circa January 1777

Campbell, Mungo, fl. 1745-1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Robert Campbell

Written by British Major Mungo Campbell in 52nd Regiment of Foot under General Sir Henry Clinton to what appears to be his uncle Robert Campbell in London. Says he wrote from Cork before sailing and three times while in America, without getting a response. Says they landed on "this island" -- Rhode Island -- on 8th ultimo, probably 8 December 1776. Says he parted with David, Robert's son, at New York at the end of November. Says Peter had not joined the army yet, but from a letter from his wife that he probably will soon. Says they are too far from enemy lines to give any details of their…

GLC03154

9 January 1777

Henry, Patrick, 1736-1799

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard Henry Lee

Written by Henry as Governor of Virginia to Lee as a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress. Sends congratulations about Washington's victory at Trenton on 25 December 1776. Observes that the people of Virginia are firm. Believes a great number of volunteers can still be found. Hopes enlistments may be filled, but doubts it will happen quickly. Says the Cherokees are humbled, but fears hostilities will break out around Pittsburgh, and he has prepared accordingly. Says arms and woolens are needed. Says "I do indeed pity your situation ... Let me tell you that altho yr Fatigue is…

GLC03869

18 September 1780

Dundas, Ralph, 1732-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Dundas, Captain of the H. M. S. Bonetta, informs his brother James he was in New York and other locations before moving north to Nova Scotia. Reports that on the way, his men took five prizes and reclaimed two brigs containing low-valued cargo. States that a French fleet is "Blocked up at Present at Rhode Island" by Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot. Refers to the British defeat of American forces at Charleston, South Carolina, in May 1780 and the capture of valuable Virginia ships by New York privateers. Discusses a riot in Boston, Massachusetts following General George Washington's call for 3,…

GLC03676.02

3 May 1780

Dundas, Ralph, 1732-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Dundas

Dundas, Captain of H. M. S. Bonetta, informs his brother James he is still alive despite "having suffered more Hardships from the 4 of Oct last than in all the rest of my Lifetime put together." Relates that he sailed into New Providence, Bahamas, after encountering continual storms during the passage. Recounts that he allowed his men to recover and refit the ship before they sailed for Charleston. Informs James of the surrender of Charleston, which he claims took place 2 May. Relates that Captain Elphingstone will transmit a newspaper to England reporting the battle and surrender.…

GLC03676.01

11 September 1777

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Friedrich Riedesel [in French]

Written by British General Burgoyne as he is marching southward through New York to General Baron Riedesel commander of the German troops with Burgoyne. Letter is in French with partial translation in seller's description in collateral file. Updates Riedesel on various troops' movements and the arrival of transports to cross the Hudson River before the Battle of Saratoga. Advises there might be a strong detachment at Skeneborough. Also included in the file is a color print titled "Genl. Burgoyne Addressing the Indians." Dimensions are 15.7 x 24.1 cm. Depicts a red coated Burgoyne with arm…

GLC04761

7 October 1775

Sackville, George Germain, Viscount, 1716-1785

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Eden

Written a month before Germain became Secretary of State for the Colonies to Eden as Deputy Secretary of State for the Northern Department. Recipeint was a inferred by Donald Londahl-Smidt. See collateral file for full explanation. References Eden's letter (collateral file says it was 3 October 1775). Says he is happy with the draft of a speech Eden has prepared. Says New York might have been kept as Loyalist if it was attended to properly. States "I always wish'd that the whole power of the State should be Exerted, that one campaign might decide whether the American provinces were to be…

GLC04783

22 November 1782

Hazen, Moses, 1733-1803

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Brigadier General Hazen to Major General Knox. Reports that Washington ordered him to send a return to Knox at West Point for ammunition, & etc. Asks to have it forwarded to Stony Point. Says "It was not in my Power to procure for you, amongst the German Prisoners, the Servants you wanted." Second page includes a copy of a note from Hazen, in the hand of Samuel Shaw, reading "to 29 rounds per man - 1404 dozen Cartridges / 150 priming wires."

