9 November 1779

Van Rensselaer, Philip, 1747-1798

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Rensselaer, an Albany storekeeper, reports that arms (likely ordered by Knox) "are all pack'd up in Boxes According to your orders and ready for Transportation on the Shortest Notice The swords in my possession I shall have put in order as soon as possible..." Promises to send the swords to John Ruddock, Deputy Quartermaster of Stores at Fishkill, New York. Encloses a return of the arms (not included) he issued during the month of October, and an inventory of what remains in the store.

GLC02437.00785

November 1779

Otis, Samuel A., 1740-1814

Manuscript document

Title: [Receipt for supplies purchased from Otis & Andrews]

Receipt noting that Otis & Andrews [& Henley] "supplied sundry articles of clothing- inclusive of an inconsiderable quantity of arms, lead & c and sundries in the Quartermaster Generals Department- from 16 October 1778 to the 13 January 1779." Includes balance of account with the note, "The above charges are in paper money, and probably have been settled by the Scale of depr," likely referring to the scale of depreciation.

GLC02437.00788

December 1, 1779

Hodgdon, Samuel, 1745-1824

Autograph note signed

Title: [Certificate for Benjamin Gorton's appointment as Conductor of Military Stores in Hodgdon's department]

Hodgdon, Commissary [General] of Military Stores, writes from Succasunna Plains, certifying Gorton's appointment. Also signed by John Ruddock, who served as Deputy Quartermaster of Stores at Fishkill, New York. Includes a note on the bottom of recto, continued on verso. The note appears to be written by Samuel Shaw 10 July 1782 in New Windsor, New York. Shaw relates that Gorton served in the department at Fishkill until 10 March 1782, when he was discharged by General Benjamin Lincoln, Secretary at War. Shaw asserts that Gorton is entitled to his pay and depreciation of pay.

GLC02437.00789

circa 1783

Manuscript document

Title: [Information pertaining to commissaries and military clothiers]

Appears to be collected information about clothiers and commissaries. Mentions James Wilkinson, Clothier General at Philadelphia in 1779 and Otis and Henley, clothiers in Boston. Notes, "About this time- shoes were provided for the army by Exchanging hides with shoe makers all over the Country- for what purpose Commissaries of hides were appointed- this business was extensive, and irregularly preformed some returns are here, of the Commissaries but very little information can be collected from them. Relates that D. Brooks was Deputy Clothier at Newburgh, New York 1779-1783. Another note…

GLC02437.00793

May 8, 1781

Lovell, James, 1737-1814

Autograph letter

Title: to Samuel Holten

Author inferred due to content and handwriting. Recipient inferred from content and from comparison to other items in the 1450.020 collection. Lovell praises Massachusetts but laments the failure of the states to contribute to the common cause. States that foreign troops are garrisoning West Point because they can feed themselves and are paid. He reports that the Quarter Master had to sell some provisions in order to ship others to a skeleton of an army in need of food and supplies. He writes extensively about the dismal financial state, inflation, and depreciation of the currency. He…

GLC01450.020.14

July 24, 1779

Montgomery, John, fl. 1778-1795

Autograph letter

Title: to Newton, Gordon, and Johnston

Letter signed as Montgomery, Sealy, and Co. Reports that Spain has finally joined forces with France against England. The Spanish fleet sailed from Cadiz on June 24, 1779 and will join the French fleet. States that they are threatening an invasion in Ireland or England but remarks that British spirits are high. ". . . John Bull's Spirit seems to be roused, and they begin to be unanimous at home, and don't seem to dread them, which looks well." Mentions that the Spanish have already begun to lay siege to Gibraltar but he thinks their attempt will be fruitless as it was at Algiers because the…

GLC01450.022.05

16 October 1847

Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866

Document

Title: General orders: No. 316

Signed by H. L. Scott. Announces the resumption of tactical exercises and the distribution of blankets and shoes. Originally numbered as 216, H.L. Scott transcribed the 2 into a 3.

GLC00911.24

December 1771

Document

Title: [Receipt]

"Grease" written at the top, then a list of five men's names with numbers beside them. Possibly a listing of men on a ship and their payment.

