January 15, 1773

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: [Memoranda]

List of expenses from Mrs. Lucy Knox by date. Items include satin, wages of various servants, green tea, cloth, buttons and a pig.

GLC02437.08309

20 May 1862

Williams, George M., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions that the end of the war will "require strict economy and management in all affairs." Predicts that after the war is over, money will be harder to get and taxes will be "mountain high." He warns wife to treat servants kindly but to not "approach intimacy" as that would cause a loss of respect. As an example he provides his Cousin James who gets ill at the Penitentiary because he talks so often with convicts who no longer fear or respect him. He informs her that Mr. Shields has returned. He says that his health is improving with the only exception being his continuing side pain.

GLC06582.16

31 July 1862

Williams, George M., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

He writes that he spent the day with "C B****." He asks her to kiss the baby, encourage the servants, and to pray to God for his blessings. Explains that it would have been imprudent to mention names in his letters and thus give away valuable information if a letter should fall into enemy hands.

GLC06582.34

11 November 1862

Williams, George M., fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

He received her letter, detailing her flight from home. He also learned by reading someone else's letter that she and his aunt are going to go to "Halifax to Mr. Bruce's," but reasons that Cousin Ella must have been mistaken because she has not mentioned it in any of her letters. He writes that the appointments have yet to be announced. Thinks it would be "prudent" for Uncle Jack to hire servants and give up working on the farm until "more quiet times." He admits to not knowing what to write to her. He says he is "compelled to go into the Army" when he is finished with his present work.…

GLC06582.50

4 November 1864

Brunt, Olive, fl. 1863-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Martha Weir

Olive writes to Martha for her husband, "but I cannot write to you as he would." Writes of how much she misses her home and friends in Kentucky, but enjoys her work at the Contraband Camp. She and one other woman mend the clothing of the entire camp and want "to make this camp a selfe suporting Camp rais the provisions on the farm and get the cloths by exchanging our labor for cotton." Mentions that there are fifteen teachers in the school. The black soldiers have been turned out of their homes to house Confederate refugees, which Olive says she will try not to mind "as long as they don't…

GLC07006.11

October 6, 1863

Figures, Henry Stokes, 1844-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear Ma

He has some ladies' shoes he plans to give his mother when he finally sees her. From Colonel Sheffield, he hired a boy, possibly an enslaved individual at 20 dollars per month. Letter is very faded and illegible. Discusses family business, as well as deaths in the area and in the regiment, for which he wishes to have some part in doing service to the names of the fallen. Letter written near Chattanooga, Tennessee.

GLC00653.01.29

21 September 1866 - 31 October 1866

Printed document

Title: [pay voucher for Col. J. J. Reynolds]

Pay voucher for "Col. J. J. Reynolds, 26 U. S. Infantry." The document includes pay, clothing allowance, and subsistence allowance for Reynolds and two civilian servants. The total payment is $ 347.37. The document has not been signed. A note on verso indicates $278.00 paid to Col. D. McClure and $282.75 paid to Col. A. J. Turney.

GLC03614.02.06

27 November 1864

Bundy, E.B., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Cole

Letter acknowledges receipt of $10.60 and says they could not find anyone who knew whether or not he had a servant,

GLC08291.25

February 15, 1864

Wells, Edmund C., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria

planning to go to Cinncinatti for a week. has been writing a letter for the Captain's "darky" to his sweetheart. would like to be in Washington if they get orders to leave Cumberland.

GLC08311.13

February 26, 1863

Wilson, James G., 1832-1914

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Stephens

A major commanding the 15th Illinois Cavalry writes to his brigade commander, requesting permission to rescue his servant's children.

GLC02463.26

27 June 1866

Chipman, Hosmer & Company, fl. 1866

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ethan A. Jenks

Attorneys Chipman, Hosmer & Co. state that Jenks is entitled to additional servants' pay from 1 May 1864 to 30 March 1865. Inform Jenks that they will present his case to the Court of Claims.

GLC02750.040

6 September 1861

Norton, Levi W., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to wife

Rode horse-back with the Colonel through several gates and came across a large open field. Writes that the Colonel asked him to take care of Capt Stewart, a prisoner, for the evening; offers him peaches and makes him feel at home and happy. They became close in a short amount of time. He finds Capt Stewart to be a gentleman and scholar and a better man than those who arrested him, who are from the 1st Regt. of this Brigade. Capt Stewart directs "a company of patrols to look after nigger stealers." Tells his wife that she judged rightly about the battle; it was quiet, there was no fuss or…

GLC09006.03

February 26, 1865

Dow, Neal, 1804-1897

Autograph letter signed

Title: to C. C. Leigh

Writes to Leigh in New York: "It occurs to me, that occasionally there may be colored servant girls- refugees- to be obtained, and that through the National Society, you may have something to do with finding places for them. I should like a good house servant very much- if such is to be had." Predicts that the Civil War will not last much longer. Hopes for peace, "but not for any peace that shall leave a particle of slavery in the Constitution." 1 black and white bust engraving of Neal Dow.

