January 19 1781

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

Document signed

Title: Printed letter signed re: invasion & defense of Virginia

Circular notice signed as Governor of Virginia concerning Benedict Arnold's invasion of Va. and defense measures. Addressed to Berkeley County. Mentions musters for militia and required supplies. Lined on verso.

GLC00448

1906

Pinkerton, Allan, 1819-1884

Pamphlet

Title: History and evidence of the passage of Abraham Lincoln from Harrisburg, Pa. to Washington, D. C. on the 22d and 23d of February, 1861

Documents the attempted assassination of then President-elect Abraham Lincoln on his way to his inauguration. Written in response to a published letter by John A. Kennedy, who claimed, along with his detective force, the responsibility of discovering the plot and stated "I know nothing of any connection of Mr. Pinkerton with the matter." Pinkerton explains this with "In this respect, Mr. Kennedy spoke the truth: he did not know of my connection with the passage of Mr. Lincoln, nor was it my intention that he should know of it. Secrecy is the one thing most neccessary to the success of the…

GLC00267.276

February 5, 1781

Martin, Luther, 1748-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Sim Lee

Luther informs Lee about criminal cases tried in court and their outcomes. Thomas Laughlin was convicted of highway robbery and attempted murder to a blind man, Horner and Keith were convicted of breaking into the house of Moses McCubben. Discusses someone named Shoemaker who petitioned the governor of Virginia to become a citizen. Also mentions that Shoemaker told Mr. Lindenberger that there were people in town corresponding with the enemy. They offered Shoemaker a chance to escape if he became a spy and gathered information on the flour ships. Martin was an attorney and a delegate to the…

GLC01450.103

July 9, 1778

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Francis Barber

Letter addressed to Barber in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, where he was recovering from a wound received at the Battle of Monmouth. Washington instructs Barber to obtain intelligence on the British movements across the Hudson river in New York while in New Jersey. He informs that any expenses will be repaid. Washington expresses relief that Barber's wound is healing. He states that, "Tho I wish for your services, I would not have you to rejoin the Army before your condition will admit of it, with the most perfect safety." Text of the letter and the address are written in the hand of Washington'…

GLC01201

1763-1791

Macaulay, Catharine, 1731-1791

Header Record

Title: Correspondence of Catharine Macaulay [Decimalized .01- .63]

Collection of correspondence of Catharine Macaulay Graham with various people from England, Scotland, France, and America, including a folder of transcripts of letters not included in this collection. Materials in this collection consist of retained drafts, letters received, drafts written on other letters, and some occasional pieces. According to a later note in GLC 1795, these letters were returned by her second husband William Graham to daughter Catharine Sophia Macaulay Gregorie. Some letters are in French. A full inventory is available, and transcripts of some letters are also…

GLC01794

20 October 1863

Fullerton, J. Quincy, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Spy report regarding reconnaissance against Confederate forces led by Confederate General Alfred Eugene Jackson (1807-1889), whom he refers to as "Mudwall." Describes his journey with 30 men of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry Volunteers across Virginia and West Virginia. Reports a skirmish with the enemy which interrupted their much needed rest and states, "...seeing our efforts to drive the enemy with our revolvers were useless we continued on towards the railroad." They continued on into Tennessee, along Iron Mountain, and into North Carolina where "Here we were most welcome...citizens came…

GLC01904

3 August 1862

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Marked unofficial. Brigadier General Hayes writes, as Lieutenant Colonel of the 23rd Regiment of Ohio Volunteers, to Scammon, his superior, as commander of the 1st Brigade. Expresses his disappointment over the detention of a Mr. Landcraft and a Mrs. Roberts. States, "I believe Mr. L is a good man and friendly to us and our cause." Of Mrs. Roberts he states, "has a rebel husband, but she is a lady and a mother. Her detention is needless, therefore cruel and I think disgraceful. Mr. L we can keep on suspicion, no great harm done, but to prosecute Mrs. R. is a business that I want to be…

