3 September 1776

Nelson, Thomas Jr., 1738-1789

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Page

Discusses the American defeat at the Battle of Long Island and their retreat. Thinks the British will quit New York City very shortly. Reports that Brigadier General Lord Sterling and General Sullivan have been taken prisoner along with other valuable field officers. Adds that the Americans' 2400 troops bravely and successfully forced their way through enemy lines and kept the enemy's 10,000 soldiers at bay. Feels that the Americans must give up their islands until they build a marine power strong enough to defend them.

GLC02540

10 November 1780-29 November 1780

Manuscript

Title: [Journal of voyage from New York City aboard the Raleigh]

The unsigned manuscript, apparently British in origin, was written while on the Frigate "Raleigh," commanded by Captain James Gambier. Gives list of passengers, who are all officers and says they are bound for the Chesapeake. On 12 November his destination changes to Cape Fear, North Carolina. Sees several ships of the line before leaving New York. Mentions a storm on 17 November. Says they captured several ships during their voyage southward. Heard the British fleet became separated on 17 November because of the "gale."

GLC02542.08

18 September 1788

Von Steuben, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, 1730-1794

Letter signed

Title: to William North

Whimsical letter written by Von Steuben in retirement and in debt in New York to his former aide North, who was also in retirement at Duanesburg, New York. Refers to North as "my dear Bill." Looks back on the last year. Mentions that "you did cut your name & mine, in a Big tree" and that the Constitution was signed. Says ten years ago Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga. Says nothing is decided by Congress, in reference to an application for a pension still pending before that body. Says he is going to winter with Armstrong and that they are going to take the corner house at Nassau Street…

GLC02542.12

1863/09/09

Bogart, Abram, fl. 1825-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife re: siege and fall of Fort Wagner

Transcript available.

GLC02970

1885

Sartain, John, 1808-1897

Print

Title: The Battle of Gettysburg

Headline reads "From the Original Picture painted for the State of Pennsylvania under award of Commission appointed by the Legislature." Caption reads "Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1872 by P. F. Rothermel in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D.C. Published 1885 by Joseph A. Joel, 88 Nassau St. New York." Hand colored print depicts Union troops crossing the Confederate line.

GLC02980.01

6 October 1864

Patterson, Joab N., 1835-1923

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Second Auditor of the Treasury

Responds to concern about missing equipment. Explains the possibility of "hurried movements incident to a battle and especially at Gettysburg" as a reason for the listed lost items.Written at Fort Pocahontas

GLC02965

1864/10/24

Edinborough, C. J., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: Union soldier's letter re: battle of Cedar Creek

GLC02972

1889

Hovenden, Thomas, 1840-1895

Print

Title: In the hands of the enemy after Gettysburg.

Engraving of ink depiction of a convalescing soldier.

GLC02979.02

21 January 1865

Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891

Autograph letter

Title: to James H. Wilson

Celebratory discussion of union victories in the South. Sherman writes that he "knocked the daylight through Georgia," that General Wilson and General George H. Thomas gave confederate Generals "Hood & Forest a taste of what they have to Expect by trying to meddle with out Conquered territory," and Captain Hugh Judson Kilpatrick "bamboozled Wheeler and...befuddled Hardee. Mentions his intention to attack Columbia, South Carolina and to raid Selma, Alabama. Signature has been removed and replaced by one written in another hand, possibly for clerical purposes.

GLC02947

24 December 1781

Johnson, J., fl. 1782

Newspaper

Title: The Salisbury and Winchester Journal [Monday, December 24, 1781]

Includes news related to the Battle of Yorktown. Publishes a letter from Lord Cornwallis to Henry Clinton dated 20 October 1781, in which Cornwallis announced his defeat. Prints several items of correspondence between Cornwallis and George Washington (related to the British captiulation at Yorktown) from October 1781. Also includes news from the House of Commons and various announcements and advertisments.

GLC03517

1862 -1895

Goold, Theodore, 1844-?

