December 31, 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Elderkin

Knox writes to Elderkin, magazine keeper for Daniel Parker & Co., a firm that furnished supplies for troops. Relates that his contract with Parker has nearly expired and no measure has been taken for its renewal. Orders Elderkin to deliver a large number of rations to the present issuing commissary at West Point.

GLC02437.02876

26 November 1779

Stark, John, 1728-1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

General Stark requests as much flour and corn meal for his brigade as can be collected, provisions needed for the upcoming winter. Mentions that General Enoch Poor's brigade would be stationed there for the winter also.

GLC05548

17 August 1799

McHenry, James, 1753-1816

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jonathan Dayton

References Dayton's letter of 16 August 1799. Writes to tell Dayton, Senator from New Jersey, that he should tell his brother that the three regiments being raised in New Jersey for the Provisional Army during the Quasi War with France might not quarter there. Dayton's brother wanted a contract to provide rations for the three regiments in the year 1800, but McHenry fears he based his contract on the fact the three regiments would remain in New Jersey. Says the regiments might actually quarter in Carlisle, Pennsylvania if the barracks prove feasible. McHenry awaits final word from General…

GLC05229

19 March 1776

Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Page

He is happy to hear the mutinous spirits of the soldiers have been subdued and hopes it can be prevented in the future. Remarks, "the putrid fever rages so much in the Norfolk fleet . . ." Discusses officers' commissions and appointments. Hopes some arrangements will be made for procuring salt. Remarks that the men are governed by their present feelings and will riot when the need for salt arises. Expresses concern that not all the Continental troops are under Colonial direction.

GLC05587

April 1759

Hancock, John, 1737-1793

Autograph document signed

Title: [Teamsters agreement for a military expedition up the St. River Lawrence]

Written by Hancock while working for his uncle's mercantile company during the French and Indian War. Makes an agreement for provisioning the troops for the Battle of Quebec. Records a contract between "teamster, on the one part, & Thomas Hancock of Boston Esq. who is Impowered to agree with them by His Excellency Major General Amherst Commander in Chief of all His Majesty's Forces in North America." The teamsters agreed to join Major General James Wolfe, who was planning to follow a route up the St. Lawrence river to attack Quebec, as drivers. Contains details on pay and provisions…

GLC07697

14 September 1782

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: [Order to the Commissary for the arrearage of provisions due to Mrs. Corbin of the Invalids]

Includes a note at the top of the page, in Shaw's hand, from Jonathan Pugh, Lieutenant of Invalids, which reads, "This is to certify that Mrs. Margaret Corbin (wife of John Corbin a soldier in the corps of Invalids) has not drawn any liquor with the ration allowed her since the 1st Jany 1782." Below, Shaw relates that Mrs. Corbin has two Congressional resolves in her favor, "she having had a husband and son killed and was herself wounded at Brandywine in 1777. She is allowed a full ration per day, half pay for life and a suit of clothes annually. " Orders the Commissary to give her the…

GLC02437.01611

16 October 1782

Cornell, Ezekiel, 1733-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from Camp Verplank's Point, present-day Verplanck, New York. Encloses a copy of the contract from the day's General Orders. Would have liked to send a copy of the new contract but it is not yet finished; will send it when it is complete. Outlines the quantities of beef or salt pork, bread or flour, whiskey, salt, soap, and candles that are included in the ration specified in the new contract. Adds that officers are entitled to a quantity of "good West India rum" instead of the whiskey, if they prefer. Officers can take as much as they are entitled to, and accounts will be…

GLC02437.01664

25 March 1783

Cheesman, Joseph, fl. 1783

Autograph document signed

Title: [Provision return for masons]

Countersigned by Samuel Shaw with a note on verso from Jacob Wight. Lists amount of extra rations provided for Masons;. Date and place writ from note on verso.