GLC02032

8 December 1846

Perry, Matthew Calbraith, 1794-1858

Autograph letter signed

Title: to David Connor

Written aboard the U.S.S. Mississippi, Perry discusses visiting Captain George E. Lambert of HMS Endymion regarding two prisoners who were taken aboard the Palsot for attempting to reconnoiter the enemies' powder magazine and brought to Vera Cruz. Perry mentions the departure of the Morris, a ship carrying provisions for Connor's ship, the McLane, and suggests he stock up on water while in Tampico, Mexico.The war with Mexico brought Perry the principal wartime command of his career. He was initially sent to the Gulf of Mexico as vice commodore of the American squadron with orders to relieve…

GLC02354

5 May 1862

Burnside, Ambrose Everett, 1824-1881

Letter signed

Title: to Edwin M. Stanton

Signed as Major General commanding in the Department of North Carolina. Writes to the Secretary of War to report on the positions and activities of various troops and generals. "From information obtained through our Spies, I am Satisfied that the force in the neighborhood of Kinston and Goldsboro is diminishing rather than increasing; we had to-day a Cavalry Regiment and two batteries of Artillery ... " Mentions the positions of Confederate Generals Robert Ransom, Lawrence Branch, and Theophilus H. Holmes. Says that he will be glad to receive reinforcements. Stresses the importance of…

GLC02196

11 July 1862

Scammon, Eliakim Parker, 1816-1894

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Scammon endorsement on an autograph letter signed from John H. Groce]

Writes to Scammon, Colonel commanding the 1st Prov. Brigade in Camp Jones, West Virginia, about Confederate informers. Informs Scammon of "a suspicious looking man skulking along the road" whom they brought with them into camp but escaped on route. Groce sent men in pursuit. He learned today that a group of Bushwhackers is forming six miles from here and that they have "a route some where between here and Flat Top by which information is carried backward and forward to the enemy, women being the messengers." On verso is a lengthy autograph endorsement signed by Scammon reacting to this…

GLC02414.004

18 December 1862

Ewing, Hugh B., 1826-1905

Letter signed

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Writes to Brigadier General Scammon, commanding 2nd Division Kanawha. Introduces an informant named Henry McGlaughlin, a citizen of Virginia and a former scout for the 30th Regiment O.V.I. [Ohio Volunteer Infantry?]. There is an autograph endorsement on the verso, possibly by Scammon but unsigned, noting the location of Confederate Generals John B. Floyd and Humphrey Marshall.

GLC02414.007

February 3, 1863

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Manuscript telegram

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Colonel Hayes replies to General Scammon that he knows nothing of a Mr. Taylor and his reports but he will check into it. Year is inferred as 1863 because of the locations and the correspondents's military rank. Telegram on stationary of the U.S. Military Telegraph.

GLC02414.015

20 March 1862

Scammon, Eliakim Parker, 1816-1894

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jacob D. Cox

Writes to Brigadier General Cox in Charleston, [West] Virginia. Reports on Lieutentant Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes's scouting information about the movements of the Confederates. ""Lt. Col. Hays has information from Newburn ... Cavy 600 or 700 hundred ... at Princeton. Two Regts of Infy at or near there ... Heath [Henry Heth] & Marshall [Humphrey Marshall] in command of Rebels and S.W.V.a There is, doubtless, a gathering of the whole about the mouth of Blue Stone [River]." Year inferred from Scammon rank as Colonel. Heth was a Confederate Major General noted mostly for his actions at…

GLC02414.017

7 March 1863

Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893

Manuscript letter

Title: to Eliakim P. Scammon

Copy. Writes that he does not know much about a man named John Packhard "but after a rigid cross examination I believe him to be a german deserter who may be trusted ..."

GLC02414.018

3 April 1862

Scammon, Eliakim Parker, 1816-1894

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Rutherford B. Hayes

Colonel Scammon reports on an informant, "John H. Patterson, Little Meadows-Fayette Co. Says that 130 Secesh troops Inf & Cav were at Knapp's Mill on Lick Creek on Tuesday." Asks him to find out more about this information. States that these men might be captured if they are surprised when going by Richmond's Ferry. Year inferred from Scammon's rank as Colonel.

