January 15, 1791

Breck, Samuel, 1747-1809

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Sends an enclosed petition on behalf of "Mr. Hall, a distiller in this Town." States he cannot attest to it as he is not familiar with the subject. Thanks Knox and his wife for their attention to his daughter.

GLC02437.04827

13 March 1792

Wilkinson, James, 1757-1825

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Clement Biddle

Written from Fort Washington, present-day Cincinnati, Ohio. Received his last letter, which suggests that General [Arthur] St. Clair might not continue in command of the army much longer. This fills him with anxiety. Discusses possible ramifications of the appointment of a new commander. Comments on the difficult situation he has found himself in, between Major [David] Zeigler and Colonel [Samuel] Hodgdon. Explains in some detail the interpersonal conflict among his officers. Comments on the downfall of General [Josiah] Harmar due to his "unfortunate propensity to drink."

GLC02437.05354

18 June 1774

Manuscript document

Title: [Account]

List of goods Henry Knox bought from the firm Breck & Hammat. Items include sugar, chocolate, coffee, brandy and others.

GLC02437.08341

9 August 1794

Blagge, John, fl. 1783-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Expresses his concern and suspicions over the person considered for the constructor position. Mentions needing a man of professional abilities and temperance in living for the position. Recommends a foreman name Cheesemon for the appointment.

GLC02437.06161

24 August 1799

Witherspoon, John, 1723-1794

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Account]

List of items sent to John Witherspoon from John Rynier. Items listed by date, type and amount, including beef, tea, rum, butter, and molasses.

GLC02437.08754

March 4, 1777

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Dorothy Hancock

Letter written by Hancock, a Declaration of Independence signer, as President of the Continental Congress to his wife. Apparently written on the road to Congress. Says he is stuck where he is until the ice is cut and he can cross with the ferry. Says "My Boy" Joe has treated him ill when he got drunk on his wine, broke several bottles, and dropped his trunk out of the wagon, which was later found. He was brought to the inn drunk and put to bed. Hancock says he will "turn him adrift" once he gets to Philadelphia. He is glad he did not leave him with her, because he "would have been a plague."…

GLC01732

January 29, 1919

Creel, George, 1876-1953

Newspaper

Title: Official U.S. Bulletin. [Vol. 3, no.524 (January 29, 1919)]

Newspaper published daily by order of the president by the United States Committee of Public Information. Contains the text of the eighteenth amendment, which established the prohibition of alcohol. Accompanied by a statement by acting Secretary of State Frank L. Polk. Also contains various other news items, reports on congressional and supreme court proceedings, agricultural and industrial information, and a list of casualties reported among United States forces overseas.

GLC01668

13 August 1793

Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841

Autograph document signed

Title: [Orders to Commissary "for a Putawalimi chief one quart whisky"]

Harrison signed as Aide de camp while serving under General Anthony Wayne during the Indian Wars of the Old Northwest. Docket identifies the document as number 294.

GLC01624

January 14, 1783

Platt, Richard, 1755-1830

Autograph document signed

Title: [Army Rations issued to Elizabeth Cottril]

Orders to issue rations, "whiskey excepted," to Elizabeth Cottril, Richard Cottril's wife. Countersigned by Robert Forsythe and endorsed by Richard Cottril.

GLC02437.01832

20 May 1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: [Receipt for rum]

Request for one quart of rum for General Henry Knox's boatmen.

GLC02437.02128

27 June 1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: [Issue of rum to boat men]

Shaw requests that a quart of rum be issued to eight boatmen on fatigue duty. Two other illegible signatures appear on the document. Noted "Genl Ordr No. 5" on verso.

GLC02437.02194

28 July 1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: [Issue of army rations]

Order to issue rations to Captain Vincent and his friendly Indian companions. The order specifies that they be given one peck of peas and in the future, with every ration, issued one gill of rum "whether country or West India." Signed by Samuel Shaw, aide-de-camp to Henry Knox. Also signed by Captain John Vincent in receipt of a peck of peas. The docket reads "Genl Orders No. 10 Indians."

GLC02437.02337

January 15, 1788

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph document signed

Title: [Account information between Henry Knox and Sebastian Bauman]

Covers 25 May 1787 - 5 January 1788, including payment for goods such as Jamaica spirit, cinnamon, and porter, among others. Bauman signs, noting receipt of £20.25 from Henry Knox.

GLC02437.03753

July 1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: [Articles issued by West Point commissary]

List of articles received from James Forsyth as the Commissary of West Point. Compiled by Major Shaw as an aide-de-camp to General Knox. List includes: 588 pounds flour, 12 pounds bread, 318 pounds beef, 36 pounds soap, 1 quart of spirits, 19 1/2 quarts of common rum, 8 quarts of salt, and 12 quarts of vinegar.

