14 June 1779

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Sends his wishes for her improved health. Reports that the enemy in his area have made no new movements. Relates news of General Benjamin Lincoln's victory against the British in South Carolina (Lincoln engaged the British as they retreated from a siege of Charleston, South Carolina). Declares "God Grant it to be time as it will have a very principal influence in happily terminating the War." Relates that his brother William wrote from Hartford, Connecticut, stating he was able to procure bills of exchange, and expects to sail [for Holland] within three weeks. Sends his love to Lucy's…

GLC02437.00769

29 June 1779

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Laments at length that he can not be with his wife and family (both Lucy and their infant daughter, Julia, are extremely sick). Has reason to believe the British have traveled down the river (the Hudson). Remarks that Continental posts near New Windsor are fortified well enough to discourage a British attack. Speculates that the British will try to draw Continental troops away from the more well-fortified areas. Reports that his brother, William may have sailed the previous Thursday [for Holland]. Contains some text loss due to a large central hole. Also contains extensive repair.

GLC02437.00771

8 August 1779

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Requests that Lucy write to him and inform him of her health. Recently sent a letter to her through Major Bauman (Sebastian Bauman). Hopes "to be so far informd [sic] of the Enemies intentions and designs, as to determine to have you nearer to me than at the present- I still entertain that hope though I am possess'd of no more materials than at that time to form a judgement." Expresses his wishes at length for a time when they no longer have to be separated. Reports that William, his brother, should have recently sailed (for Holland), but the departure of four British warships from New…

GLC02437.00780

October 28, 1782

Irvine, Charles, 1756-1819

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander Irvine

Charles Irvine writes to his brother in Aberdeen, Scotland that he is well and they expect to stay on Staten Island for the winter. He had previously mentioned that the regiment might be sent to the West Indies but that is no longer probable. Some regiments may be sent next spring. Mentions the match between their sister Bell and a Mr. Allan. Comments that he is living quite frugally. Asks him to have Mr. Moir update him on his financial affairs of which he is ignorant at present. Gives love to family and friends. Charles Irvine was a soldier in the British army during the Revolutionary War.

GLC01450.023.13

1770-1802

Header Record

Title: [Collection of two Bromfield family books] [Decimalized .01- .02]

GLC01450.030

23 April 1777

Wilson, Lawrence, fl. 1777

Document

Title: [Forged permission for marriage from John Hancock]

Addressed to any clergyman of the city or liberties of Philadelphia. States "Lawrence Wilson has applied to me for license to be joined to Jane Bevan in matrimony. I therefore authorize you to do the same according to the usual form." Wilson, a Continental soldier wanting to marry, forged this document and John Hancock's signature.

GLC01450.034.01

April 24, 1777

Goevansson, Andrew, fl. 1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Hancock

Goevansson states that he received a forged letter which he believed was from Hancock last night authorizing him to join in matrimony Lawrence Wilson and Jane Bevan. He states he performed the act believing the note to be genuine. Asks what he should do when pressed to marry soldiers in the Continental service who do not have enough time to get a legal license. Asks if he can be empowered within limitations to perform marriages without a license from the government. Informs that this letter will be delivered by Mr. [Allcock] who has an application to be married and is in the same position.…

GLC01450.034.02

February 24, 1776

Noyes, John, 1740-1784

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Noyes

John Noyes writes to his wife in Newbury, Massachusetts that he misses her and wants to see her. Tells a story about a lieutenant in the regiment who courted a young lady using the name of their captain so that his wife would not hear about his affair, but the captain found out about the lieutenant's lies and he was tried and sent home. He expects to leave for Boston within 10 days. Noyes was a soldier in the Continental army during the Revolutionary War.

GLC01450.056.06

16 October 1918

Lyons, Curtis Blair, 1894-1968

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Helen Lyons

Writes to his wife regarding the upcoming move to another location. Says that he will send her his new address and wishes he were able to kiss her good-bye. Originally mailed with GLC07810.064. Written on YMCA letterhead. Camp Colt was established at Gettysburg in 1917 and was the first US Army camp authorized to train the Tank Corps during WWI. Captain Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded Camp Colt. Written at Camp Colt.