Header Record

Title: Collection of brothers James and Theodore Goold [Decimalized .01-.23] Collection of letters to Albert Gillett [Decimalized .24- .31]

Theodore Goold enlisted in the army on 21 June 1861 in Rochester, New York, as a private. James Goold enlisted in the army on 29 August 1862 in Macedon, New York, as a private. They were both mustered into the "F" Co. New York 25th Infantry in August 1862 and transferred into "I" Co. New York 44th Infantry on 19 June 1863. Most of the correspondence is written to their parents and brother Johnny. The majority of the content describes daily activities and duties in their regiment, and their living conditions at camp. Theodore writes some letters from Emory Hospital in Washington D.C., where…

GLC03523.05

1861-1865

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Header Record

Title: Collection of Josiah E. Henry [decimalized]

Consists primarily of a collection of letters by Josiah E. Henry, a soldier in I company of the 5th Vermont Volunteer infantry. Included are letters from his brother George, a soldier in the Vermont 5th Infantry, and several from their cousin William Henry who was not a soldier. The correspondence mentions McClellan's Peninsula Campaign, Joseph Hooker in command, Chancellorsville (briefly), the Petersburg campaign, and the great Washington review at the end of the war.

GLC03523.07

1861-1864

Terry, Robert B., fl. 1861-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Robert S. Terry] [Decimalized .01-.98]

Collection contains 97 letters, plus an additional manuscript document. Terry served in the 7th Pennsylvania Reserves. His letters include descriptions of camp life, sickness, heat stroke, uniforms, guard duty around Washington, first Manassas (Bull Run), the Penninsula campaign, Gettysburg, and Kilpatrick's raid. Terry saw little battle service but provided much commentary on contemporary events, including the visit of the Russian fleet (12 November 1863), which was largely responsible for cordial relations and the purchase of Alaska in 1867. Mentions many Generals, including Nathaniel…

GLC03523.08

1864

Park, Frank E., 1835-1904

Sketchbook

Title: Camp scenes and sketches of the Andrew Light Infantry

Civil War sketchbook containing thirty-four watercolors and eight black and white pencil sketches. Includes watercolor of Antietam battlefield with skulls and cannon balls. Also depicted are Washington, D.C., Fort Lee, New York, Arlington, Virginia, Fort Smith, Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland, as well as flowers, soldiers, a flag, among others. With two tintype photographs of Union buglers pasted into the covers. Park came from South Boston and served in the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry, initially known as the Andrew Light Infantry, or A.L.I. He enlisted as a private and was discharged as…

GLC03537

23 July 1864

Coverdale, Robert Todd, fl. 1861-1890

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James William Denver

Coverdale, Lieutenant and Assistant Quartermaster for the Military Division of the Mississippi, replies to a letter from Union General Denver discussing the death of Frank Johns, a mutual acquaintance. Writes "The Army is a great school for finding out the faults and failings of Men much more so then it is in peaceful or private life. But I have never seen or heard of any man who questioned the integrity of ... Frank Johns..." In a lengthy post script, mentions the death of General James Birdseye McPherson in the 22 July 1864 Battle of Atlanta. Describes the Battle of Atlanta, stating "…

GLC03544

25 May 1863

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William T. Sherman

Written at Headquarters of the Department of the Tennessee near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Grant writes to Sherman in the early days of the siege of Vicksburg. Relates he ordered Colonel Johnson to ascertain the number of Confederate troops north of the Black River, and to burn a bridge over the river, leaving Haynes' Bluff without a garrison. Writes "I deem that point of so much importance that I am willing to weaken our force here rather that to leave it unoccupied." Orders Sherman to send a brigade to assist in fortifying the bluff. Endorsed by Sherman, who orders Tuttle (possibly General…

GLC03512

May 10, 1862

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Broadside

Title: [Broadside version of a letter to Braxton Bragg]

Printed broadside version of a letter from Beauregard to Braxton Bragg encouraging aggressive tactics. Bragg had the letter printed as a broadside "for the information and guidance of this army." States "When without orders or at a loss to know what to do in action, they must rapidly advance in the direction of the heaviest firing-for the art of war consists in the concentration of masses against fractions of masses; moreover, our motto should be 'Forward, and always forward,' until victory may perch decisively upon our banners. The more rapid the attack, the weaker, habitually, the…

GLC03514

1870

Bachelder, John B. (John Badger), 1825-1894

Book

Title: Descriptive key to the painting of the Repulse of Longstreet's Assault at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Published by Bachelder, New York. The original painting was historically arranged by Bachelder, and painted by James Walker. The book outlines the battle, shows the relative positions of the contending forces, and explains the points of local and military interest delineated in the painting. Also has a fold out sketch of the painting with a key. With an appendix containing private letters and official reports from both armies showing the authorities for the painting, and a complete index of the officers and troops mentioned.