GLC01450.085.01

27 September 1777

Jepson, Benjamin, fl. 1777

Document signed

Title: [Receipt for delivery to Captain Drinkwater]

Asks that 26 bushels of corn be delivered to Captain Drinkwater. Note on reverse signed by Elijah Drinkwater stating he received the bushels.

GLC01450.085.02

June 12, 1782

Mathews, John, 1744-1802

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to William Richardson

Letter written to Richardson at High Hills of Santee, South Carolina. Notifies Richardson to deliver by the order of General Andrew Pickens 100 pounds of powder, 100 muskets and bayonets, 1000 cartouche boxes, one ream of cartridge paper, and one pound of thread out of the state stores. Note on page 2 signed by Fields Pardy certifies receipt of the goods on July 16, 1782. Mathews was governor of South Carolina from 1782-1783.

GLC01450.009.02

July 13, 1782

Pickens, Andrew, 1739-1817

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Richardson

Letter written to Richardson at High Hills of Santee, South Carolina. Mentions that last April the governor of South Carolina, John Mathews, ordered Richardson to deliver to Colonel Hammond some arms and ammunition. States that he was informed only part of the order arrived. Indicates that he is sending Major Perdieu to retrieve the remainder. Asks Richardson to assist Perdieu in transporting the goods to Colonel Thompson since it is very inconvenient to send wagons and then have them join up with his march again. Lists what is due from the order, including powder, lead, flints, muskets, and…

GLC01450.009.03

16 June 1781

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: [Appointment of Josiah Flagg to take charge of military stores in Rhode Island]

Signed by Shaw for Henry Ward and Theodore Foster. Marked as a copy (copied in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Henry Knox's aide-de-camp). Contains the copied signatures of Henry Ward, Rhode Island Secretary of State, and Theodore Foster, Providence Town Clerk. Ward confirms that Flagg is to replace Mr. Perkins, because Perkins was ordered to George Washington's headquarters. Contains resolves of the State of Rhode Island "and Providence Plantation" issued 26 June 1781 instructing Perkins to leave certain stores for use by the militia. Foster had signed as witness to the resolves.

GLC02437.00981

9 July 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Signed twice by West. Was given command of the "Ladona" 3 or 4 days previously, as Captain Calhoun was told to take command of the "Weehawken" very suddenly. Was happy for his captain's new opportunity, but sorry to see him leave the "Ladona." Says the crew gave Calhoun three cheers and that some even wept. Received orders the next day to go to Port Royal to tow an ironclad to Charleston. Head winds kept him from towing the ironclad and instead he delivered supplies to the blockading fleet. Says an attack on Charleston probably commenced today, but that this time it will be a siege. Says "…

GLC03836.51

8 August 1863

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Weir

References Weir's letter of 24 July. Says he just arrived in Charleston from Bull's Bay and that he is going to Edisto to coal. His one month of command has ended as Acting Lieutenant Broadhead has taken over. He likes Broadhead, saying he is young and had served in the navy before the war. Says Fort Wagner still holds out and "by this time must be an iron mine, from the number of shells thrown into it." Says he heard the admiral will bring all the ships close in for a major attack soon. Written while aboard the USS "Montauk".

GLC03836.55

17 October 1864

Perry, Johnathan F., fl. 1964

Printed document signed

Title: [Receipt of funds from the Freedmen Department]

Partially printed. Perry signs as 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, 63rd United States Colored Troops. Receives $400 from Captain T. A. Walker, Superintendent of Freedmen. Remarks indicate "Being amount of funds received from sale of wood cut by Freedmen."

GLC08649.02

20 October 1864

Laudensleger, E., fl. 1864

Manuscript document

Title: [List of wood cutters employed on President's Island during September 1864]

Displays wood cutters' names and the amount of money they earned. Contains the names of forty-two men. Laudensleger signs as witness beside each name. Top portion consists of a different paper type and is attached to bottom portion.

GLC08649.03

31 May 1865

Blood, G. H., fl. 1865-1868

Printed document signed

Title: [Receipt for the purchase of a shovel and spade]

T. A. Walker, Captain in the 63rd U.S.C.T. and Superintendent of Freedmen, West Tennessee, pays $3.50 for the two items. G. H. Blood receipt, containing printed image of a stove surrounded by various pipes.

