a sleigh the other day for the first time in five years and mentions that it reminded him of "those…

GLC00686.15

February 28, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Gerrit S. Van Valkenburgh refers to his mother's letter from January 28, 1865. He says he is sorry that the letters he writes to her are not arriving. He updates her on family information. He reports that he has contracted Erysipelas and that his face has been swollen for a week. He adds that it has since peeled all over. He says the weather is good and that the woods are full of flowers. He mentions that he was not aware that his brother Robert was going to Japan until he received a note from his brother Frank (Robert was selected as the American ambassador to Japan). He says he is doing…

GLC00686.16

June 11, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Written part in pen, part in pencil. Reports on conditions in the South after the Civil War. Frank was travelling to Arkansas to help his twin brother Gerrit who was in trouble with the law. Says he knows he wrote recently, but since he is stuck in "this God forsaken hole" he is going to write another. He mentions meeting a Confederate soldier who thought he was his twin brother Gerrit. The former soldier was released from prison the week before and Frank relates his story. He reports that many people know his twin brother, Gerrit. He says "they say Warren [Arkansas] never saw so exciting a…

GLC00686.20

July 1, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Franklin Butler, 1835-1924

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Unsigned letter. Letter is apparently missing the ending and incomplete. Letter written on Waldo, Ody & Van law firm stationery. Written by Frank to his mother. Says he just arrived back from assisting his twin brother Gerrit. It was a two-day stay with 20 days of travelling. Says he was assured by the commanding officer of the district in Arkansas where his brother was being held that the "charge was entirely false & unfounded - He has taken the Oath of Allegiance & is gain a Citizen &c - He has done what he could for the South under the full conviction that they were right…

GLC00686.21

August 18, 1865

Van Valkenburgh, Gerrit S., 1835-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary B. Van Valkenburgh

Written by Gerrit to his mother Mary. Says he loves his relatives in the North and often thinks of them. Mentions that his brother, Frank, has already written about his release from the prison. Says the charges against him were false. Since he has been in Pine Bluff, he has been sick with chills and fever - he thinks typhoid. Reports that he is feeling better though. Says he boards with his employer, who is originally from Connecticut. Mentions an uncle who lives in Warren, Arkansas and says "their slaves - or former slaves - [are] still with them." The uncle bought a flour mill and his sons…

GLC00686.24

April 18, 1865

Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906

Letter signed

Title: to Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph Wheeler writes that he arrived at camp and found half of his command had left during the night because they believed the entire army was to be surrendered. His men informed him they heard this from high ranking officers as well as from Union forces who said they were not to fire on the Confederate troops as Union General William T. Sherman was negotiating a surrender. He informs that he sent out officers to get the men back, and indicates that they may have to move because there is no food to forage. He comments that, "I would rather ten thousand times to have been Killed than to have…

GLC00688

March 31, 1864

Memminger, Christopher G., 1803-1888

Letter signed

Title: to Henry W. Allen

Memminger, Treasurer of the Confederacy, declines a request from Allen, Governor of Louisiana, to "purchase five millions of treasury notes with the Bonds of the State of Louisiana." He states that an act passed on February 17, 1864 reduced the value of Confederate currency, thus rendering Allen's request impracticable to fulfill. Letter written on Confederate Treasury Department stationery. Contains a "Rebel Archives" stamp. Marked "Duplicate."

GLC00690

10 September 1864

Sandoz, Joel H., fl. 1840-1864

Newspaper

Title: The Opelousas courier. [Vol. 12, no. 15 (September 10, 1864)]

Notice of special orders from the Enrolling Office in the Parish of St. Landry requiring all African American men between the ages of 18 and 50 to report themselves immediately for military enrollment. Planters and enslavers who have not "reported their quota of negroes (between the ages of 18 and 45) for enrollment, will be promptly reported to Hd. Qrs. Bureau of Conscription." Proclamation by Louisiana Governor Henry Watkins Allen discussing a vacancy in the Confederate Congress. War reports, mentioning the activities of Lincoln, General Nathan Bedford Forrest, General Stephen Gano…

GLC00694

18 August 1862

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Manuscript document signed

Title: To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederate States

Address on state of Confederacy and conduct of the war. In the hand of Burton Harrison, Davis's private secretary and signed on last page by Davis.

GLC00699

1864

National Union Free Convention

Broadside

Title: President Lincoln and General Grant on Peace and War.

Promotes the Union cause. Reprints an interview with Lincoln titled "Mr. Lincoln's view of Democratic strategy," and a letter of General Grant dated 16 August 1864 to E.B. Washburne. Grant's letter informs that the Confederacy is very weak and losing men each day. Also printed is the verses to a song, "On the Chicago Surrender." Same broadside as GLC05556.

GLC00702

October 21, 1861

Price, Sterling, 1809-1867

Document signed

Title: [Confederate/Union prisoner of war cartel for exchange of prisoners]

Details exchange terms agreed upon by Quin Morton, who signed for Union General John C. Frémont, and Confederate General Sterling Price, who commanded the Missouri State Guard. Includes Confederate prisoners captured at Camp Jackson, Missouri on 10 May 1861 and Union soldiers captured since then. The Confederate commander of Camp Jackson was General Daniel [written as David in document] M. Frost whose name is first on the cartel along with another Confederate general, John Bowen, who died during the Vicksburg campaign. The cartel lists terms and name and rank of exchanged prisoners of…

GLC00703

October 6, 1862

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William T. Avery

Confederate General Breckinridge discusses a possible position on his staff for Avery, which would have to be as a voluntary aide. Congratulates on his freedom "from Yankee bondage" and his hopes to meet Avery "often in the progress of our great and just struggle."

GLC00713

July 24, 1862

Longstreet, James, 1821-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry A. Wise

Writes to Brigadier General Wise of D. H. Hill's Division, Army of Northern Virginia. Confederate Major General Longstreet (in reply from a letter from Wise of the day before) tells Wise that he will suggest to Commanding General Robert E. Lee that troops from Wise's brigade be preferred in troop exchanges with the Union. He adds that in the meantime he will send two brigades to support his picket line. "I am sending two Brigades down to occupy the ground from New Market to the Darbytown road. This I think will enable you to reduce your picket guards to some extent, and enable you to get…

GLC00714