December 22, 1861

Cowdin, Elliot Christopher, 1819-1880

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Kate Cowdin

Christopher Elliot Cowdin updates his wife of a recent visit to see his nephew Wallis, who belonged to an Irish Brigade which was part of the Army of the Potomac. He reports meeting General Newton (possibly John Newton), the brigade commander, and General Franklin (possibly William B. Franklin), the division commander. He describes attending the grand review of General Fitz-John Porter's division, where he witnessed the activities of (and was possibly introduced to) General George Brinton McClellan, General Simon Cameron (Secretary of War), Francois Ferdinand Philippe Louis Marie (Prince de…

GLC00333

June 15, 1864

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Farrar Smith or Benjamin Franklin Butler

Grant, Commander in Chief of the United States Army, informs Major General Butler or Smith that the 2nd Corps (28,000 soldiers) was directed to march toward Petersburg. He has not heard news of the expedition, but can still hear firing in the direction of Petersburg, Virginia. He states that if Butler or Smith require the 2nd Corps, they should send notice to General Winfield Scott Hancock under cover to General John Gibbon. Written in pencil on Headquarters, Armies of the United States stationery.

GLC00274

June 16, 1864

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Farrar Smith

Written in pencil near Petersburg, Virginia. Grant, Commander in Chief of the United States Army instructs Smith to push the reconnaissance in the front to attempt to ascertain a point from which to advance against Petersburg in the evening. He writes "Make all preliminary preparations for such an advance if ordered and at some time hold all your forces not necessary for holding your present line ready to reinforce the left in case of an attack from that direction." He instructs that in the absence of himself or General George Gordon Meade, that General Winfield Scott Hancock will have…

GLC00275

1863

Barnard, John Gross, 1815-1882

Book signed

Title: Report of the Engineer and Artillery Operations of Army of the Potomac, from Its Organization to the Close of the Peninsular Campaign

Written by Chief Engineer Brigadier General Barnard with Chief of Artillery Brigadier General William F. Barry (1818-1879). Has inscription on first page: "Col. R. Delafield U.S. 9 With compliments of Gen. Barnard." Published by D. Van Nostrand at 192 Broadway. Printed by C.A. Alvord, Stereotyper and Printer. Contains 22 reports of various engineering and artillery actions of Union officers. Reports listed in contents on pages 5-6. Contains 18 large lithographed folded maps and plans at the back of the book. Maps listed on page 7. Pebble-grained red cloth cover, stamped with gilt on front…

GLC00415

1867

Stevens, George Thomas., fl. 1832-1921

Book

Title: Three years in the Sixth Corps

Full title is: "Three years in the Sixth Corps. A Concise Narrative of Events in the Army of the Potomac, from 1861 to the Close of the Rebellion, April 1865." Published by D. Van Nostrand in New York. Printed by Weed, Parsons and Company at 18 North Pearl Street in Albany, New York. Written by Stevens as the surgeon of the 77th Regiment of New York Volunteers. Says the book is written mostly from extensive notes he took "amid the scenes described." Says engravings in the book are all from sketches taken by the author and the artist Captain J. Hope, who submitted finishing touches all…

GLC00267.297

1864

Quint, Alonzo Hall, 1828-1896

Book

Title: The Potomac and the Rapidan. Army notes, from the failure at Winchester to the reënforcement of Rosecrans. 1861-3

Written by Quint as the chaplain of the Second Massachusetts Infantry. Published in Boston by Crosby and Nichols and in New York by O.S. Felt. Electrotyped at the Boston Stereotype Foundry at 4 Spring Lane. Quint says the book came about from his correspondence to the newspaper "The Congregationalist." Says it is more than a reprint because he has omitted some things and added others from private notes. Says "[i]n no sense do these pages assume to be a history. They contain merely the frankest record of impressions received by an eye witness, or places and scenes in our eventful…

GLC00267.317

1886

Walker, Francis A., fl. 1886

Book

Title: History of the second army corps in the Army of the Potomac

III Dornbusch 1311 (citing 1886 ed.). With 30 maps.

