24 July 1780

Manuscript document

Title: A Return of Shells, shot and powder in possession of the United States and the Quantities of each deficient for the Service of the present Campaign, for Sixty days firing

Lists shells by gun size along with the quantity and number deficient. Also includes total cost of the shells only. Written at the War and Ordinace Office.

GLC02437.00830

July 1780

Manuscript document

Title: Proof of Powder, tried on the Plan at West Point in June & July 1780, with a 5 ½ Inch Royal and a 24 Pound Ball

Lists amount of powder used and the range of the ball in feet and yards when shot.

GLC02437.00832

2 August 1780

Perry, Joseph, fl. 1780

Autograph note signed

Title: Discharge for Jacob Baker, an Artificer

Discharge for Jacob Baker citing an illness with tuberculosis-like symptoms. Includes certification of an exam and a note from Samuel Shaw confirming the discharge. Signed by three doctors.

GLC02437.00833

4 August 1780

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: to Ezekiel Cheever

Signed by Shaw for Knox. Details a list of artillery items to send to Fishkill, New York as soon as possible.

GLC02437.00834

1780

Manuscript document

Title: Col. John Crane Dr. to the United States

Lists of accounts paid according to date, ranging from October 1775 to August 1780. Page from a ledger concerning bounties to the recruits and artillery units.

GLC02437.00837

1783-1815

Manuscript document

Title: [List of stores from 1780]

Later copy. Lists artillery supplies and stores by date. Date written in pencil.

GLC02437.00841

23 August 1780

Cheever, Ezekiel, 1720-1793

Document signed

Title: [Receipt]

Receipt for $2,500 accountable to Cheever, Comissary of Military Stores and Artillery. Written in Shaw's hand.

GLC02437.00842

12 August 1864

Epperly, Christian M., 1837-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Epperly

Reports that the Yankees are shelling the town. Says that the shelling has killed many women and children and caused great hardship. The soldiers took all the food from people's gardens. Writes that he believes the Yankees will try to flank them on the left rather than attack. Notes that William has been caught and sent to the guard house. [Possibly from attempting to desert.]

GLC02715.103

19 August 1864

Epperly, Christian M., 1837-1904

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Epperly

Notes that there are many wounded and sick men in the regiment. Reports that the Yankees bombed his position for 15 minutes and then began to talk to them about trading tobacco for coffee. Says he heard a rumor that they will be allowed to return to Virginia.

GLC02715.105

29 June 1778

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Lucy Knox

Describes the Battle of Monmouth (28 June 1778) in detail. As the British marched away from Philadelphia toward Shrewsbury, New Jersey, Continental troops under General [Charles] Lee attacked the British rear. In the ensuing battle, "My brave Lads behaved with their usual intrepidity & the Army give the Corps of Artillery their full proportion of the Glory of the day. Indeed upon the whole it is very splendid- the Capital Army of Britain defeated, and oblig'd to retreat before the Americans who they despise so much." Estimates the number of British casualties to be three times the…

GLC02437.00713

3 July 1778

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Relates that the British are moving toward Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Reports the details of the Battle of Monmouth, mentioning Generals Charles Lee and George Washington. Writes, "The Corps of Artillery have their full proportion of the Glory of the day. His Excellency the General has done them & me the honor to notice us in General orders in very pointed & flattering terms.- Indeed I was highly delighted with their coolness, bravery, and good Conduct." Estimates the British have lost a thousand men between the Battle of Monmouth and other skirmishes.

GLC02437.00714

January 21, 1863

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

They left the Nashville area on 26 December and fought almost every day on their way to Murfreesboro. He describes a very tough battle and his own close call. The Confederate guns were "so hot that they burnt our hands when we took hold of them."

GLC02739.032

3 June 1778

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Shaw, Henry Knox's aide-de-camp, apologizes for the delay in sending a box owned by William. Reports that the army plans to leave Valley Forge, and Henry Knox is unwilling "to leave any thing of his in this d-n'd State." Refers to military and political matters, noting that England ("John Bull") would leave America if it could do so decently. Comments that "La Francois" intends to speculate pretty deeply in American politics." Remarks that British papers emphasize the advantage America could gain by constitutionally uniting with England, yet the British also highlight the difference…

GLC02437.00707

30 April 1778

Nicolas, Lewis, 1717-1807

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Colonel Nicola writes, "I lately took the liberty to trouble you with some remedies for the imperfections of shells, presuming you would rather be at the trouble to read ten useless schemes than run the hazard of loosing one good one I again trespass on your time with the inclosed & shall be happy if I can in any shape contribute a mite to the benefit of the American cause."