GLC02437.02354

13 September 1783

Lillie, John, 1755-1801

Autograph document signed

Title: [Request for provisions]

Request for three pints of rum. Addressed to Mr. [Robert] Bell.

GLC02437.02506

16 September 1783

Mahony, John, fl. 1783

Manuscript document

Title: [Testimony related to Lieutenant Joseph Wheaton]

Testimony/disposition of soldiers in the Rhode Island troops in the trial of Lieutenant Wheaton, who sold rum to the soldiers at the garrison of Saratoga for profit. All three men signed with an "X" on "His Mark" at end of their testimonies. John Thompson, Justice of the Peace, took their testimony. John Mahony gave his testimony separately from Thomas Brown and Jonathan Crandle, who gave theirs together. See GLC02437.02204 for Wheaton's lengthy defense and for cross-references to other documents related to this case. According to Wheaton, Thomas Brown, one of those submitting testimony…

GLC02437.10522

12 October 1783

Johnston, W., fl. 1783

Autograph document signed

Title: [Provision return for a detachment of the Massachusetts Artillery]

Lists provisions which include bread, candles, rum and vinegar, with amounts.

GLC02437.02624

27 November 1864

Cox, Jacob D., 1828-1900

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Writes to the Post Quarter Master at Columbia to complain about the behavior of the soldiers of a wagon train under the command of the post quartermaster that had crossed the river near Cox's headquarters the day before with all of its soldiers drunk. Orders these soldiers put under guard. Asks him to send some proper person to take charge of the train. Docket notes that the situation has been resolved, and signed by Captain Sedwick. One bust engraving of Cox included as collateral.

GLC02458.05

19 November 1790

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses an expedition against the Wabash Indians. Expresses disappointment in General [Josiah] Harmer. Expected little from Harmer, after hearing he was a drunkard. Instructs Knox to present other important matters before Congress, as they occur to him, preceding Washington's arrival. Notes that recent heavy rains may hinder his progress to Philadelphia. Marked private at the top of page one.

GLC02437.09421

8 August 1794

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Marked 'private' by George Washington at the top of page one. Discusses an insurrection (the Whiskey Rebellion) and mentions a letter from [Attorney General William] Bradford concerning Colonel [John] Neville and Major [David] Lenox (the federal inspector and U.S. marshal, respectively, who had fled the area of disturbance in western Pennsylvania). Based on the new information, gives consent to Knox to absent himself from government to manage affairs on his plantation in frontier Maine.

GLC02437.09429

1794

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Later copy, "No. 19 Copied from & compared with the Original Feb'y 8th 1854." Marked private. Mentions a letter from Mr. Bradford concerning Colonel Neville and Major Lenox (possibly referring to David Bradford, Presley Neville and Marshal Lenox). Discusses an insurrection (the Whiskey Rebellion), and instructs Knox to pursue an unspecified plan.

GLC02437.09434

5 January 1780

Marion, Francis, 1732-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Informs that he is sending two men as prisoners of war, Thomas Page and Joseph Dawson. States that the men say they deserted from the British but Marion suspects they may be spies. " ... I suspect from their Characters they are sent as Spies, and thought best to have them conducted to you." Advises that they have run out of rum and do not have wagons to go for more. Also states that they are in need of cartridges. Written as Lieutenant Colonel to Major General Benjamin Lincoln. With small clipping from a past sale describing the letter.

GLC02491

30 December 1794

Barry, John, 1745-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Seagrove

Commodore Barry tells Seagrove that the militia who suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania has arrived home safe. Also indicates that he sent receipts with this letter (not included). Written from Strawberry Hill, Barry's near Philadelphia.

GLC02500.02

23 April 1842

Theobald, Mathew, 1790-1856

Document signed

Title: [Abstinence pledge card]

Printed card, with various illustrations, stating that Catherine Cauty has taken the "the Total Abstinence Pledge." Cauty has card number 4281797. Signed by Theobald as president of the society. Pledge card states that Cauty will refrain from drinking all intoxicating liquors except those used medicinally. Graphic illustration of intemperance shows a husband beating his wife and an illustration of temperance shows a happy scene of the family reading by the hearth.

GLC02542.27

28 June 1901

McKinley, William, 1843-1901

Document signed

Title: [Presidential commutation for Charles J. Miller, who was indicted for failing to transmit Internal Revenue records and fined $700 on 7 January 1901]

Miller's fine was for failing to produce records from his business as a wholesale liquor dealer; it was commuted to $50 and costs by McKinley, no reason provided. Partly printed document signed by McKinley, countersigned by Acting Attorney General L.C. Pratt.

GLC02599