GLC00267.344

29 April 1865

Meade, George Gordon, 1815-1872

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William T. Sherman

General Meade writes from Headquarters, Army of the Potomac. A previous assessment indicates this letter, directed to "Genl Cmd'g," is written to General William T. Sherman. Marked "Personal" on docket. Meade declines to send the 3rd Cavalry, since he has no other cavalry. His other cavalry units were previously sent to General Sheridan, and even after applying to General Grant, no cavalry returned. In the area (possibly near Appomattox Court House, Virginia), some blacks have been pillaging the homes of their former masters. Meade notes "there is really some danger of an insurrection…

GLC01918

28 July 1864

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George G. Meade

Grant, commander-in-chief of the United States Army, writes to Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac. Writes that General Winfield Scott Hancock will return (possibly to City Point) and will be too fatigued for active operations against Petersburg the following morning. Asks Meade if he thinks the necessary preparations can be made for a morning assault.

GLC01953

1861-1902

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Orville S. Dewey, 33rd regiment, New York, light artillery] [decimalized]

Nicknamed "Tom" by his family and coming from Buffalo, Dewey served in the army of the Potomac, primarily in Washington at an instructional camp. Many of the letters are addressed to his sister Mary "Mollie" McLean. Dewey stayed in the Army after the war and died of yellow fever in New Orleans during an epidemic only 5 months after re-enlisting in 1867. The collection includes mention of the Petersburg campaign (1864), and includes a carte de visite (unsigned) of Colonel J.P. Gould, who led the 54th Mass. (Colored) Regt., and of his commander William Brewster. Partial inventory available…

GLC02161

October 1859-January 1862

Higgins, Patrick, fl. 1859-1862

Header Record

Title: [Collection of letters written to Fannie Schoonmaker from Patrick Higgins, K company, 56th regiment, New York, infantry] [decimalized]

The collection consists of ten letters written to a young lady named Fannie Schoonmaker, and one letter to an unknown recipient. Nine of the eleven letters, some of which predate the Civil War, are from Patrick Higgins. One letter is from David Reese, and another is from Charles Johnson. Patrick Higgins was from Neversink, New York in Sullivan County, about 110 miles northwest of New York City. On September 29, 1861 he enlisted in the Union army as a Private. On October 10, he mustered into K Company of the 56th New York Infantry. The 56th New York became part of the Army of the Potomac. On…

GLC02164

1862-1864

Dodge, Nelson E., fl. 1862-1864

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Nelson E. Dodge and John Blanchard, D company, 2nd regiment, Vermont, infantry] [decimalized]

Both Dodge and Blanchard were Privates from Barre, Vermont. Letters mention skirmishes, troop movements, camp life and difficulties in the Army of the Potomac. Includes photograph. Some letters to Esther Kinney. Inventory available.

GLC02162

30 March 1864

McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

McClellan expresses mortification that a previous military report he wrote (possibly regarding the Army of the Potomac) had not mentioned Hunt's service as Chief of Artillery for that army. Writes that he (McClellan) already corrected a New York publication of the report, and would contact the Adjutant General to correct the report. Claims that in his original report, he offered Hunt the highest praise for his service at Antietam, and noted that Hunt replaced William Barry as Chief of Artillery. Discusses omissions made by accident from other reports, including the omission of his own…

GLC02382.061

7 May 1881

McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Writes from Gramercy Park. Informs Hunt of his upcoming European vacation. States "I am very sorry to hear that there are any intimations of retiring you next year- more on account of the good of the service than your own- except in the matter of pay." Discusses Pope's campaign (possibly referring to General John Pope's Northern Virginia Campaign in 1862) noting that Halleck (General in Chief) should not have allowed Pope to fight until the main body of the Army of the Potomac had joined him. Discusses political matters in New York. Referring to the Republican party, states "it does look…

GLC02382.070

25 May 1862

Morgan, Charles Hale, 1834-1875

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Written on Head Quarters, 2d Corps d'Armée stationery. Morgan encloses a note (no longer present) from General Hancock, and explains that "Thinking it within the range of probabilities that our lines may be attacked Gen Hancock & Gen Meade and others selected a defensive line this morning - There are a great many guns needed…" Hunt's autograph note of the same day, 5 p.m., on verso, states that he has forwarded Col. Doull's information to General Hooker, who "directs me to reply that the enemy has been at work on his rifle pits, and it would be singular if the two armies were fortifying…

GLC02382.001

20 October 1862

Warner, Edward R., fl. 1862

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military Telegram. He awaits the action of Gov. Morgan. "Genl Getty left this morning. Genl Barry desires that I shall remain as long as you can spare me…" Lt. Col. Warner of the 1st NY Artillery was eventually breveted brigadier general.

