1773

Manuscript document

Title: Memoranda of expenses from N York to Boston

Lists all of the expenses incurred travelling from New York City to Boston. Items include shoes, rye, ferry fare, shoeing for horses, the amount spent at each stop (Fairfield, Seabrook, New London, etc) and others. Date previously inferred, written in pencil.

GLC02437.08323

5 May 1785

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Webber

Expresses his gratitude for the care Webber has taken to assist his brother William, who suffered from mental illness. Mentions a box of books, sent from London by Sharp, that were damaged in transit. Writes, "I am not well acquainted with the state of my brothers affairs..." Extensively discusses the details of business transactions left unattended by William. Relates that he will not be able to travel to London to care for William, due to the demands of his family and his recent acceptance of the post of Secretary at War. Asks that Webber send William to Boston and financially support…

GLC02437.03139

6 June 1785

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Webber

Knox writes to Webber, a London merchant and close friend of his brother, William Knox. Urges Webber to arrange for William's passage to America, possibly on Captain Coffin's ship or the next vessel that will accept him. Discusses business transactions left unattended by William, mentioning the firm Smith & Loring, the possible sale of the Birmingham, and the sale of carpeting.

GLC02437.03151

25 November 1827

Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Paige

Relates his tumultuous travels to brother-in-law Paige en route to New York while on board the ship, "The Fanny." Informs that he acquired a team of horses to continue by land to New Haven, Connecticut, and attests to his family's well-being, stating that the worst they experienced was seasickness. Instructs Paige to inform Mr. Blake (possibly George Blake, a family friend in Boston) of the family's location. Document written at eight o'clock. Year added in pencil at a later date.

GLC01946.05

5 December 1862

Wood, Matthew, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Wood

Written at Camp Zanesville to his wife. Talks of arrival at Camp Zanesville via steam boat ("smoke boat.") His goods were lost in shipping between home and the camp. Finally, tells his wife if she sends $100 quickly, he could come home, as he won't be mustered in for another week or so. First page is quite faded. Stationery shows an image of the American flag and reads "Long may it wave."

GLC02176.01

16 April 1864

Wood, Matthew, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Wood

Written from Nashville, Tennessee to his wife. Was sent to Nashville to retrieve a horse, but there are many cavalrymen waiting for horses. Compares the cold weather to Ohio winters. Describes the terrain of East Tennessee, the abundance of fruits, and compares Tennessee farms to Ohio farms and Tennessee tree species. Mentions the cemetery where General Felix Zollicofer is buried, and the tomb of Stonewall Jackson. Mentions again he has not received any letters from his wife in a while. Discusses ephemeral nature of life and how he looks forward to a more peaceful afterlife.

GLC02176.14

25 April 1864

Wood, Matthew, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Wood

Written from Camp Smith to his wife. Describes spells of depression after sinning. Continues speaking of trust in God. Mentions receiving some old letters. Says the Colonel is determined to keep them there on duty, even if they have to ride mules. Tells of Company G which was captured by guerillas after sleeping without sufficient guard in a barn. Finally, describes failing at quitting tobacco: "remember I said I was a going to to quit using tobacco and send you the price it was costing me but you see I tried it a while but no go I believe I would have went Crazy or got sick or done both so I…

GLC02176.16

17 September 1864

Wood, Matthew, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Wood

Written from Camp Smith near Nashville, Tennessee to his wife. Mentions being in the hospital, some of his comrades are in pursuit of General Joseph Wheeler's cavalry. Discusses tobacco he uses in camp. His regiment will go to Louisville, Kentucky to get horses and then proceed to the front (most likely with Sherman in Atlanta). Includes small illustrations of a pointing hand and a heart pierced with an arrow.

GLC02176.20

4 August 1863

Jones, John, fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Writes "I don't think my poor body can stand much more severe broiling." Mentions his first experience on a mule.

GLC05981.31

13 November 1773

Putnam, James, 1756-1838

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox [incomplete]

Discusses a book order and settlement of his account. A note at the bottom addressed to Clark Chandler asks if Chandler has a team going to Boston this week and, if so, asks if he could transport a box. Putnam was among the Massachusetts merchants stigmatized as Hutchinson "Addresses" for signing addresses to British Governor Hutchinson when he departed from Massachusetts in 1774. Some words are missing from paper loss at the edges of the document.

GLC02437.00095

17 September 1864

Brunt, William, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Awaits the return of his wife and children to camp. The repair of the direct road to Nashville, Tennessee may make Brunt's camp into a supply station. The camp is connected by boat, train and road. Happily reports that he has gotten two black women jobs as school teachers. Proudly copies two letters from his commanding colonel, both of which praise Brunt highly for his hard work.

