17 May 1864

Tompkins, C.H., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Report of ammunition during artillery barrage (Wilderness). Written in pencil on letterhead for "Headquarters." Col. Tompkins was brevetted brigadier general and commanded the 6th Army Corps Artillery Brigade.

GLC02382.024

17 May 1864

Stanton, Robert A., 1839-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles H. Whittelsey

Captain Stanton reports a shortage of supplies and insufficient ordnance during Wilderness campaign. The letter was written from the Ordnance Office, probably near Cold Harbor, Virginia.

GLC02382.025

11 May 1864

Williams, Seth, 1822-1866

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Battle note with orders relayed from the Commanding General during Wilderness campaign. Written on letterhead for the Head Quarters, Army of the Potomac.

GLC02382.026

17 May 1864

Wainwright, Charles Sheils, 1826-1907

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military telegram. Reports the arrival of ammunition during Wilderness campaign. Written in pencil.

GLC02382.028

circa May 18, 1864

Wainwright, Charles Sheils, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Battle note re artillery: "I have almost no control of firing," describing positions and actions. Contains Hunt's reply on verso, questioning remaining supply. Written in pencil. The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (9-21 May) was the second battle in the 1864 Overland Campaign. Grant, whose force numbered 100,000, suffered 18,000 casualties. Lee, whose army had 52,000 men, suffered 12,000 casualties. Although Grant's losses were more numerous, Lee's army would never regain the initiative it held in early May 1864, and President Davis had to pull units from other theaters to reinforce…

GLC02382.029

17 May 1864

Wainwright, Charles Sheils, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Reports the status of artillery supplies during Spotsylvania campaign. Written in pencil on a very small piece of paper. Written from the General Artillery Brigade, 5th Corps.

GLC02382.030

18 May 1864

Wainwright, Charles Sheils, 1826-1907

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Field dispatch, written at 8 a.m., re battle of Spotsylvania Court House, during main Union assault, which was preceded by heavy artillery bombardment, directed by Hunt. Written at 8 AM. Colonel Wainwright writes to Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. Writes that General Gouverneur K. Warren "insists on a much more rapid firing than I think my supply of rifled ammunition can stand." Notes that General George Gordon Meade, commanding the Army of the Potomac, informed Warren of the location of a large supply of ammunition. Asks…

GLC02382.031

23 May 1864

Hunt, Henry Jackson, 1819-1889

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Personal military checklist]

Hunt, Chief of Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, writes in pencil on Artillery Headquarters, Army of the Potomac stationery. Notes things he needs to do, including making sure rations are drawn, obtaining several field returns, confirming that ammunition has been drawn before leaving Fredericksburg, Virginia, etc. Cites one captain's refusal to act as commissary, and mentions the 2nd, 5th, and 6th corps of infantry. Lists other notes. Possibly written in Virginia. Content pertains to the campaign of Cold Harbor.

GLC02382.032

3 June 1864

Hunt, Henry Jackson, 1819-1889

Autograph note signed

Title: [Questions regarding munitions]

A field dispatch written during the Battle of Cold Harbor. Hunt signs with initials. Hunt asks Col. Charles H. Tompkins how many batteries have been engaged and arms expended and whether he can spare ammunition for Capt. Elder. A Tompkins autograph note signed on verso says "Have five (5) batteries engaged. Have expended about 100 rounds per gun. Not known exactly…." Offers to provide ammunition to Captain Elder, but may need it himself. The Battle of Cold Harbor, part of the Overland Campaign, pitted Grant against Lee in one of the war's bloodiest engagements. At dawn on 3 June 1864,…

GLC02382.033

4 October 1867

Hunt, Henry Jackson, 1819-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox Craig

Hunt calls Emory Upton's book A New System of Infantry Tactics, Double and Single Rank a "botched application of a stolen principle." Hunt had been a member of a three-man board that revised field artillery drill and tactics, and published a revered manual on the topic. Claims that Upton stole his ideas, but "failed to apply the principle properly to the infantry, or to understand the fullness of its value..." Refers to William F. Barry, who had served with him on the board. Discusses the evils of current times; does not think that political conservatives will carry elections in Iowa, Ohio,…

GLC02382.035

28 July 1863

McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

States that his failure to reply to Hunt's former correspondence was due to his lack of faith in the army post office. Instructs Hunt not to give up his command as Chief of the Artillery. Says "I look forward to being back in command, some of these days, perhaps not until March 5 1865….Give my kindest regards to my friends, & remember who they are." Looks forward to being "back in command"(with the date referring to his upcoming campaign for the presidency). Hopes Hunt continues to advance in rank. Writes "I have watched our old Army of the Potomac with a heavy heart... " Has seen F.J. […

GLC02382.060

9 November 1791

Darke, William, 1736-1801

Autograph document signed

Title: to George Washington

Written from Fort Washington, near present-day Cincinnati, Ohio. Battle report providing extensive details of the defeat of General [Arthur] St. Clair at the hands of the Miami Indians on the Northwest Frontier. Docketed by George Washington.

GLC02437.05233

14 October 1792

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Discusses War Department matters that, in his opinion, should be mentioned to the legislature at the next session. Notes that arsenals are needed in the middle and southern states. Transmits a letter from Governor Lee. Proposes to travel east the following day to see his family. Knox's retained draft.