GLC02382.005

23 October 1862

Wainwright, Charles Sheils, 1826-1907

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military Telegram. He reports procuring artillery horses (preparation for Fredericksburg) and questions when the next lot of horses will arrive from Washington. Wainwright, Chief of Artillery for the 13th Corps, was later breveted General.

GLC02382.006

3 December 1862

Barry, William Farquhar, 1818-1879

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Headquarters Inspector of Artillery, U.S.A. letterhead. Says that Burnside sent seven 4 1/2 inch siege guns to Hunt the day of his request. The original request had only been refused because Hunt had specified the guns were to be taken from the "Forts about Washington." Says that "if subordinate officers are communicated with direct; I do not see the justice of holding their superiors to account for any supposed short coming." Notes that Stonewall Jackson "is not the bugbear here that you seem to think he is: indeed, not so much consideration would be given him as is really the case were it…

GLC02382.012

6 December 1862

Tyler, Robert Ogden, 1831-1874

Letter

Title: to Alexander Doull

United States Military Telegram. Lt. Jackson will start immediately with the seven guns [possibly the siege guns cited in GLC02382.012]; can't send ammunition yet as the track is broken. In preparation for the Fredericksburg campaign. A career artillerist, West Pointer (1853) Robert Tyler spent most of the war directing heavy guns. A first lieutenant in the 3rd Artillery, Tyler had served as a captain and assistant quartermaster. He was largely responsible for converting the 4th Connecticut into the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery. In charge of the siege train during McClellan's disastrous…

GLC02382.013

8 August 1863

Hunt, Henry Jackson, 1819-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Henry Knox Craig]

Written from "Camp near Warrenton Junction, Virginia." Discusses supplies, reservists and conscription. "There is a notable difference in the manner in which supplies are now furnished from that practiced after the battle of Antietam, the drag seems not to be on now…No sign of immediate action. I suppose that, unless we are attacked, we will be quiet until the conscripts begin to fill up our ranks…it has been directed that the Artillery receive no recruits until the Infantry is filled up…The neglect I almost may say antipathy to the artillery passes my comprehension." Has requested three…

GLC02382.017

1862-1888

Hunt, Henry Jackson, 1819-1889

Header Record

Title: Collection of Henry Jackson Hunt [Decimalized .001-.233]

Collection of letters, principally received correspondence, military returns, and one military journal. Includes military correspondence during the War, letters concerning Hunt's various post-war publishing endeavors, correspondence pertaining to Hunt's advocation of a bill which would affect his retirement rank and pay, and general discussions of Reconstruction politics. Primarily organized chronologically by sender. GLC02382.136-.204 consist of military returns related to artillery reserves, Army of the Potomac. With collateral material (11 envelopes, 4 clippings, and 1 engraving).

GLC02382

18 October 1862

Morgan, Charles Hale, 1834-1875

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military Telegram from Couch's Headquarters. Reports no trouble with officers and plans to fill batteries. Written one week before McClellan finally move the Army across the Potomac, and less than a month before McClellan was replaced. General Darius N. Couch had been in Charleston two days prior.

GLC02382.002

18 October 1862

Morgan, Charles Hale, 1834-1875

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military Telegram sent from Couch's Headquarters. Reports arrival of ammunition for French's Division (Fredericksburg). He wonders where to send it.

GLC02382.003

19 October 1862

Morgan, Charles Hale, 1834-1875

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military Telegram from Couch's Headquarters. He questions the appropriate number of enlisted soldiers for artillery corps, writes "The rush of recruits for my batteries is tremendous though bitterly opposed by infantry commanders." Transcript available.

GLC02382.004

25 October 1862

Wainwright, Charles Sheils, 1826-1907

Letter

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

United States Military Telegram sent from the headquarters of the 13th Corps. He corrects Hunt, stating that Hall's battery belongs to the 1st Penn. Regiment. The 13th Corps, comprising the Army of Tennessee, was created 24 October 1862.

GLC02382.007