GLC02437.00700

1777

Nicolas, Lewis, 1717-1807

Autograph manuscript

Title: Some remarks on Mr. Ressons observations on the uncertainty in throwing shells & attempts to remedy the defects that occasion this uncertainty

Technical treatise on various aspects of shells, including the casting of shells using the mold of an iron pot, fuse cases, defects in mortars, the size of powder grains, and other details. A separate page, number nine, is a drawing illustrating shell molds with an explanation for the figures on page eight. Measurements for page nine: 21.1 x 16.4 cm. Docket in Samuel Shaw's hand.

GLC02437.00701

circa 1777-1778

Nicolas, Lewis, 1717-1807

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Discussion of small cannon]

Discusses the observations of Maurice de Saxe on small cannon in his book Mes Réveries. Page two offers descriptions of figures sketched on page five, which are accomplished drawings of rifles and cannon mounts. On pages three and four, Nicola argues the advantages of the weapon he describes.

GLC02437.00703

26 April 1863

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Writing to tell her he is alright, even though it is not his turn. Says he is about 10 miles from Washington, North Carolina under batteries which have caused them a great deal of trouble for the past 3-4 weeks. It was the cause of them not going to Philadelphia. Says the rebels sneaked in and built the batteries during the night and "They built them a little back from the river so that they could not be seen when they got them finished they cut the trees down in front of them." They were also built under the ground so they could not be shelled out. Says Commodore Hull ran the gauntlet of…

GLC02829.08

30 December 1861

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Written by Allen aboard the USS "Delaware." Says he has written to "all hands" and has not received any response. Says he will not write again if he does not get a response from her. Reports that "We had an engagement on a small scale which gave us an appetite for our breakfast[.] the enemy throwed a few schells [sic] over our boat. Joe's [his brother Joseph H. Allen] vessel layed close by but they were not concerned in it so we had it all to ourselves." Says their captain is a fine man who served as a first lieutenant on the USS "Congress." His brother Joseph served on the "Congress," and…

GLC02829.05

20 June 1862

Allen, George D., fl. 1859-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Written to his sister Mary. Aboard the USS "Delaware" about 60 miles from Richmond on the James River. Says they are with the USS "Monitor." Says they have left the company of the "Mosquitoe fleet" and are now with the "ironclads." Says they are eating well: chicken, mutton, veal, cherries, strawberries, plenty of fresh milk. Reports that the enslaved people of a rebel colonel named Cass sold them a young steer they stole from him for 5 dollars. Says he is getting the gout some nights when he goes to bed. Says there are sharpshooters along the banks of the James when they travel up it, but…

GLC02829.06

9 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Marching. Near the Rappahannock and approaching Fredericksburg. Mentions artillery fighting, and long discussion of stealing from Confederate civilians: "Notwithstanding all the orders to the contrary, we soldiers dont considder [sic] it much sin to take from these secesh all that we can lay our hands on but if the Provost guards get hold of us we get walked up to 'the captains office to settle' for it. Maybe you will think that I am getting tough but I cant help it[.] Yesterday afternoon I went out with three others of Co H foraging and while we were skining a hog the provost general…

GLC04558.053

23 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Battle letter. Taking the rebel fort (mentioned in #84): "as soon as the boat touched the shore the boys piled off like a flock of sheep and as soon as they got ashore struck a dead run for the fort. Some of the officers asked the officer in command if he wasnt going to form a line and his answer was 'to hell with your line the fort is what we want' and so they strung along every man for himself. They had to run pretty much around the fort on three sides and came in partially in rear on a road.... When the rebels saw them coming they whirled one of the 24 pounder guns around so as to sweep…

GLC04558.085

25 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Reports that a federal raid captured 3,000 rebel prisoners. Also says he does not notice the boom of guns anymore. Concludes with his longing to see his children and wife.

GLC04558.086

29 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Rebels "appear ready to siege us out" and reports "Old Stonewall Jackson has sent a flag of truce [to the city] warning the citizens to leave if they didnt want to get hurt." Mentions visiting other NY regiments and describes "a queer kind of battery used" by the rebels, a "large rocket containing a bombshell" which makes no sound when launched "but a mighty whizzing as they go through the air." He says they "would be very destructive only for the difficulty of makeing them go where they want them."

GLC04558.088

17 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Now camping at a fort, mentions guns in forts, describes looking over battlefield where he fought. Comments on home news and jokes that "I might I suppose 'send up a few contraband' to work for you only Uncle Samuel wont let em go so far North." Commenting on Fredericksburg, he writes: "We knew, that that army of the Potomac is an unlucky institution, that it never has gained by one clean victory, and that was done by the Ninth Army Corps, at South Mountain. Still old Hooker last winter expressed himself very much relieved by getting rid of Burnsides Grumblers."

GLC04558.093

1 August 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Written in pencil on patriotic stationery. Describes the situation of forts ringing Charleston (Moultrie, Sumter, Wagner), and mentions that Wagner was taken last night but lost due to shelling. "...I dont like the looks of things here in general...." Notes that he is farther away from her than before. Written while aboard the steamer Adelaid.

GLC04558.108