GLC02437.05651

20 August 1793

Anderson, John, 1726-1796

Manuscript document signed

Title: to George Washington

Titles the document "The Memorial." Writes discussing inventions. States "[t]hat he has invented a Bronze Guns Metal, which has the advantage of Common Iron Guns, and of Common Brass Guns, without their imperfections. That he has invented a Carriage for Guns; by which the recoil of the Gun is distroyed, without giving motion to the Carriage." Believes that these inventions will be very useful and writes that "because they were brought to the test of experiment by French Armies under the Generals [Marquis de] La Fayette, [Comte de] Rochambeau, [Charles François Du Périer] Dumourier, and…

GLC02437.10273

circa 1776-1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: [List]

List of various weapons and ammunition "for a siege." Includes poundage and amounts.

GLC02437.08354

1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: Book of Accounts - Regiment of Artillery Commanded by Colo. Henry Knox 1776

Account book is written in two hands, one unknown, and the other Samuel Shaw. Relates to officers serving under Knox in the artillery in 1776. Each entry is accompanied by Shaw's notes as to whether the account was settled, adjusted, etc. Many of Shaw's notes indicate, "settled" or "adjusted in account current with Chs. Knowles." Entries relate to officers such as Thomas Foster, Edward Burbeck, Eliphelet Newell, William Perkins, Jotham Drury, Henry Burbeck, Ebenezer Stevens, Stephen Badlam, David Mason, John Crane, William Dana, etc. It is reported on the cover that all expenses in the…

GLC02437.08393

13 April 1794

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes about the impending war and declares that Knox should "give up any consideration for the common or public good of our country." Discusses the necessity of finding an "American" engineer to help prevent the "enemy" from learning the strengths of their ports. Recommends searching for "geniuses in America" and to have the government give them as much assistance it can afford. Also, suggests New York having four companies of artillery during war and two during peace. "Free" stamped on address leaf with no signature.

GLC02437.06077

14 December 1793

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: to George Washington

Writes concerning a "return of the Ordnance Arms and Military stores in possession of the United States." States that many of these stores accumulated in several areas as a result of the revolution and wishes to find better permanent housing for them. Writes, "[t]he important characteristics for magazines and arsenals seem to be perfect security against enemies, internal and external, blended with an easy access by water. The expence of land transportation of heavy articles for a series of years compared with that by water, renders the latter quality indispensible for a magazine." Goes on…

GLC02437.10288

July 9, 1780

De Kalb, Johann, 1721-1780

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Caswell

Letter signed as "Baron de Kalb." Writes to Major General Caswell about the Camden campaign. Discusses trouble procuring provisions. Judges that it would not be prudent to travel "not even to Cole's bridge with our whole Body of Troops, for we durst not expose parties of Collecting Provisions, when the Enemies are So near, So Superior in Cavalry & for what I know in Infry; if you would chuse not to go as far as Cole's Bridge but halt Where you now are...We might with propriety reassure our plan for Coxe's." Notes that he will send back some artillery to lighten their traveling load. Also…

GLC01766

1 June 1826

Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848

Printed document signed

Title: [Commission of James W. Ripley as Captain in the Fourth Regiment of Artillery]

Engraved document signed by Adams as president and countersigned by James Barbour as secretary of war. Includes a paper seal. A note on the side signed by "R. Jones" indicated that it was "Registered Vol: 2 page 59" in the attorney general's office. Ripley later became a general in the Civil War.

GLC01492

July 20, 1861

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Informs his wife, Jane, of his travels from Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., through Alexandria with a company of 120 men, supported by artillery men from Rhode Island Governor William Sprague's "celebrated Rhode Island Battery." States that he is in camp south of Alexandria, and will march for Fairfax Court House in the morning en route to Bull Run. Reports that the previous day at Bull Run, the Union lost several hundred men, while Confederate forces lost over one thousand. Refers to the actions of the New York and Massachusetts 8th Regiments. Writes, "A Desperate fight has been…

GLC01505.01

April 11, 1864

Brisbin, James S. (James Sanks), 1837-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jane Brisbin

Discusses the Battle of Sabine Crossroads with Jane, his wife. Writes, "We have had a great battle. Three days fighting. The 1st day we whipped them. The 2nd day they whipped us and the third day we whipped them. The fighting was dreadful and we have lost terribly. In the 2nd days fight, my horse had his head blown off by a shell and fell on me holding me fast. I came near being captured but got my leg out from under him and mounted on a rebel horse whose rider had been shot, I escaped from the field. I have the horse, saddle and bridle." States his company lost supplies and personal money in…

GLC01505.05

December 3, 1755

Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Hunter

With autograph free frank. Franklin says that "By our late Act I am engag'd in the Disposition of the 60,000 pounds," money given to him by the Pennsylvania legislature to raise a militia for defense of the state's borders during the French and Indian war. He then asks about "a train of artillery, arms, etc." arriving in Virginia. A personal letter.

GLC01656

January 19, 1870

Dahlgren, John Adolphus Bernard, 1809-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to T. Apoleon Cheney

Letter written by Dahlgren as commander of the Washington Navy Yard. References Cheney's notes from January 6 and 10. Has not responded because of the "many demands on my time." Says some of the books he has requested are procurable and will be forwarded, although a copy of his own book, "Shells and Shell-Guns," is not available. Says the war kept him from literary pursuits and that he only has one copy of the book left "and cannot buy another at any price." Regrets that he cannot send a copy because "it is my principal work and exposes the principles on which I concerted the present Armament…

GLC01545.09

8 March 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francois Marie, comte de Aboville

Responds to Aboville's last letter (see GLC02437.01350). Discusses the loss of cannon: "Your surprize and astonishment must have been great indeed that Machines so important and essential to the defence of a country would be placed in so negligent a manner as to be destroyed or rendered unserviceable by a single malignant person. But you judged right my dear Sir when you informed [his Excellency] Genl Rochambeau that I had no knowledge of them." Comments on the acquisition of military stores by the state of Virginia, and declares that General Washington will begin to negotiate with Virginia…

GLC02437.01365