27 April 1865

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph E. Johnston

Written one day after General Johnston's surrender to Major General Sherman. Sherman's letter concerns repatriation of Confederate troops, providing supplies to Confederate troops, and Sherman's hope that the wounds of war can be healed. Informs of his orders to General John M. Schofield to facilitate the return of the men to their homes. Gives his view on the end of the war, "Now that the war is over I am willing to risk my person & reputation as heretofore, to heal the Wound made by the Past War. And I think my feeling is shared by the whole Army." Continues on to comment on some…

GLC03260

1861-1862 circa

Whiting, William H., 1824-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wade Hampton

Forwards information to Hampton that was obtained from a spy of General Holmes'. The spy, "Dr Vauchamps," claims "65000 men are to land immediately below Mathias point that Johnston is not to be attacked till after Fredericksburg is taken." Is not sure the report is accurate and advises Hampton "you had better not push your movement farther on the Occoquan but resume your position to be able to take advantage of circumstances." The letter is undated, but was most likely written at some point shortly before McClellan began his Peninsula campaign, in which case the report would be at least…

GLC03516

27 October 1861

Lee, Robert E., 1807-1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel G. French re: coordinating Va. Govt. and militia with C.S.A. Govt.

GLC03491

April 18, 1859

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Horatio G. Wright

Discussing the poor health of a "promising...young officer" and possibility of "another such terrible epidemic" as had recently hit the men.

GLC03499

May 10, 1862

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Broadside

Title: [Broadside version of a letter to Braxton Bragg]

Printed broadside version of a letter from Beauregard to Braxton Bragg encouraging aggressive tactics. Bragg had the letter printed as a broadside "for the information and guidance of this army." States "When without orders or at a loss to know what to do in action, they must rapidly advance in the direction of the heaviest firing-for the art of war consists in the concentration of masses against fractions of masses; moreover, our motto should be 'Forward, and always forward,' until victory may perch decisively upon our banners. The more rapid the attack, the weaker, habitually, the…

GLC03514

09 May 1907

Mosby, John S., 1833-1916

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sam Chapman

Written on stationery of the Department of Justice. Discusses Grant's endorsement of Lee's pardon after the war, and Johnson's refusal to grant it. He discusses politics during the Reconstruction era. He comments "there was more vindictiveness shown to me by the Virginia people for my voting for Grant than the North showed to me for fighting four years against him." Various politicians and judges mentioned.

GLC03293

February 23, 1861

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Francis W. Pickens re: introducing Maj. Whiting, to survey Charleston forts

Written as President of the Confederate States, to Gov. Pickens of South Carolina. Docketed by Pickens on the verso.

GLC03308

1866

Bledsoe, Albert Taylor, 1809-1877

Book

Title: Is Davis a traitor; or was secession a constitutional right previous to the War of 1861?

Published by Innes & Company. Contains twenty chapters discussing secession.

GLC03114

7 July 1863

Greeley, Horace, 1811-1872

Newspaper

Title: New York tribune. [Vol. 23, no. 6944 (July 7, 1863)]

"The Great Victory" at Gettysburg including a battlefield map with full accounts and lists of the dead and wounded. Reports from Meade, Kilpatrick, Couch, cavalry attacks, Lee's retreat, the Army of the Cumberland. Discussion of Vicksburg and an imminent battle there. Includes reports from Europe on page 5. Features stamp of "H. Wooster".

GLC03118

14 April 1865

Newspaper

Title: The World. [Vol. V., no. 1501 (April 14, 1865)]

Covers the issues surrounding General Robert E. Lee's surrender and the end of the Civil War. Announces that drafting and recruiting has stopped, that Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston will be urged to surrender, and details the pursuit of Lee's army up to the surrender, the Appomattox campaign. Prints articles on the news of various states, mostly related to the end of the war. Includes an item on the reconstruction movement in Virginia, and an article about Richmond in the aftermath. Other articles detail international, political, court, and ship news, advertisements, and public…

GLC03119

30 March 1862

Stanton, Edwin M. (Edwin McMasters), 1814-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

To an unnamed Union General hoping he improves from his wounds and stating his importance to the Union cause. Addressed simply to "Dear General," who was recently wounded while fighting Stonewall Jackson's forces. States that his recovery is essential to the Union's success in the war. Docket notes "A friendly letter."