GLC02437.02044

19 December 1781

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes to inform Knox of his "wishes that the detachment from the Regiment may joine us" if consistent with Knox's plans. They are acquiring clothing for the regiment and he wants the men to anticipate the new clothes and feel satisfaction from attaining them. Mentions that all but three companies of the Regiment are quartered at the Joint. They are collecting the materials for the ordnance as fast as possible but the men are not well fed so he does not want to rush them. Has the men in good winter quarters, is trying to build a guard house for the artillery, and declares the ammunition…

GLC02437.01307

25 December 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Young

Discusses the sick patients that have to stay in Albany, New York for the winter. Also writes about provisioning the sick. Writes that Young "must know the state of the patients better than any other man, and a confidence in your candor induces me to leave the disposition entirely to you." Says the hospital is closed at West Point but that they still have twenty patients that will be need to be supported through the winter. Encloses (not included) Morris's notes of sixty dollars and an order (not included) for provisions for the patients until they are discharged.

GLC02437.02860

31 March 1782-21 April 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: Minutes of the proceedings of the commissioners

Copy written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Henry Knox's aide-de-camp, at Elizabethtown, present-day Elizabeth, New Jersey. Appoints Knox and Gouverneur Morris to meet with British commissioners to discuss prisoners of war and civilians in custody. Empowers them to negotiate release, exchange and better treatment of prisoners of war, and to take measures to liberate citizens not captured under arms (emphasized in original). Also authorizes them to settle accounts for prisoner maintenance; mentions Convention of Saratoga, an agreement about handling of British prisoners after the Battle of…

GLC02437.01377

December 1782

Manuscript document

Title: [Officers' grievances, to be presented to Congress]

"The Officers of the Army, in Behalf of themselves and the Soldiery, beg leave, in plain & respectful language, to lay a State of their Circumstances and Grievances before Congress." The writer claims that the Government has not upheld its end of the bargain in supplying officers with adequate pay and rations. Argues that Continental money at nominal value was "palmed upon the Army," that the quantity of rations doled out to troops was frequently altered (to the disadvantage of soldiers), and that the account for rations has been unsettled for several years. Includes other grievances…

GLC02437.10073

22 April 1782

Bond, George, fl. 1779-1783

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Resolution of Congress respecting rations of officers]

Extract of the minutes of Congress on a resolution involving "rations, subsistance or allowances to officers" over and above their pay. The rates in the resolution are to go into effect on 1 May. Lists number of rations per day and dollars per month allotted to each rank. Transmitted and signed by Deputy Secretary Bond.

GLC02437.01396

3 September 1782

United States. Continental Congress.

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Congressional resolution 3 September 1782]

Signed by Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress. Location inferred from location of Continental Congress in 1782. Outlines a Congressional resolution detailing the pay and rations of officials in the Department of Commissary of Military Stores. Describes how much pay and rations the Field Commissary of Military Stores, the Deputy Field Commissaries, and the Conductors and Clerks, will each receive. Also outlines how many of each officer there will be, and where they will be stationed, including West Point, Fort Pitt, and the Southern Army. Indicates that the appointments…

GLC02437.01566

3 September 1782

United States. Continental Congress.

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Resolution of Continental Congress]

Signed by Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress. Location inferred from location of Continental Congress in 1782. Very similar to GLC02437.01566. Outlines a Congressional resolution detailing the pay and rations of officials in the Department of Commissary of Military Stores. Describes how much pay and rations the Field Commissary of Military Stores, the Deputy Field Commissaries, and the Conductors and Clerks, will each receive. Also outlines how many of each officer there will be, and where they will be stationed, including West Point, Fort Pitt, and the Southern Army…

GLC02437.01569

2 June 1784

United States. Continental Congress.

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Congressional resolution regarding the discharge of troops]

Signed by Charles Thomson as Secretary of Congress. This resolution indicates the number of troops to be discharged at West Point, New York and Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania. Stipulates that no officer above the rank of captain will remain in service. Also discusses settlement of pay and rations.