GLC07810.065

9 April 1919

Lyons, Curtis Blair, 1894-1968

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Helen Lyons

Writes to his wife about the possibility of his returning home in a few weeks. Fears that his daughter will not recognize him when he returns. Mentions taking classes on agriculture and machination. Discusses the slow and intermittent mail service. Replies to Helen's request to shave his mustache when he returns by saying he only grew one for the photograph to see what family at home would say. Written on YMCA letterhead.

GLC07810.072

10 May 1919

Lyons, Curtis Blair, 1894-1968

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Helen Lyons

Writes to his wife that he is still at Camp Mills and describes the slow process of discharging. Wonders why she has stopped writing letters. Inquires as to his daughter's well-being. Written on Army and Navy Young Men's Christian Association letterhead. Written at Camp Mills .

GLC07810.075

6 June 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

References his mother's and Mary's letters. Says he is finally in Shanghai "after one of the hardest passages I ever made, to, or from, the Indies." Says their sails froze to the mast in January and they could barely get them set. Goes on to describe the bad weather of the voyage in detail, including running into a hurricane after rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Says the voyage to China took 142 days and said "It is a relief to find other people worse off than yourself, so I was exceedingly pleased to learn that the, Magenta, a rival clipper, which sailed 8 days before us, was not yet arrived…

GLC03836.03

circa 1774-1788

Autograph letter

Title: to Lucy Knox [incomplete]

Possibly by Hannah Flucker Urquhart to her sister, Lucy Knox. Discusses the death of her husband (possibly James Urquhart) writing, "Know your superior happiness in having a Dear and good husband to sympathize with you, you have still a comforter, you have a Protector for yourself and Dear Children, and you can never feel the pain and inconveniences of Poverty. In me see the Child of ill fortune- having the greatest affliction to encounter and no hope of alleviation." Notes that her mother-in-law, Mrs. Urquhart, comforted her through hardships. Mentions that money she (Hannah) brought into…

GLC02437.09453

26 May 1866

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to her brother Henry. Hopes he comes home from the Pacific soon. Says the newspapers include exciting accounts of mining in Nevada and Colorado. Says the papers are filled with news of war in Europe (Austria and Italy). Mentions that their father conditionally sold 850 acres of mountain land. There is concern about the rights to coal and oil on the land. Updates him on new faces and stores in town, as well as recent marriages. Stained and faded.

GLC03523.21.57

8 July 1866

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to her brother Henry. Says there has been hot weather lately and that their father is in good health. Says he has not answered whether he would like to take advantage of an investment opportunity in a house in Baltimore for 200 dollars. Their father has rented a nice house until 1 October. Says she is putting off all enjoyments until he gets home. Mentions that there are several cases of cholera in Baltimore. Continues the letter on 17 July 1866 -- Says she read in the Sun that the "Wyoming" (Henry's ship) was involved in a collision in Nagasaki, Japan and she hopes it is…

GLC03523.21.59

5 May 1863

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents, [brother-in-law], and sister

Writes that furloughs have begun and three men will be allowed to go from each company. His brigade will be kept in Gallatan for the time being, as Gallatan is a very important position to keep. Writes that there will soon be a fight at Murfreesboro and is confident that Confederate General Braxton Bragg's army is equal to and possibly stronger than Confederate General Joseph Wheeler's. Describes an incident in which an escorted mail delivery was attacked by rebels, but the escorts managed to drive the rebels back. Describes seeing an Indiana soldier being carried to his grave, followed…

GLC07460.027

8 May 1863

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister Martha [Spohn]

Thanks his sister for sending him a letter and food with a fellow soldier. Playfully writes to his sister that as he is writing he is being distracted by a chunk of maple sugar sent to him by his aunt. He writes that while on picket he has found the perfect place to eat his pie and wishes that his family were there to join him as long as they brought their own food. Discusses the furlough of Charles Siedel, a fellow soldier and friend from home. His furlough was granted on the grounds that his wife was very ill and it was necessary for him to return home. Requests that his sister send…