GLC02437.01723

25 August 1777

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Francis Mercer

Written by Monroe as a major in William Alexander's (aka Lord Stirling) brigade of George Washington's army to Colonel Mercer, captain in the 3rd Virginia Regiment. Recipient is inferred from the third page of the letter where Monroe asks for information on his old regiment. Says he waited to write until something material occurred. Conveys news of General John Stark's victory over a detachment of German troops from General John Burgoyne's army at the Battle of Bennington. Stark led his New Hampshire militia against a German detachment that was seeking supplies for Burgoyne's bogged down army…

GLC07111

9 February 1781

Bee, Thomas, 1725-1812

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Bee writes as a Continental Congressman from South Carolina with news of the American victory in the state (most likely the Battle of Cowpens, 17 January 1781). Also informs that the troops are very low on supplies. Mentions that Benedict Arnold is in Virginia, that Hessians are at Charleston and that North Carolina has been unresponsive to appeals for aid. Also mentions British General Charles Cornwallis and gives an update on other troop movements and events.

GLC06633

16 April 1783

North, Frederick, 1732-1792

Letter signed

Title: to Friedrich Riedesel

Orders Riedesel, the commander of Hessian troops in Canada, to prepare to return to Europe in accordance with the provisional peace treaty made to end the American Revolution. Written at Whitehall.

GLC06635

12 April 1781

Phillips, William, 1731-1781

Letter signed

Title: to George Weedon

Phillips, a British Lieutenant-General, discusses flags of truce and prisoner exchanges with American General Weedon. Writes "the usual and necessary forms must be preserved especially respecting Flags of Truce which are objects of a chaste nature and the rules belonging to them ought never to be violated..." Refers to Moss Armstead, an American soldier sent to negotiate prisoner exchange. Discusses penalties for Americans venturing within British lines. States that all flag vessels must stop at British commodores' ships stationed at Hampton Roads, Virginia, to gain authorization to…

GLC06493

7 November 1776

Whipple, William, 1730-1785

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Langdon

Docketed by Langdon on verso. Reporting on the difficulties supplying the army and navy, military plans, and the mood in Congress. Mentions a shipment of guns with defects. Comments on officer promotions. Mentions the Marine Committee's answer to a letter from the Committee of Providence. Mentions the petition of an officer to be "Releavd," which he describes as a "Petition for a Public Body to break their own Genl: Rules." He doubts it will pass but states that he will render assistance. Discusses clothing the troops, who he finds "in good spirit" though "almost naked." Doubts the…

GLC06692

11 November 1782

Faesch, John Jacob, 1729-1799

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes to inform Knox that he has completed all the shells he was commissioned to create, according to their agreement. Mentions that Captain [possibly William] Stevens has arrived and will build a fence around shot and shells and then take his men to West Point. Declares that he has received a note from Captain de Haacke and Lieutenant Heldring, who have arrived in New York and would like to pay him a visit at Dobbs Ferry. He has set aside time to see them and mentions that they had both been prisoners of war. Relates that the officer at Dobbs Ferry will not "allow any person coming with…

GLC02437.01707

circa 16 October 1777

Manuscript signed

Title: Copy of Articles of capitulation between Lieut. Genl. Burgoyne and Major Genl. Gates

Copy of terms of surrender of the convention after the Battle of Saratoga. Docket has copy marked as No. 12. The document has the four copied signatures of Lt. Col. Nicholas Sutherland, Capt. James Henry Craig, Adjunct General James Wilkinson, and Brig. Gen. William Whipple. Contains the 13 terms of surrender that General John Burgoyne accepted from General Horatio Gates. The terms were generous to Burgoyne and allowed his troops to leave the field "with the honours of War," and to march to Massachusetts where they would be paroled and eventually be returned to Europe. The terms also allowed…

GLC05222

19 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Announces that "a glorious moment for America" has arrived, Lord Cornwallis has surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown. Discusses how General Washington refused Cornwallis' request that Britons and Germans be sent back to their countries prior to his surrender, instead giving the British Army the same terms that the Americans received upon their surrender at Charleston in 1780. Washington has ordered Knox to headquarters immediately. Clement Biddle has written Knox to tell him his daughter Lucy is well. Tells his wife he will send her his most recent letter from his brother William Knox, who…

