1 November 1793

Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Addressed to "My Best and dearest friend." Reports that the day she left Henry, she arrived in New York to a great reception. Says her enjoyment is clouded by her fear Henry will be exposed to the yellow fever. Expresses displeasure at the thought of their continued separation. Reports that "an express arrived here yesterday for Dr. Stevens to attend Colo. Hamilton supposed in the yellow fever." Tells him to remember his promise not to return to Philadelphia. Asks about Augusta (possibly Augusta Dearborn, daughter of Henry Dearborn). "Free" stamped on address leaf with no signature.

GLC02437.05956

February 10, 1863

Pearce, Edgar, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Father

Edgar Pearce discusses his father going into business. He also mentions a smallpox epidemic.

GLC00066.079

1781

Header Record

Title: [Collection pertaining to the 10th Massachusetts Regiment [Decimalized .01- .02]

GLC01450.016

1770-1802

Bromfield, Henry, 1727-1820

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Memorandum book with accounts]

Includes genealogical data on the Bromfield and Copley families. There are two notes about the death of Edward Clarke and distribution of his estate dated 1770 and 1771. Bromfield's wife Hannah was a Clarke. One entry details Bromfield's thoughts about a Dr. Hunter's calculations of the size of Noah's ark. Other entries include his accounts, notes on his activities, recipes for curing meats or making liquor and various foods, and cures for common ailments of the period, such as gout, dysentery, and whooping cough. With a few clippings on various compounds to remove hair, or relieve…

GLC01450.030.01

May 1, 1778

Pecker, James, fl. 1768-1778

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his children

Pecker reports that he recently returned from the country, where he was confined for five weeks while sick, in addition to being sick for three weeks before that with small pox. He is now healthy again and sends love and good wishes to his family. Pecker was a surgeon serving in the 10th Massachusetts in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.

GLC01412.48

March 12, 1777

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript document

Title: [Orders to submit a regimental return]

A working draft of a clerical copy of a circular letter from George Washington. These, or comparable, orders were given by George Washington on 12 March 1777 to various colonels of the Continental Army. (See Fitzpatrick and the GW Papers at the Library of Congress for numerous examples, which demonstrate slightly varied wording.) Instructs recipient to "march all the Recruits you have to Philadelphia, where they will be inoculated and receive farther Orders from the Commanding officers of that City ... Every Commanding officer should know where his inferior officers, and these where their…

GLC01205.04

March 25, 1774

Adams, Samuel, 1722-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elbridge Gerry

Letter written by Adams, who later signed the Declaration of Independence, as a member and clerk of the colonial assembly in Massachusetts to Gerry, also a future signer of the Declaration, as a member of the assembly. References a letter from Gerry that explained the violence in Marblehead, known as the Smallpox War or the Marblehead Riots, and asked for military intervention. Gerry was one of the leading citizens of the town who wanted to build a hospital to inoculate the populace against smallpox. Once it was built, the populace, fearful that inoculations spread the disease further,…

GLC01213

December 31, 1793

Clarkson, Matthew, 1733-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Nicholson

Letter written by Clarkson, the mayor of Philadelphia, to Nicholson, a famous land speculator, as comptroller general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He references Nicholson's letter from December 26, 1793. Says he has passed its contents on to the "Committee for the relief of the poor & distressed Citizens" who have been suffering from the "malignant disorder" - yellow fever. They accepted it with thanks and "will cheerfully undertake the distribution thereof as comfortably to your wishes as possible." Small hole where seal was removed. Paper has a watermark.

GLC01221.03

1776

Simmons, Peleg, fl. 1776

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Orderly book of Peleg Simmons]

Daily orders for troops at Middletown and Newport, Rhode Island. Reports on soldiers' and officers' duties, troop movements, court martials, provisions, uniforms, armaments, soldiers' appearance, and general announcements to the troops at camp. Includes orders on preparing arms and establishing regimental colors. Assigns captains for each day. On 17 April 1776, mentions Commander Henry Babcock's arrest and removal from office due to insanity. 20 July 1776 describes a celebration of the Declaration of Independence, noting parade and canon fire. Briefly mentions smallpox in an entry for…

GLC01450.003

July 1776 - December 9,1777

Tilden, Ezra, 1751-1819

Diary

Title: [Diary of Ezra Tilden]

Provides a detailed day by day account of Tilden's march through New York during the Revolutionary War. Writes extensively about daily duties, poor rations, hunger, hardships along the march, sickness and death amongst the soldiers, and the demoralized spirit of the men. Possibly writes something about the cruelty of the officers in code on p. 34 by mixing the letters of the words. Includes lists of towns he passed through (p. 12, 49, 107, 141), an item by item list of contents of his pack (p. 9), a list of the monthly wages for each military rank (p. 54), rations for each soldier (p. 55…

GLC01450.004

December 15, 1863

Hooker, Joseph, 1814-1879

Autograph endorsement signed

Title: [Approval of request for leave]

Hooker endorses an autograph letter signed on verso from Captain Samuel B. Sherer, of Company K, 15th Illinois Cavalry Volunteers, to William H. Perkins, Assistant Adjutant General for the 11th and 12th Corps. Sherer applies for twenty five day furloughs for Sergeant Daniel Rettis and Private Henry Wilson of Company K, 15th Illinois Cavalry. Reports that Rettis was recently informed of the death of his child and severe illness of his wife, and that Wilson is having trouble with the lessee of his farm. Hooker approves of the request. Autograph endorsement signed on verso of a document.

