1813

Jeakes, Joseph, fl. 1812-1813

Print

Title: His Majesty's ship Shannon... capturing the American... Frigate Chesapeake

Published G. Webster. War of 1812 print.

GLC03282

13 August 1813

Birch, Thomas, 1779-1851

Print

Title: U.S. Frigate Constitution... capturing... Frigate Guerriere

Hand colored engraving

GLC03284

March 18, 1673

Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685

Document signed

Title: [Royal order to expedite the outfitting of the Castle Finship, which is to accompany the Dyamond to New York].

Countersigned by Secretary of the Admiralty Board Samuel Pepys.

GLC03306

23 October 1791

McHenry, James, 1753-1816

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Jefferson

Requests a foreign appointment in Europe. Hopes the sea voyage will restore his health. Remarks that he does not want to deprive James Madison of the post, if he or another qualified person desires it. Hopes Jefferson will recommend him to President Washington. Also discusses shipping and commerce with Britain, relaying information from the debate in the Maryland legislature, of which McHenry was then a member. Docketed by Jefferson

GLC03802

1841

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Pamphlet

Title: Argument of John Quincy Adams, before the Supreme Court of the United States : in the case of the United States, appellants, vs. Cinque, and others,...

... (title continues) Africans, captured in the schooner Amistad, by Lieut. Gedney, delivered on the 24th of February and 1st of March, 1841: with a review of the case of the Antelope, reported in the 10th, 11th, and 12th volumes of Wheaton's Reports. Published by Seth Williston Benedict. Reprinted in 1969 by Arno Press, also available on microfilm.

GLC03809

January 31, 1861-January 13, 1880

McSherry Family, fl. 1861-1880

Header Record

Title: [Letters to Assistant Surgeon Henry F. McSherry of the U.S. Navy] [decimalized .01-.66] [decimalized]

Letters to Henry F. McSherry (b.1837. Many letters to him begin "Dear Fen") as assistant surgeon in the United States Navy concerning divided sympathies of the border areas, his service in the navy, as well as views of the war and home front. McSherry was from Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), where his father, the physician Richard McSherry (b. 1792), was a slave owner before the Civil War. Richard owned 7 slaves in 1850 (3 males ages 40, 17, & 11 as well as 4 females ages 35, 24, 14, and 13) and 5 slaves in 1860 (2 males ages 50 and 20 as well as 3 females ages 47, 24, & 2…

GLC03523.21

circa 1863

Endicott & Co., fl. 1863

Print

Title: U.S. iron clad ram. Dictator.

Title continues "Designed by J. Ericsson. Built at the Delameter Iron Works, New York. 1863. " Created by Endicott & Co. at 59 Beekman Street, New York. Image dominated by the low-lying "Dictator" -- the deck appears to be only a few feet from the water. The ship is sailing in a calm day with small waves depicted in the ocean. In the far background a flock of seagulls is beginning to descend upon the "Dictator" while three sailing ships float on the horizon. The entire top half of the lithograph shows a sky with light-colored clouds. Statistics on the ship's size and engines are beneath…

GLC03530

November 1819

Sergeant, John, 1779-1852

Document signed

Title: Collection of two letters from John Sergeant to Nathaniel Williams [Decimalized]

GLC03545.23

May 14, 1780

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Duane

Hamilton, serving as General George Washington's aide, asks Duane, a member of the Continental Congress, to help expedite a congressional action supplying Washington's army in anticipation of the arrival of a French fleet in June, 1780. Indicates that Washington will gladly consult with the Committee, but the Committee's powers should be framed so that such consultations will be infrequent and the military operations "trusted to as few as possible." Also notes the whims of Lafayette, who "wishes Congress to pass some resolution of thanks" for the captain of the frigate which carried him to…

GLC03636

January 2, 1912

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation of sentence of Robert Sawyer, convicted of murder and sentenced to death, 10 November 1905]

Sawyer had been convicted of murder on the high seas in the U.S. Circuit Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He was originally sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Taft commuted his sentence so it would expire immediately. No reason was given for commutation. Countersigned by J.A. Fowler as Acting Attorney General. This is a printed document with blanks filled in by hand. Accompanied by red paper seal.

GLC03579.01

1745

Great Britain. Acts.

Pamphlet

Title: An Act for giving a publick reward [to anyone discovering a north west passage]

24 George II.

GLC03562.07

1778

Great Britain. Acts.

Pamphlet

Title: An Act for the relief of captors of prizes [duties on privateers]

GLC03562.25

28 December 1800

Gallais, Francois Michel, 1757-1826

Endorsement signed

Title: [Captain Gallais' observations on American merchant ships engaged in combat with French ships]

Written in French by a Captain Gallais of the corsair La Laure to First Consul of French Republic Napoleon Bonaparte. Translation in collateral file. Gallais is offering his opinion on how the French government should handle American merchant ships that previously engaged in battle with French ships under the new treaty, the Convention of Mortefontaine, which was signed in October 1800. Says treaty is only applicable retroactively to ships with irregularities in their papers, not to ships engaged in combat. Says boarding of American ships and request to hoist the flag is still permitted, and…

GLC03570

18 September 1780

Dundas, Ralph, 1732-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Dundas, Captain of the H. M. S. Bonetta, informs his brother James he was in New York and other locations before moving north to Nova Scotia. Reports that on the way, his men took five prizes and reclaimed two brigs containing low-valued cargo. States that a French fleet is "Blocked up at Present at Rhode Island" by Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot. Refers to the British defeat of American forces at Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1780 and the capture of valuable Virginia ships by New York privateers. Discusses a riot in Boston, Massachusetts following General George Washington's call for 3,…

GLC03676.02

1 June 1796

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Printed document signed

Title: Fourth Congress of the United States: at the first session, begun and held at the city of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the seventh of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five.