GLC07460.028

circa October 1782

Darby, Samuel, 1737-1807

Manuscript document signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Date added later in pencil. Signed by Major Samuel Darby of the 7th Massachusetts Regiment and 28 other officers. Asks Henry Knox to consider the plight of a Mr. G. Smith, who had been a Sergeant in the 7th Massachusetts as well as the Quarter Master Sergeant for two years. He was discharged last spring, having found an able-bodied man to replace him, as he was not in good enough health to continue in the service. Since that time, he has opened a Public House in the West Point area to provide lodging, liquor, victuals, and entertainment to travelers. Major General [John] Paterson granted…

GLC02437.01687

12 March 1865

Fairchild, Lewis D., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sephronia Fairchild

Fairchild writes to his wife from a camp near Petersburg, Virginia. Mentions that men are getting furloughs if their wives are sick. Relates that a deserter was hung, "...it did look awful to see a human being launch in erternity so quick..." Advises his wife to use his bounty if she needs it to make life more comfortable.

GLC03523.06.11

19 July 1863

Fuller, Franklin W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Written at camp near Winchester, Tennessee. He writes that he waited up rather late for her letter and that he received two papers from Henry Clark. The smell of the flower and cinnamon she enclosed in the letter reminded him of her. Writes that the smell also reminds him of his mother. He hopes that he receives some letters from his friends. He is also glad that his brother-in-law writes to him. Writes that in the event of his death she should take all of his effects. Around midnight on 4 July the bugle sounded and the troops were ordered to be ready to march by three in the morning. He…

GLC03523.42.25

December 27, 1863 - January 10, 1864

Stark, Lydia, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Written and signed by his sister Lydia. Thinks that there are angels watching her children. Writes that Henry has gone to see his Aunt Phebe. She remembers the first time she held him, a few hours after he had been born. Writes of the many memories she has of him as a little boy. She has memories in her dreams of her brothers and sisters as children. States that she has heard rumors that he is engaged to a woman named Mary Cable [?] but she is unsure if that is her name. She tells her brother that she has written a letter to Mary but it was returned because there was no such P.O. in Illinois…

GLC03523.42.36

24 April 1864

Stark, Lydia, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her brother

Writes about the nice weather they are having and that the children are outside playing in the back yard while her husband plays the violin. Gives him a detailed description of her home. Draws a small floor plan of the house. She has been busy cleaning the house, making carpets, and getting the children ready to start school. Herbert and Willie were greatly excited to receive his letters and will be writing to him again soon. She has read his letter to her friend Susan. Writes that she would like to visit the western part of the country. She is also excited for when he gets married. His…

GLC03523.42.44

21 August 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to W

Letter is signed by "Mary & Cornell." They were very happy to have received his letter and it has been a long time since he had last written. They write that Uncle John and Aunt Lydia are feeling poorly. The other family friends are well. The new house is very nice and a family friend, Justice Clarke, is building it for them. With help being scarce and Uncle John not feeling well, they gave up the idea of using stone for their house and are busy working on a frame. They provide a detailed description of the dimensions of the new house. Write about the excellent bedrooms, cellar and other…

GLC03523.42.51

5 May 1865

Fuller, Franklin W., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Written on the ammunition train of the 2nd Division of the 4th Alabama, near Nashville, Tennessee. He thanks her for sending him money as they have not received any pay yet. There are rumors that they will be paid soon but he does not expect to be paid until he is mustered out. He has sent her a package with some clothing items and a blanket; he asks her to "stow" these items away for him. Thinks only the veteran troops and the new recruits with at least one year to serve will go to Texas. There is little said about returning home but he is "confident" that they will be home by 4 July. Plans…

GLC03523.42.57

23 September 1865

Fuller, G.M., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Is glad that Franklin is doing well and is "so nicely situated" as reported in his last letter. Thinks that it must be "pleasant in the extreme" for him now that the war is at an end. Writes about all those that have suffered and sacrificed and are now able to finally return home. Has kept track of his military career with great anxiety. Knows that he longs to return home to his woman as she has gifts only a woman can give to him. Thinks that he will better appreciate peaceful life after having been away at war for so long. Apologizes for not writing sooner. Writes about the money saved,…

GLC03523.42.59