GLC05029

February 27, 1865

Maury, William Lewis, 1813-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nan [Maury]

Comments that Mrs. Sinclair (widow of Confederate States Navy commander Arthur Sinclair) bears the loss of her husband well. Reports that a black woman who frequently stayed in Baltimore set fire to the house of her mistress, the wife of Confederate Admiral [Franklin] Buchanan. Discusses Buchanan's convalescence (Buchanan was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864. He was exchanged the month this letter was written). Presumes the woman's friends put her up to the crime. Writes, "They seem to be expecting a fight soon on our right. Nothing positive from Sherman,…

GLC04572.32

February 27, 1863

Hoyt, Albert H., 1826-1915

Document signed

Title: [Reciept of payment for one private servant]

Signed by Hoyt as United States Army Paymaster. Signed by Joseph C. Oliver as Captain of Company E, 3rd Regiment, Louisiana Native Guards. Oliver confirms that he received payment (possibly for the service of a servant William Pane) from Major M. Vedder, also an army paymaster. Describes Pane's physical characteristics. "Vedder" is written in blue crayon above docket. This document is partially printed.

GLC08474.03

February 6, 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Worried that his sister is sick with diphtheria. Many of the men in camp are sick, and the first man in Damuth's company has died. Damuth's friend Jesse has been vaccinated for small pox and complains of feeling unwell. Comments on a black servant who does the cooking - "a good fellow but is an exception to his race." Complains about division in the North between Republicans and pacifist Democrats.

GLC03523.14.12

29 May 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that he is not very busy and that his "chief employment is battling the flies." Mentions that he plans on visiting Lake Drumond with a group of other officers and that they are to be "poled out by a couple of darkies, the distance is 12 or 15 miles and directly through Dismal Swamp." Notes that he has requested a leave of absence so that he can take care of some business at a savings bank. Says that he has an excellent new servant who keeps things very clean. Describes the foods he has been eating which include codfish balls and strawberries. Writes that he is suspicious of his…

GLC03603.237

14 June 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that his company has been relieved of duty at Ft. Jerico and sent to rejoin their regiment. The box that his family sent has arrived and he thanks them and mentions that several of the jars had broken in shipping. Describes using sweet gum bark tea to help cure him of diarrhea. Comments about food prices and reports that his servant is doing very well.

GLC03603.241

4 May 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that the regiment is getting ready to march. Supplies have been consolidated and rations for five days have been prepared. He passes on rumors of different destinations. Writes of sending his possessions to be stored and sending money to be deposited in the name of William Rollins, a black soldier who is Coit's servant. Asks his brother, George, to add Rollins to his savings account as a trustee. Responds to the two books sent by his family, "Paradise Lost" and "Seasons."

GLC03603.274

January 10, 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes a new military plan that is meant to alleviate the financial pressure caused by the long period of time between visits from the paymaster. The new plan allows officers to purchase two rations of food daily in order to feed servants that had otherwise been fed using the officers pocket money. Jokes that once their money runs out, all the officers will be forced to resign. Reports that he and the other officers blame General Sumner for this unfair plan.

GLC03603.181

January 16, 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that he has been using his new knife and passed part of an evening whittling. Gives an update to the news of Sumner's order regarding food purchase at the commissary. An order by General Burnside has dictated that the men may purchase whatever they would like from the commissary at the prices the government pays. Writes of his fondness for photographs of his family and about the general craze for photographs by the other men. His family has sent him $5 and he feels terrible that he has not been able to send any home.

GLC03603.183

27 March 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family/Orderly Gammwell

Writes that he wishes that the receiver's furlong would be long enough to cast a vote for "the suppression of Rebellion". Makes reference to the Hartford Convention of 1863. A draft of a note written to Orderly Gammwell but sent to his family with an explanatory note at the end.

GLC03603.215

24 May 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Says that he has hired a new servant named Bill. The Chaplin gave the soldiers a supply of new books and newspapers. Requests that his mother take the money he has sent and buy some letter paper to write him rather than the "old scraps" she has been using. Notes that he waits until he is alone in his tent to open his letters because of the poor quality of the paper. Requests news from home on the marriages of Mrs. Bull and Mrs. Dyer. Sends his regards to his extended family and friends and requests a green checkered shirt. Responds to news that a doctor from Connecticut is planning on…

GLC03603.231

1 January 1863

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents and sister

Lysander recounts how they surrounded and ambushed a suspected secessionist's house during the night, only to find nothing. The secessionist claimed to be a Unionist but admitted his brother is in the Confederate Army and that there were things hidden on the plantation. Reports Lieut. Timothy Wells and Capt. Alexander Warner have been petitioned to resign by all of the officers. Wheeler explains that he signed the petition for Warner because Warner wanted Darius, Wheeler's brother-in-law, to sleep with his negro servant.

GLC07460.010

circa 1859 - 1862

McClees, J.E., fl. 1855-1865

Engraving Signed

Title: J.L. Reno

Photo taken by J.E. McClees, engraving done by J.C. Buttre. General Jesse L. Reno is pictured in his union uniform.

GLC02457.15.02