GLC02414.029

7 March 1799

Pickering, Timothy, 1745-1829

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Pitcairn

Written by Pickering as Secretary of State to Pitcairn as American Consul in Hamburg. Based on previous information from Pitcairn, Pickering says dispatches sealed in false bottoms of tubs owned by three mulattoes, one white man, and one white woman have been seized. Pickering forwarded the information to South Carolina Governor Edward Rutledge, who had the dispatches seized from the ship Minerva in Charleston. They are being examined by General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Encloses a report and two copies of Elbridge Gerry's correspondence, which are not included.

GLC02381

11 April 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: Memorandum

Memorandum of a meeting of Vice President John Adams, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, and Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Knox's resulting discussion with Lieutenant Colonel [George] Beckwith about Lord Dorchester in Canada and Indian relations, as well as Great Britain's interests in North America. The opening statement of the document reads, " Memorandum of a conversation which passed between the subscriber and Lt. Colonel Beckwith who seems charged with some sort of an informal political commission by Lord Dorchester."

GLC02437.04915

2 October 1791

Beckwith, George, 1753-1823

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Reports that he did himself the honor to visit Knox this morning in order to invite him to dinner at the City Tavern the following Tuesday at 4 o'clock. Notes that Knox will have the opportunity to "meet your neighbour & friend Mr. Laurence." States that he is "Anxious to promote the benign purposes of peace! good humour! and intercourse! I am happy at all times in the being employed in whatever may have a tendency to promote such objects, which cannot conclude better than by a little eating and drinking."

GLC02437.05181

September 9, 1782

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Letter signed

Title: to Gen. David Forman

Letter written in the hand of Washington's aide-de-camp Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. Written two months before the signing of the first provisional peace treaty between Great Britain and the United States in Paris on November 30, during the uneasy lull that followed American victory at Yorktown in September 1781. As Brigadier General of New Jersey militia, Forman had acted as Washington's watchman since 1780 by keeping the Commander in Chief advised of enemy movements off the coast. Even after ratification of the peace treaty, it was not until November 1783 that British troops entirely evacuated…

GLC01783

July 8, 1780

Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Titus Homer

Encloses a certificate from the Board of War (not included), needed to settle his pay. Arnold informs Homer that he will accept the command of West Point. Although Homer was a friend of Arnold, he probably was unaware of his treasonous plans. Possibly a retained draft, with several deletions in the text by Arnold.

GLC01542

21 April 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Relates some of his experiences at the commissioner meeting in Elizabeth Town to negotiate a prisoner exchange. Suspects that many of the propositions the patriots made were discussed in New York by a council before any decisions were made by the British. Believes they "never shall obtain justice or equal treatment from the Enemy" unless they are "in a position to demand it." Refers to a report (GL02437.01377), and a "private letter," (GL02437.01395). Also discusses his and Washington's belief that several unnamed persons are providing intelligence to the British. Comments on whether they…

GLC02437.01393

February 26, 1783

Brewster, Caleb, 1747-1827

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Recounts and describes a gunboat fight with an enemy ship, which they boarded.

GLC02437.01954

20 November 1862

Schurz, Carl, 1829-1906

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Franz Sigel

Reporting Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's movements, based on the accounts of a paroled Confederate Prisoner. One bust engraving of Schurz incldued as collateral.

GLC02458.12

23 September 1862

Hardee, William J., 1815-1873

Letter signed

Title: to Colonel Garner

Hardee, commander of the Left Wing, Army of the Mississippi, writes to Colonel Garner (possibly George G. Garner, assistant adjutant general for General Braxton Bragg, commander of the Department of Mississippi). Relates that a courier named Cory has been captured and is now at the headquarters of Union General McCook (possibly Alexander McDowell McCook). Has been informed by Dr. Yandell and by his aide-de-camp, Captain Hardee (possibly his son, William J. Hardee, Jr.), that the courier had an order to bring a package upon his return. Writes "It is presumed that Cory being dressed mostly…

GLC02460.07

7 November 1861

Ashby, Turner, 1828-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

State inferred from content. General Ashby reports, "Mr. Duke who has been arrested as a spy and upon his own evidence has done acts that will establish beyond doubt his felony... He is a dangerous person..." A pencil note at the bottom of the page indicates that this letter refers to John H. Duke, a citizen of Sheperdstown, Jefferson County, Virginia (present-day West Virginia). One bust engraving of Ashby included as collateral. Written at Camp Evans.

GLC02461.01