Signed by Pickering, Secretary of State. Includes "an act regulating the grants of land appropriated for military services, and for the society of the United Brethren for propagating the gospel among the heathen," "an act for the admission of the state of Tennessee into the union," "an act limiting the time for the allowance of drawback on the exportation of domestic spirits, and allowing a drawback upon such spirits exported in vessels of less than thirty tons, by the Mississippi," "an act to suspend, in part, the act, intituled 'An act to alter and amend the act, intituled 'An act laying…

GLC03698

17 December 1780

Dundas, Ralph, 1732-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Ralph, Captain of the H. M. S. Bonetta, writes to his brother James. Lists the names of ships involved in an expedition. Mentions General Charles Cornwallis. Relates news related to various sailors and a ship that sailed to Antigua. States that the British navy has allowed Count De Rochambeau to strongly fortify his troops in Rhode Island. Refers to the presence of General Stirling (possibly William Alexander) in New York. Relates that some British soldiers found his cousin, T. Dundas, in Reading, Pennsylvania, and that T. Dundas's brother had joined the colonial force. Refers to…

GLC03676.03

July 22, 1781

Dundas, Ralph, 1732-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Dundas, captain of the H. M. S. Bonetta, writes from the Elizabeth River to his brother James. Reports that he was sent to the James Islands "to cover the Boats of Earle Cornwallis's Army who were ordered away from the Pursuit of the Marquis Fayette." Praises Cornwallis. Discusses details of continued battles and skirmishes occurring between December 1780 and July 1781, as the Marquis de Lafayette pursued Cornwallis to Yorktown. Mentions the activities of Colonel Robert Abercrombie and the Edinburgh Regiment. States that he had previous orders to attack Philadelphia, but had received orders…

GLC03676.04

6 November 1781

Dundas, Ralph, 1732-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Dundas, the British captain of the H. M. S. Bonetta, informs his brother James that he was made "a Prisoner to France" and in New York on parole. Discusses the British capitulation at the Battle of Yorktown: "we lost our Ground Inch by Inch and did not Surrender untill our Ammunition was exausted and but five Days Provisions." Notes that the "Bonetta was to be at the Disposal of Lo Cornwallis to carry his Dispatches." Mentions dead and wounded. The articles of capitulation at Yorktown specified that the Bonetta would be permitted to return to New York with to correspondence for Sir Henry…

GLC03676.05

9 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Says there was a big fight at Newport News the day before. Says the "Merrimac" came down with the "Yorktown," "Jamestown," and other boats. Reports that "Merrimac ran into and sunk Cumberland killing half her crew, raked the Congress fore and aft till she struck her colors. Minnesota aground, but fought till dark and flies the colors this morning." Says the "Congress" is burned and her magazine blew up. Says the 20th and 99th New York were deployed as Confederate troops were reported landing above Newport News and advancing from Yorktown, but they did not come. Says "The Ericson battery [the…

GLC03681.01

10 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter

Title: to his mother

Not signed by Asa Smith. Says they are to remain there because of the "Monitor" and that if they can get through tonight they will be secure. Describes the sinking of the "Cumberland" and the burning of the "Congress" by the "Merrimac." Says the broadside from the Union ships "glanced off without doing much of any damaged and this seemed to satisfy them that our vessels could not hurt them." Says the "Cumberland" went down gloriously, firing her aft guns as the bow went under. Report that "During the evening or camp was full of sailors, and they were the hardest looking set of men I ever saw…

GLC03681.02

11 March 1862

Smith, Asa, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Continuation of his letter from GLC03861.02 - he numbers the pages 5-8. Goes on to describe the situation involving the Confederate attack near Newport News, as well as the action of the CSS "Merrimac" and USS "Monitor." Says the 20th and 99th New York infantry were sent to deal with a supposed Confederate attack near Newport News. Says "few eyes were closed that night as it was known that troops were advancing from Yorktown and a fight was expected in the morning, very little was said, but many an oath of revenge was registered." Says half the regiment wrote home last night because they…

GLC03681.03

29 October 1863

Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Matthew Fontaine Maury

Both pages have had portions of the name of the writer and recipient cut-out. Pertains to docking, capture of one ship & burning of another [names cut]. Year is inferred.

GLC03692

26 March 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Barry

Hancock, Thomas McKean, Richard Henry Lee, John Alsop, Joseph Hewes, Robert Morris, and Edward Rutledge sign as members of the Marine Committee (all but Alsop went on to sign the Declaration of Independence). Hancock et al. inform Captain Barry that the Committee of Safety has ordered four provincial armed boats to assist Barry in "taking, sinking, destroying, or driving off" a British man of war. Instructs Barry, Captain of the Lexington, to coordinate signals with the vessels sent to assist him.

GLC03714

April 11, 1776

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Barry

Signed by members Hancock, Robert Morris, John Alsop, Richard Henry Lee, Joseph Hewes, George Read, William Whipple, and Stephen Hopkins as members of the Congressional Marine Committee (all but Alsop went on to sign the Declaration of Independence). The Committee praises Barry's capture of the prize sloop Edward. Mentions sending the prize to Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Reports on the presence of Captain Boys and four or five marines at Cape May, New Jersey. States "As the Men of Warr in Virginia, Delaware and New York will undoubtedly hear of you they will probably lay some plans to…

GLC03715

12 December 1793

Lear, Tobias, 1762-1816

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tristram Dalton re: voyage across the Atlantic and arrival at Glasgow

Written to his business partner.

GLC03767.02