GLC03522

1861-1865

Bope, Conrad, 1839-1917

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Conrad, Abraham and John Bope] [decimalized]

Collection consists of 10 Conrad Bope letters (1861-63), 4 John Bope letters (1862) and 9 Abraham Bope letters (1862-65). Conrad and John Bope served in the 49th Ohio Volunteers, while Abraham served in the 61st Ohio Volunteers. Letters mention the Battle of Shiloh, General William Starke Rosecrans, and the Chattanooga campaign. Abraham Bope served in the Army of the Potomac and mentions the Battle of Chancellorsville and Confederate General John Hunt Morgan.

GLC03523.03

1861-1865, 1866-1902

Maitland, Joseph M., 1836-1918

Header Record

Title: Collection of Joseph M. Maitland, G company, 95th regiment, Ohio, infantry [Decimalized .001-.258]

Maitland (1839-1918) was a pro-Union Democrat. His correspondence discusses the war and politics. Maitland's collection includes commentary on the 1863 political campaign for Governor of Ohio, Morgan's Raid, religious matters (Baptists in Ohio), the Peninsula Campaign, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Vallandigham, Nathan B. Forrest, black soldiers, assassination of Lincoln, and mustering out. Includes a Hymn Book, 3 military papers, 28 pre-war items (letters and documents) and 88 post-war or undated letters or documents.

GLC03523.10

1861-1863

Wilkinson, Frederick W., fl. 1861-1863

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Frederick W. Wilkinson] [decimalized]

Also includes a roster and an ambrotype photograph of Wilkinson. All but four letters were written by Wilkinson to his wife. The letters mention First Bull Run, General George McClellan's Peninsula Campaign, Antietam, the replacement of McClellan with General Ambrose Burnside, General Joseph Hooker, and preparation for Vicksburg. Expresses disapproval of McClellan, and praises Hooker. The letters end on 19 June 1863 when he complains of weakness from long-term illness. Pension records are also available.

GLC03523.13

1862-1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Header Record

Title: Collection of Dolphus Damuth, D company, 29th regiment, Wisconsin, infantry [Decimalized .01-.86]

Damuth's letters include the following topics: Vicksburg, General Banks, black troops (of whom he approved), the presidential election of 1864 (pro-Lincoln), the Red River campaign. He also reports news from Chattanooga and Atlanta from afar.

GLC03523.14

1861-1865

Knox, Andrew, 1835-?

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Andrew Knox, B company, 1st regiment, Connecticut, heavy artillery] [Decimalized .01-.23]

Knox served as Lieutenant in the 1st Connecticut Artillery. The letters discuss the sieges of Yorktown and Petersburg, support Lincoln's re-election, condemn McClellan's Peace Platform, and mention William, a freeman working for McClellan as a servant. States that William was the most consistent "Christian" he ever met.

GLC03523.20

1861-1865

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Header Record

Title: Collection of William A. Allison [decimalized .01-.43]

Collection centers on letters from Allison to his friend Stockton Bates. Portrays the very real, non-glamorous life of a soldier. Mentions McClellan's dismissal, Fredericksburg, Hooker's appointment, Gettysburg (letters 17, 18, and 19), Pennsylvania campaign, Everett's oration at Gettysburg (27), and his parole as a prisoner of war (37, 38).

GLC03523.23

1862-1865

Allison, Eben, fl. 1861-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Eben Allison, A company, 15th regiment, Pennsylvania, cavalry] [Decimilized .001-.126]

Allison served in the 15th Pa. Cavalry, "Anderson's Cavalry." Allison's correspondence mentions Murfreesboro (Stones River), Chattanooga, second battle of Dalton (in Georgia against Confederate General Wheeler), Nashville, guerillas, the Presidential election of 1864, and Parson Brownlow. The collection also includes telegraphs, a rare broadside and a cardboard note to his father. Excellent battle and political content.

GLC03523.24