GLC08649.06

30 November 1865

Berger, Jacob B., 1830-?

Printed document signed

Title: [Invoice of clothing, camp, and garrison equipage turned over by Jacob Berger 2d Lieutenant, Company K, 63rd United States Colored Troops, and Assistant Quartermaster at De Valls Bluff]

Berger turns clothing, camp, and garrison equipage over to T. A. Walker, Captain of Company "B," 63rd U.S.C.T. Lists the number, type of article, and condition of items such as knapsacks, kettles, canteens, and hatchets.

GLC08649.07

8 June 1883

Forbes, Robert Bennet, 1804-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Writes to Walker that he has been busy fitting out the "Rae" and the "Rebecca." Says they both have a new coat of paint and that the "Rae" has been supplied with "important necessaries," including a cable and anchor. Says the men on board await his orders. Can send the orders to the ships by express to the railroad station or have the "Talapora" take them to the wharf in Portsmouth.

GLC03804.20

16 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Signed twice by West. A follow up letter to GLC03836.08. Says his ship will resupply at Hampton Roads and then cruise between there and Cape Hatteras. Hopes that "we shall do our duty more efficiently than we have so far, as the blockade we established of the St. Mary's river was nothing but a ridiculous farce, had there been any vessels in there they could have got out at any time." Says this was partially because of their captain "having the most extraordinary ideas of blockading ever heard of." Goes on to say "he was afraid of being becalmed inshore and having a steamer come out to attack…

GLC03836.09

19 November 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Written aboard the USS "Alabama." Encloses a one-page hand-drawn chart of the 7 November 1861 naval battle at Port Royal Harbor, which he had copied by "placing a sheet of thin paper" over the original. Reports that the original chart had been made by one of the officers of the 'Susquehanna' and was "said to be very accurate." Says he is at Charleston and that they are still blockading "this nest of secession." Duty has been dull; since "the stunning blow inflicted on them [Confederates in the area] by Dupont's splendid victory. We have seen no sign of the small steamers which were in the…

GLC03836.27

15 July 1782

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: Ordnance of stores received during the year

Authorship inferred from handwriting. Date added later in pencil. Ordnance items listed in two columns, with dates written at the top of each. Paragraph below columns reads, "The return to be continued in the aforegoing manner for the whole year - then the total of each particular article inserted under its own proper head in the general return."

GLC02437.01486

17 July 1782

Peirce, John, 1750-1798

Manuscript document

Title: Return of sundry articles which are much wanted for the different posts on the Mohawk River

In the handwriting of Captain Peirce of the artillery, most likely John Peirce, son of Isaac Peirce and younger brother of Joseph. Chart for supplies wanted at different posts on the Mohawk River in New York. Divided into five columns: for 12 pounder, for 7 pdr, for 6 pounds, for 3 pounder, and sundry articles. The cannons need flannel and paper cartridges as well as caps, cylinders, grape shot, and round shot. The sundry articles include lead aprons, twine, thread, yard, paper, and matches. Note on bottom says a quantity of oakum for the corking magazine is desired, as well as a quantity of…

GLC02437.01488

July 1782

Officers of the Massachusetts Line

Manuscript document

Title: to the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in General Court Assembled

In the hand of Samuel Shaw. Writes on behalf of the officers of the Massachusetts line that the Massachusetts state legislature has, following the direction of Congress, settled payment with the officers for the years 1779 and 1780, but have not yet made payments for the year 1781. The officers request that the legislature send a committee to camp to settle payment with the officers, because officers need to be in camp in case a campaign happens at a moment's notice. Also informs the legislature that the officers are owed for unpaid food and clothing rations for several years past, which,…

GLC02437.01514

circa 1782

Manuscript document

Title: Articles issued in the year 1782

Possibly in the hand of Samuel Shaw. Year in title added later in pencil. A blank form describing military stores in two columns, organized by date, including flints and powder. A note below the chart reads, "The return to be continued in the aforegoing manner for the whole year, then the total of each particular article inserted under its own proper head in the general return." See GLC02437.01486 for a related document.

GLC02437.01515