GLC02437.01244

26 August 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Thanks Lucy for her recent letter, and assures her that although his letters are shorter than hers, it is not from lack of love. Acknowledges receipt of ducks, chickens, and cheese. Writes, "The want of that refinement which you seem to speak of is or will be the Salvation of America, for refinement of Manners introduces corruption and venality. I grant you that most people are in a degree corrupt..." Compares corruption in "young" and "old" states. Refers to the "wickedry" of the British, noting "I had rather revert to the barbarism of the original nations of this Land, than have any…

GLC02437.10006

22 December 1777

Fleming, Robert, ?-1779

Newspaper

Title: Edinburgh evening courant. [December 22, 1777]

Contains a speech by William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham, an influential British statesman. Includes Boston resolves pertaining to the quartering of Burgoyne and the Convention Army. In his speech to the House of Lords, Pitt declares: "My Lords, I content, that we have not, nor can procure any force sufficient to subdue America. It is monstrous to think of it. There are several noble Lords present well acquainted with military affairs. I call upon any one of them to rise and pledge himself, that the military force now within the kingdom is adequate to its defence; or that any possible force…

GLC08825

March 15, 1777

Bartlett, Josiah, 1729-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Whipple

Written by Bartlett, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as a colonel in New Hampshire militia to Whipple, also a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as a Continental Congressman from New Hampshire. Congress, and therefore Whipple, was in Baltimore due to the occupation of Philadelphia. Signed by Bartlett three times: once at the end of the letter and twice with initials after two extended postscripts. He thanks him for his letter from February 7, 1777. He writes that people are anxious to buy lottery tickets. He says "our 3 Regiments" are to march to "Ti-" - Fort Ticonderoga…

GLC00369

1777-1778

Vanderslice, Henry, 1726-1797

Diary

Title: [Diary of Henry Vanderslice, wagon master in the Continental Army]

Daily entries detail Vanderslice's duties as wagon master and his travels with the army through Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Vanderslice reached encampment at Morristown, New Jersey in late March 1777. He writes about wagons and carters under his supervision, care of the horses, wages for carters, and supplies collected by the wagons for the army. Begins his duty on 31 March 1777 and is in charge of 12 wagons, 50 horses, and 12 carters, whose names he lists. Accounts for the travels of the wagons to various towns in New Jersey to collect goods and describes problems encountered along the…

GLC01450.018

circa 1770-1780

Chamborant, André-Claude, marquis de, 1732-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Baron von Reidesel

Autograph letter signed in the third person. Reidesel was a Hessian general in the Revolutionary War. Chamborant was a French hussar leader.

GLC01450.079

7 September 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to George Washington

Mentions that he has received General Washington's letter of 5 September, regarding repairs of arms. Declares that each brigade's own armorers have been performing the repairs to the best of their ability, and that that is the only option, since "there is not one hired armorer in the Army of the United States. Your Excellncy must have been misinformed with respect to any armorers at this post, as there are none here." Explains that brigades have traveling forges consisting of borax and salt, and that they can be sent to Verplanks Point. Has sent someone to Philadelphia to purchase borax on…

GLC02437.01589

19 September 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from "War Office." Writes, "I have Sent for the German Armourers and will forward - them to you with the necessary Tools - If I can obtain any considerable number I think we had better send to Mr. [possibly Richard] Cranch who is now employed at Springfield to superintend him - If in your opinion he is not a suitable person for this business - I wish you would mention it to me I can here have the choice of a good Man."

GLC02437.01619

5 July 1783

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Major Bauman of the artillery corps asks General Washington to discharge four older German men under Bauman's command. Says that the Board of Inspectors of Invalids told him to go to Washington as the men did not "come under the description of men in bad health." Says the Germans are all in their 60s and worn out and want to go back to Germany; they and their families seek discharge. The Germans said "from their short service they have rendered this Country, they could never Expect or demand any bounty from it, and their sphere of live being passed to labour, consequently would become a…

GLC02437.02241

December 1783

Manuscript document

Title: [Abstract of extra issues for December 1783]

Lists extra issues for barge men, musicians, New York levies, Rhode Island line, garrison and artillery artificers, German deserters, police officer garrisons, and express riders.

GLC02437.02892

3 December 1783

Jackson, Michael, 1734-1801

Autograph document signed

Title: [Provision return for a German deserter]

Order to issue four rations over four days to a German deserter. Verso states rations were received, and is signed by the deserter, whose signature is illegible. Signed by Jackson as Commandant of West Point.

GLC02497.09