GLC03817.01

10 March 1864

Steele, Frederick, 1819-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ulysses S. Grant

Steele, commander of the Department of Arkansas, writes to Lieutenant General Grant, commander of the Military Division of the Mississippi (just before Grant became commander-in-chief of the United States Army). Corresponded with Generals William Sherman and Nathaniel Banks regarding an expedition against Shreveport, Louisiana. Remarks, "they are both mistaken in regard to the strength of my command and also in regard to the situation of affairs in my Dept." Intends to transmit copies of his correspondence with Banks. Declares, "The forces under Banks will make Kirby Smith run without a…

GLC03834

24 June 1880

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Document signed

Title: [Order to Secretary of State to accredit James Longstreet as Minister to Ottoman Empire]

President Hayes orders Secretary of State William M. Evarts "to cause the Seal of the United States to be affixed to envelope containing letter accrediting James Longstreet as Minister President to the Ottoman Empire." Longstreet, a prominent Confederate General and military advisor to Robert E. Lee, became a Republican after the war, angering the populace of the mostly Democratic South. His allegiance to the Republican Party earned him choice positions of patronage, including the ambassadorship to the Ottoman Empire. He only served for one year in Turkey before returning to America to take…

GLC03843

July 17, 1861

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Letter signed

Title: to Richard S. Ewell

Brigadier General Commanding Beauregard writes to General Ewell to give instructions on troop position and permit an attack on Centreville, if the opportunity arises. Letter written shortly before the First Battle of Bull Run.

GLC03782

February 4, 1862

Early, Jubal Anderson, 1816-1894

Autograph letter signed

Title: to A. P. Mason

Brigadier General Early writes to Major Mason requesting information about recruiting and re-enlisting men. With Mason's 5 February 1862 autograph note signed, on verso of Early's letter, answering Early's questions. Written from "Head Quarters."

GLC03783

30 June 1863

Hill, Daniel H., 1821-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry A. Wise

Confederate Major General Hill writes to General Wise, expressing approval of Wise's troop's disposition and their burning of bridges. Hill reports in a postscript that James Ewell Brown Stuart captured Fairfax Court House (27 June).

GLC03784

25 October 1866

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James M. Mason re: Jefferson Davis' imprisonment, his law career in England

Cross-written on p. 1. Benjamin mentions that Pres. Johnson is intimidated by the Radical Republicans from releasing Davis. He mentions his legal career in England and says he saw Slidell in Paris.

GLC03787

26 May 1863

Bragg, Braxton, 1817-1876

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Phillip Dale Roddey

General Bragg, commander of the Army of Tennessee, writes "Enemy reported sending troop from Corinth to Grant." Requests Roddy to verify the information and report back as soon as possible.

GLC03788

30 October 1862

Lovell, Mansfield, 1822-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Lovell

Confederate Major General Lovell writes to his son concerning his belief that the Emancipation Proclamation would create dissension in the North and ultimately aid the Confederacy. "I think Lincoln's proclamation will produce dissensions and trouble at the North, and will thus indirectly benefit our Cause. The Democratic party there is not willing to go headlong into any abolition war." Comments on Joseph's improvements in arithmetic and tells him to be a good boy and take care of his mother.

GLC03790

20 March 1863

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Letter signed

Title: to Braxton Bragg

Davis tells General Bragg that he is glad Bragg's threat of force against the Georgia State Railroad to forward arms and ammunition did not need to be carried out. Notes that the Georgia Governor Joseph E. Brown, who had complained about Bragg's plan to seize the railroad, contended that he was doing all he could to help. Advises Bragg to ask for aid from the governor in the future, in fulfillment of his view that "Any conflict between Confederate and State authorities...should always be avoided if possible." Docketed by Bragg.

GLC03803

January 31, 1864

Wise, Henry A., 1806-1876

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William B. Taliaferro

Describing various kinds of food available, and inviting Taliaferro to come and take some for himself.

GLC03812

06 May 1864

Photograph signed

Title: Carte de visite of Basil Wilson Duke

Basil Duke as Confederate prisoner of war at Fort Delaware. Signed on mount. Written at Fort Delaware

GLC03819

16 October 1861

Polk, Leonidas, 1806-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas J. Churchill

Major General Polk (Confederate) informs Colonel Churchill "In the absence of Gnl Johnston your letter has been handed to me. I regret to say we have no arms to offer your command." Replies to a question posed by Major General Lewis (possibly Joseph Horace Lewis), stating "we would receive your Regt with this Column with pleasure if it were offered and armed." Instructs Churchill to place three new guns (which were, according to Lewis, in the Cumberland Gap) at General Felix Kirk Zollicoffer's disposal. Discusses the acquisition of guns and horses for Zollicoffer's reinforcement.

GLC03820

1868

Stanton & Butler

Photograph signed

Title: [Carte de visite of G.T. Beauregard]

G. T. (Gustave Toutant) Beauregard (1818-1893), full length in civilian clothes.

GLC03823

February 12, 1862

Pendleton, Alexander S., 1840-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Anzolette Page

Writes to ask his mother if his sisters, Mary and Rose, may travel to Richmond, Virginia to attend the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as Confederate President. Humorously phrases the request in military terms, describing the request for a "furlough" and his asking as part of a "solemn conspiracy" for which she "will be ready to cry treason!" Notes that his sister has written to their father for permission also. Goes into details about money and where they will stay to allay her fears.

GLC03844