GLC01911

8 August 1878

Hood, John Bell, 1831-1879

Autograph letter signed

Title: to dear General

Replies to correspondence from an unknown recipient. Remarks that the delay in his reply is due to serious illness in his family, and a recent yellow fever outbreak (possibly in New Orleans, where Hood lived after the Civil War). Discusses records, held by himself and the recipient, pertaining to the Army of Tennessee under Hood's command.

GLC02063.02

20 November 1861

Tate, Jeremiah M., fl. 1829-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary

Writes to his sister Mary about illnesses and camp news.

GLC02082.10

20 November 1861

Tate, Jeremiah M., fl. 1829-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to S. M. Smith

Written in pencil. Discusses illnesses and camp news.

GLC02082.11

26 November 1861

Tate, Jeremiah M., fl. 1829-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to aunt Lizza

Discusses illnesses, cold weather, and camp news.

GLC02082.12

4 October 1805

Ellery, William, 1727-1820

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Wanton Ellery

Written to his son at Captain Barney's School in Wickford, Rhode Island. Mentions positive reports concerning his son's progress in mathematics and also his improved health. Notes that his own skin disorder, identified as "ascorbatic Erysipelas, or St. Anthony's fire," may not improve as easily. A postscript indicates how to fold letters so that the seal does not cover the writing. A Member of the Continental Congress from 1776 until 1785, William Ellery was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was Collector of the Port of Newport from 1790 until 1820.

GLC02300.12

26 March 1806

Ellery, William, 1727-1820

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Wanton Ellery

Written to his son at Captain Barney's School, Wickford, Rhode Island. Thanks him for his letter. Is glad that Mr. Updike has furnished George with a scale and dividers; he has sent him money to purchase a geography book for him. Is glad to hear that "the inoculation for the small pox did not take on those who had been inoculated for the swine pox; not because I in the least doubted the latter being a perfect security against the former, but because it will inspire the Wickfordians with faith, and induce them to undergo vaccine inoculation." Corrects his spelling and grammar. Happy that…

GLC02300.20

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

3 September 1929

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Typed letter signed

Title: to Arthur Carpenter

Writes a witty letter to the business manager at Warm Springs, Georgia, where Roosevelt founded the Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in 1927. Jokes about mosquitoes briefly. Discusses the sprinkler system for the Meriwether Hotel. Signed with initials "F.D.R." with a correction on page two. Typed on Executive Chamber stationery. Marked confidential.

GLC02202

1871-1881

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Header Record

Title: Letters with wife Nancy, to Rev. & Mrs Shiras [decimalized]

Letters by missionaries from north of the Missouri River, 38 miles north of Santee Mission in South Dakota, describing teaching English, arithmetic, and bible to Yankton Sioux Indians. The collection was written to Rev. and Mrs. Alexander Shiras of the Bureau of Education in Washington, D.C., mostly by either Daniel Hemans or his wife, Nancy Hemans, with the greatest concentration of letters in the early 1870s and early 1880s. Both Nancy and Daniel were Santee Sioux Indians. Daniel joined the mission to the Yankton Sioux as an interpreter and a teacher, and eventually became a preacher.…

GLC02429

17 April 1930

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945

Typed letter signed

Title: to Arthur Carpenter

Thanks the manager at Warm Springs, Georgia for the update on activities. Advises that Carpenter can rent his cottage from 31 May until 5 September. Hopes Doyle can sell vegetables at the stand as he did last summer. Mentions that he is glad there have been no serious fires. Informs that Missy will write to him about the films, and makes a possible reference to his disability, "You are right, -- I do not want to be displayed to the public, swimming or walking in the pool." States that they are anxious to come down and will arrive on 1 May. Written while Governor of New York on…

GLC02433

24 September 1854

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

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jeremiah S. Black

Informs Black of the cholera epidemic in Pittsburgh, and warns him not to return to the city until it has abated. States a hundred people a day are dying. Jeremiah S. Black was chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and later U.S. attorney general and Secretary of State. Excerpt:  "The cholera has been more fatal since I wrote to you, the reported deaths on Thursday and Friday being each day a hundred or over. Saturday there was some abatement there not being over fifty - and yesterday about forty. But there is no reason to believe that a decided improvement has taken place……

GLC02229

12 March 1885

Gibbon, John, 1827-1896

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Jackson Hunt

Writes that General Winfield Scott Hancock is on the brink of death due to pneumonia (Hancock did not die until February 1886). Relates that Hancock recently dined with a Lieutenant Kingman, and fell sick the next morning. Writes "I fear Hancock will leave his family in very poor condition." Mentions several doctors working with Hancock, and a Mrs. Taylor, who has remained by Hancock's side. Of Hancock, declares "... there are few more high toned honorable gentlemen in the army, few possessed of more good hard common sense & very few more honest & faithful in the performance of…

GLC02382.056

19 June 1791

Adams, John, 1735-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Vice President Adams to Secretary of War Knox. References Knox's letter of 10 June. Is happy Knox is pleased with his situation at Bush Hill. Hopes to hear soon "of the Birth of a peaceable son of Mars." Says he did not know about the paragraphs in the New York newspapers. Just heard of the "Lyes" from New Haven yesterday. Does not think the criticism originated with Roger Sherman or Ezra Stiles. Says "The Preface to [Thomas] Paines Nonsense has occasioned much Speculation. It is thought rather early for Electioneering. My head I thank God is not easily diverted from its…

GLC02437.05014

31 August 1792

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Encloses medicine for Washington's nephew. Writes, "Anxiously desirous that the medicine called Antipertussis may have the same beneficial effects upon your nephew, as it has had in many other cases, I send...two more bottles." Sends his respects to Mrs. Washington. Noted as private.

GLC02437.05594