GLC02437.03009

6 March 1787

Ward, Artemas, 1727-1800

Manuscript document

Title: [Resolution]

Copy of a Massachusetts state resolution concerning money matters for raising "six hundred and sixty men as ordered by the aforesaid resolve, and for the pay[,] cloathing, & subsistence of the said men: Provided that the said sum shall not exceed Five thousand pounds." The 660 men had been requisitioned by Congress as the state's share of a force to be raised to quell Shays' Rebellion. This resolution calls for paying part of the troops' expenses from a tax levied to pay off the state's share of war debts in support of the national government. Those taxes helped pave the way for Shays'…

GLC02437.03484

1775-1776

Livingston, Walter, 1740-1797

Manuscript document

Title: Account book of provisions purchased for the Continental Army

GLC03107.04356

11 July 1782

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Relates that the present letter will be given to Knox by Mr. [Richard] Frothingham. Writes, "I yesterday received a Letter from Mr. [likely Samuel] Hodgdon, informing me the Shells at Mr. [John Jacob] Faesch's Works, are Cast. - and, that Genl [Benjamin] Lincoln requests, Capt. [William] Stevens may be sent, with a Party of Men to prove them - In consequence of this information, I have sent Capt. Stevens, to Philadelphia, to settle with Genl Lincoln, the mode of subsisting himself, and Party, while on this Service. We have no News here, except a report that the Enemy have evacuated…

GLC02437.01482

15 October 1783

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Request for Knox to register him in order that he may settle his accounts and draw subsistance.

GLC02437.02658

7 October 1788

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Relates that the Ogden family arrived 6 October to visit Lucy Knox. Discusses letters from Arthur St. Clair (Governor of the Northwest Territory), General Josiah Harmar, and Majors [John Francis] Hamtramck and [possibly John] Wyllis. Notes that St. Clair's letter to Congress looks hostile, and that Hamtramck reported an Indian attack on a provision escort in the Territory.

GLC02437.03990

1773-1783

Savage, Gideon, 1751-1833

Autograph manuscript

Title: [Revolutionary war journal & accounts]

On pages 55 to 65, there are brief daily entries from 1 June 1777 to 1 March 1778, a period in which Savage served as a Corporal of Artillery and Artificer for the Connecticut Continental Line in the Continental Army. These entries record troop movements, military engagements, news received, and the weather. Also refers to Savage's arrival at Valley Forge on 19 December 1777 and occasions he described as "still working at the generals Washington" on 9-10 January 1778 and 12 February 1778. Savage was a carpenter by trade, and he was possibly working on a log cabin Washington had built for…

GLC01450.013.01

1782

Header Record

Title: [Collection of 4 letters to William Richardson] [Decimalized .01-.04]

GLC01450.009

June 30, 1779

Powell, Jeremiah, 1714-1789

Letter signed

Title: to John Waite

Powell informs Waite of the General Court decision to undertake the Penobscot Expedition. Orders were issued to detach 1500 men from the militia of Massachusetts, 100 artillery men, and a number of vessels to Penobscot Bay to dislodge the British stationed there. Reports that orders were given for provisions, ammunition, and firearms to be sent. The council also requested the assistance of the state of New Hampshire. Powell signed the letter as President of the Massachusetts Council. The Penobscot Expedition occurred July-August 1779 in present-day Maine (then Massachusetts). The Americans…

GLC01450.025

1 May 1781

Buell, Nathan, fl. 1781

Autograph document signed

Title: [Account of cash paid for sundries delivered to families of officers and soldiers of the Connecticut Line]

Countersigned by Eleazer Waters at the Pay Table Office. List of accounts dated 16 March 1781 through 11 April 1781 listing officers or soldiers and the goods sent to them. Sundries include potatoes, beef, pork, wheat, and flour. Buell was Lieutenant Commander in the Continental Army.

GLC01450.035