GLC07006.09

20 March 1777

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Mentions his plan to "enter the Service" once he raises a certain sum, which he is confident he will have soon. He has bought two hundred pounds worth of quills, paper, and similar articles from Newburry, and thinks they will be easy to turn a profit on since they are scarce in Boston. William and Lucy Knox had reopened the bookshop that Henry had operated before the war, and tried to sell these items there. States that he ran into Joshua Wentworth of Portsmouth, who informed him of the arrival of a French vessel carrying a large cargo of arms for the Continental Army. French officers…

GLC02437.00555

23 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Says that since William's happiness is important to him, he will not prevent his brother from joining the army once William has completed certain essential family business. Arranges for William to pick up his baggage from various spots in New England. Asks William to purchase clothing for him, and advises him to learn to ride before joining the army. Believes "if we had our army or a large part of it on the Spot we should be able to give Great Britain so deep a wound that the very remembrance of it would make her bleed...more for fifty years hence - every thing however is right & all…

GLC02437.00556

1 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph manuscript

Title: Construction of a carriage for cannon which have their trunnions broken off [incomplete]

Drawing of a special carriage for a cannon, with the comment "A carriage for a Cannon if the trunnions be broken off. Many Cannon are mounted upon this construction at Boston." Trunnions are the knobs on both sides of a cannon that form the axis on which it pivots and hold it in place. Title from docket. The lower portion of the document may be missing.

GLC02437.00541

12 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Arrived last evening after a long trip. The roads past Hartford were so bad that "the Slay" and much of the baggage had to be abandoned. Has heard a report that at Spanktown, modern day Rahway, "our people" killed and wounded five hundred of the British during a foraging raid. Expresses his anguish over parting with her. Warns her that smallpox is spreading near her, and suggests "you and your little image" get inoculated. Warns her not to drink or stay too near fire afterward. Asks her to take care of some business affairs, saying "this is making you quite a woman of business." Also…

GLC02437.00549

16 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander McDougall

Has procured a large amount of shot from Ogden, the owner of a local iron works. Asks McDougall to procure a vessel from the quartermaster at Peekskill on which to send the shot to Albany, where it is badly needed by General Schuyler at Ticonderoga. Ogden most likely refers to Uzal Ogden, 1705-1780, a local iron manufacturer.

GLC02437.00551

February 27, 1863

Anderson, W., fl. 1863

Manuscript signed

Title: Orders for leave of absence

Captain John Buyers is granted a leave of absence to attend to urgent private business. A second note states that due to lack of transportation on the date of 27 February, 1863, the leave of absence will take into affect on March 4, 1863. The document is cross written and indicates that the paper was also used as some type of receipt.

GLC02016.125

29 July 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to parents

Went and picked some berries for dinner on Sunday night. Regiment was then ordered to the top of a nearby hill to set up an encampment. "It now looks as though we shall have a good rest." Thinks they will stay there until the corps can be filled out with new soldiers and horses. Army wagons also need to be repaired and the men need to rest if they are to embark on another grueling campaign. Lice outbreak at camp forced many to wash their clothes and put them back on while they were still wet. "I have not had a dry shirt or pair of pants on me since we left Falmouth." Has sweat more this…

GLC09355.013

18 October 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to parents

Once again has gone into the field. In camp about 100 rods away from the 10th Massachusetts. Joined the brigade this morning after leaving New York City on Wednesday. Just saw Sid and the rest of his regiment. Engine on their train broke down, demonstrating "our usual good luck." In the front line of battle. "I don't think we shall have a fight here although we can't tell" for sure. Was taken out of the guard house the morning they left New York, and was "ordered to report to my company which I did and am with them now." Presumes he has finished that ordeal.

GLC09355.024

29 October 1863

Clapp, George, fl. 1839-1892

Autograph letter signed

Title: to parents

Received two letters from them, one on the 20th and one on the 23rd. Has been on the march ever since he was at Centerville, so he has not had time to write. Marched 15 miles to Gainesville and then to New Baltimore. Later received orders to march to 5 miles to Warrenton that night. Since arriving, "we have laid out no less than 5 camps and moved again from one to the other." Town center is "in plain sight from our camp." There are 50,000 troops in the area. Does not know where the Confederate troops are. On account of the damage Lee's army did to the railroad during the Gettysburg Campaign…

GLC09355.025

2 November 1861

Wright, Augustus Romaldus, 1813-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Miller A. Wright

Augustus tells Miller he will find notice of his discharge in the mail. This, he says, is for the purpose of getting Miller transferred to Augustus' legion. Augustus communicates the arrangements he has made for the transportation of Miller and his belongings to the position.

GLC02691.11.020

3 November 1861

Wright, Augustus Romaldus, 1813-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Miller A. Wright

With the letter, Augustus leaves $15 for transportation home, and some miscellaneous details.

GLC02691.11.021

1815-1860

Bachelder, John B. (John Badger), 1825-1894

Sketch

Title: [pencil. horse rider watching covered wagon]

unfinished sketch in oval. Frontier flavor

GLC02673.27

4 July 1945

Greenfield, Alvin, 1924-1946

V-Mail

Title: to Mr. and Mrs. Greenfield

Alvin writes that the weather has held up the ship that is bound for the U.S.

GLC09414.1572

1 June 1919

W.M.H., Osburn, & Co., fl. 1919

Autograph document

Title: bill for R.C. Bruce

specialists in cadillac cars

GLC09400.609